How to Find the Right Tires for Your Chevy Equinox

Choosing the right tires for your Chevy Equinox is not terribly difficult, but there are some things you need to know to get the right size and type. First things first: we’re going to take a look at the second-generation for the Chevy Equinox, which specifically includes model years from 2010 to 2017. The second thing to know is that the size of the tire you need depends on the trim you have for a particular year since different tires are available for different wheel sizes. Keep reading, and we’ll help you figure out exactly what you need before shopping for discount tires in Cincinnati.

This might all seem a bit confusing at first, but don’t worry, we’re going to look at what size tires you need for your vehicle, based on the model year and trim, explain how to read tire sizes, and also look at different types of tires, so you know exactly what you need. By the end of this, you’ll be a tire expert – or at least, an expert when it comes to the tires you need for your Equinox.

What Size Tires Does Your Chevy Equinox Take?

The good news is that there are really only three tire sizes you need to be aware of for a Chevy Equinox from the second-generation. If you have a model from 2010 through 2013, then your options are as follows. For a LS trim, you need a 225/65R17 tire, while for the LT trim, you need either a 235/55R18 or 235/55R19 tire, depending on if you have 18-inch or 19-inch tires. And for the LTZ trim, you need 225/65R17 tires (just like the LS). So far, so good.

For 2014 models, your tires will be mostly the same as for the earlier years, with the major difference being that there are three possible tire sizes for the LTZ trim depending on the size of your wheels: a 225/65R17 tire for 17-inch wheels, a 235/55R18 tire for 18-inch wheels, and a 235/55R19 tire for 19-inch wheels. 2015 and 2016 models are the same as the 2014 and previous models with one difference: an L trim was introduced, but it uses the same 225/65R17 tires as the LS trim level.

Finally, if you have a 2017 Chevy Equinox that you need to find tires for, then you don’t have to worry about the L trim (it was only around for two years in the second-generation), and the LS and LT trims use the same tire sizes as previous years. The LTZ trim was replaced by the Premier trim, which can use either a 225/65R17 tire or 235/55R18 tire depending on if you have 17-inch or 18-inch wheels. So, what do all those letters and numbers mean? Well…

How to Read Tire Sizes

If you’re still with us, then welcome to Tire Size Codes 101. We promise this won’t be too painful, and it will explain what those numbers mean on the side of your tire. Technically, you don’t need to know this – you can come visit us at McCluskey Chevy for the best discount tires in Cincinnati and tell us what tire size you need, and we’ll help you out. But we think it’s best to know what this is all about so you can always be sure you have the right size.

When you look at the code on the side of a tire, it will typically say something like “P225/65R17.” In the tire size code, that first letter indicates the class of the tire – in this case, “P” means it’s for a passenger vehicle like the Chevy Equinox. Any tires you’re buying for a passenger vehicle will start with P, so that’s why we didn’t bother including it in the above codes.

From there, you’re looking at information that actually tells you the size of the tires you’re getting for your vehicle. The first numbers are the width of the tire from one sidewall to the other, indicated in millimeters. So in the previous example: “225/65R17,” the “225” means that the tires for your vehicle need to be 225mm in width. Simple enough.

The next number that comes after the slash tells you the ratio of the sidewall’s height to its width as a percentage. So, in that example, “65” means that the height of the tire is 65% of the width of the tire. Since we know, it has a width of 225mm, when we can quickly determine that the height of the sidewall is about 146mm. You don’t really need to do this math when looking at tire sizes, but now you know what it means!

Next up is “R,” which simply tells you that you need tires with radial construction. Radial tires are generally what you’ll find any time you look at passenger tires, so this should come as no surprise. Finally, the last numbers indicate the diameter of the wheel the tires are designed to fit on, in inches. So “225/65R17” tires are designed to go on 17-inch wheels, while “235/55R18” tires are slightly wider and designed to go on 18-inch wheels.

Choosing the Right Type of Tire

Now that you know what size tires you need for your Chevy Equinox, you need to decide on the right type of tire to keep you safe and in control on the road. This can depend on a lot of different factors, and there are quite a few different types of tires available. For example, if you were looking at tires for a hot Corvette that you like to take to the track for some racing, then you’d want performance tires with high-speed ratings that can handle the stress you put on them.

On the other hand, with a Chevy Equinox, you’re more likely looking at all-season discount tires for here in Cincinnati. These tires are designed to work well year-round and are good in all kinds of different weather and road conditions. They have good tread and grooves for dealing with wet roads, but still, work very well in nice weather and always keep you in control.

If you plan on going off-road at all with your tires, or you live in a rural area that does not have well-maintained roads, then you might consider all-terrain or even mud-terrain tires. These are designed to handle much more demanding road conditions, including dirt and gravel roads, as well as muddy conditions where traction can be very difficult with standard, all-season tires.

Here in Cincinnati, we also recommend winter tires for the cold months. These tires are designed with deep grooves and wide tread that allows them to maintain control even in snow and slush by minimizing the buildup of snow in the tread. Not everyone bothers with winter tires, and you can often tell which drivers have them and which don’t by seeing who stays in control during a bad winter storm. For best overall drivability, we recommend switching to winter tires in around November and throughout March or so and using all-season tires the rest of the year.

At McCluskey Chevy, we are happy to help with all of your automotive needs. We offer some of the best tires in Cincinnati, and we are ready to answer any questions you might still have about getting the right tires for your vehicle. So come visit us today!