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Best tires for the Chevrolet Cruze

Top picks across four categories for the Chevrolet Cruze, anchored to the current-generation OEM size 195/65R15. Every recommendation is selected from our 22,000-tire catalog by ranking on UTQG treadwear, mileage warranty, cabin-noise rating, and season class; no commission-weighted reordering.

By Mark Bishop · Last verified 2026-09-02

Daily driver

Best all-season touring

Long warranty, low noise, balanced ride. The one-tire compromise that works for 80% of owners.

Lowest cost per mile

Best budget

Best price-per-warranty-mile in this size. Trade-off is shorter warranty vs premium options, not safety.

Lowest cabin noise

Best quiet

Tread patterns engineered to break up the harmonic peaks that cause highway droning. Pick this if you commute long highway distances daily.

Cold-weather grip

Best winter

Dedicated winter or all-weather compounds that stay pliable below 7 °C. Necessary for >5 snow days a year.

Side-by-side

Pick the trade-off that matches your driving

All-season
Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack
Best budget
Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
Best winter
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
UTQG treadwear800820-
Mileage warranty80,000 mi85,000 mi-
Cabin noise68 dB70 dB71 dB
Season classall-seasonall-seasonwinter
Typetouringtouringpassenger

OEM tire sizes by year

What size does the chevrolet cruze use?

Recommendations on this page are anchored to the latest model-year's OEM size. Confirm yours against the driver-door placard before purchase.

YearOEM size
2001–2003165/65R15Year-specific fitment →
2004–2008165/70R14Year-specific fitment →
2009–2010205/65R15Year-specific fitment →
2011225/50R17Year-specific fitment →
2012–2013225/45R18Year-specific fitment →
2014–2015215/55R17Year-specific fitment →
2016–2019225/45R17Year-specific fitment →
2020195/65R15Year-specific fitment →
2021–2024215/50R17Year-specific fitment →
2026195/65R15Year-specific fitment →

How we ranked these tires for the chevrolet cruze

We started with the latest model-year's OEM tire size; 195/65R15; and filtered our catalog of 22,000+ tires to those offered in that exact size. From there, four parallel rankings:

For sedans and compacts, the all-season touring tire below is the best default; long warranty, low cabin noise, reasonable cost per mile. Switch to the quiet pick if highway droning is a deal-breaker; switch to the winter pick if you see significant snow each year. Use the side-by-side comparison above to weigh the trade-offs against your specific driving; highway-heavy, winter-state, performance-oriented, or budget-constrained.

NHTSA-reported issues for chevrolet cruze

30
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Top issue category: Tires (General)

Most reported: Tires (General) (24) · TPMS (5) · Spare Tire (1)

Reported across: 2011 – 2019 (8 years)

What owners described

Sidewall failure is the most common description, in 17% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 23 reports covering every model year of the Chevrolet Cruze that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.

Reported problemThis subjectAll tire complaintsRelative
Sidewall failure 17% 15% 1.2×
Bubble or bulge in the tire 17% 6% 2.9×
Pressure-monitoring (TPMS) fault 13% 2% 5.4×
Blowout or sudden deflation 9% 20% 0.4×
Cracking or dry rot 9% 9% 0.9×
Loss of control, rollover or collision 9% 8% 1.0×

Mileage at failure

11 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 25,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 4,800 and 43,000 miles.

In owners' own words

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Chevrolet Cruze. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE EQUIPPED WITH MASTER CRAFT MC440 TIRES, SIZE: P215/60R16. THE CONTACT FELT A BULGE IN THE WALL OF THE TIRE WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 1003080 · 2011 vehicle

MY 2012 CHEVY CRUZE SUDDENLY DEVELOPED VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AS WELL AS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. PULLED OVER TO INSPECT IT AND FOUND A LARGE BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. I DROVE IT TO DISCOUNT TIRE WHERE THEY SAID IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY WONT GET INTO ANY WARRANTY/DEFECT ISSUES THEY REFERRED ME TO THE CHEVY DEALER FOR THAT. I DID HAVE THEM PUT THE OLD TIRE IN THE TRUNK. WHEN I GOT HOME I PULLED IT OUT TO LOOK AT IT AND ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE RIGHT WHERE THE BULGE IS THE TIRE IS CRACKED ON THE INSIDE. UGH! I CALLED CONTINENTAL AND THEY SAID I NEED TO TAKE THE CAR TO CHEVY AND HAVE THEM INSPECT THEM AND THEY WILL CONTACT CONTINENTAL TO SEE IF THEY ARE CONSIDERED DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA complaint 1053511 · 2012 vehicle

I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW AT MCDONALDS AND MY PURSE HIT THE CLUTCH. MY CAR CHANGED GEARS WITH JUST AT A SLIGHT TOUCH. IT HAS DONE THIS BEFORE SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. ALSO MY BACK TIRES NEVER STAY INFLATED. EVERY THREE DAYS I AM USUALLY PUTTING AIR IN THE TIRES.

NHTSA complaint 1089846 · 2011 vehicle

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATE 65 MPH, THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE.THE VIN WAS UNABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,300.

NHTSA complaint 1105665 · 2012 vehicle

Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.

FAQ

What's the best all-season tire for the Chevrolet Cruze?
The all-season touring slate above ranks the top options for the 195/65R15 OEM size. The leader is selected by matching chevrolet-segment fitment, all-season compound class, and premium-brand quality bonus. For most Chevrolet Cruze owners, the all-season touring pick is the best one-tire compromise; long warranty, low noise, reasonable cost per mile.
Should I get a cheaper tire for my Chevrolet Cruze?
The budget slate above ranks tires by cost-per-warranty-mile, ignoring brand premium. The budget pick is genuinely competitive on durability metrics; the trade-off is shorter warranty and slightly higher cabin noise, not actual safety risk. If you drive less than 15,000 miles a year, the budget pick will outlast your replacement window regardless.
Does the Chevrolet Cruze need winter tires?
If you see more than 5 snow days a year or drive at sustained temperatures below 7 °C, yes; winter compounds stay pliable in cold where all-season rubber hardens, which translates directly to shorter braking distances. The winter pick above is 3PMSF severe-snow rated and works for the 195/65R15 OEM fitment. Storage cost is real (4 extra tires somewhere), but the safety margin in winter conditions is substantial.
Can I run a different tire size on my Chevrolet Cruze?
Plus-size and minus-size alternatives within ±3% overall diameter are typically safe per the ETRTO standard. See the 195/65R15 upsize options for the full categorised alternatives table with verdicts.
Where can I buy these tires?
Each tire links to its detail page with live pricing from our online retailer partners. Out-the-door cost (including mount, balance, TPMS service, and disposal) varies by state; use the install cost calculator for a realistic estimate.

Last verified 2026-09-02.