Best tires for the Geo Metro
Top picks across four categories for the Geo Metro, anchored to the current-generation OEM size 155/80R13. 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.
Daily driver
Best all-season touring
Long warranty, low noise, balanced ride. The one-tire compromise that works for 80% of owners.
Ironman
GR906
Touring-tuned all-season compound; balanced ride, grip, and tread life for everyday driving.
Ironman
iMOVE PT
Touring-tuned all-season compound; balanced ride, grip, and tread life for everyday driving.
Kumho
Solus ta51a
Touring-tuned all-season compound; balanced ride, grip, and tread life for everyday driving.
Lowest cost per mile
Best budget
Best price-per-warranty-mile in this size. Trade-off is shorter warranty vs premium options, not safety.
Ironman
GR906
Lowest sticker price in this size that still meets the OEM load index. Trade-off is shorter warranty vs premium options.
Ironman
iMOVE PT
Lowest sticker price in this size that still meets the OEM load index. Trade-off is shorter warranty vs premium options.
Kumho
Solus ta51a
Lowest sticker price in this size that still meets the OEM load index. Trade-off is shorter warranty vs premium options.
Side-by-side
Pick the trade-off that matches your driving
| All-season Ironman GR906 |
|
|---|---|
| UTQG treadwear | 440 |
| Mileage warranty | - |
| Cabin noise | - |
| Season class | - |
| Type | - |
OEM tire sizes by year
What size does the geo metro use?
Recommendations on this page are anchored to the latest model-year's OEM size. Confirm yours against the driver-door placard before purchase.
| Year | OEM size | |
|---|---|---|
| 1991–1994 | 165/65R13 | Year-specific fitment → |
| 1995–2001 | 155/80R13 | Year-specific fitment → |
How we ranked these tires for the geo metro
We started with the latest model-year's OEM tire size; 155/80R13; and filtered our catalog of 22,000+ tires to those offered in that exact size. From there, four parallel rankings:
- Best all-season ranks on a weighted score: tire type matches passenger car segment, season is "all-season", premium brand bonus (Michelin / Continental / Bridgestone / Pirelli / Goodyear / Nokian).
- Best budget ranks on cost-per-warranty-mile; the lower the better. Premium brands get no bonus here.
- Best quiet ranks on the EU tire-label dB rating; lower is quieter.
- Best winter filters to tires marked 3PMSF severe-snow rated or all-weather class, with a small premium-brand bonus because winter-compound R&D is capital-intensive.
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 geo metro
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (16) · Tread / Belt (2) · Sidewall (1)
Reported across: 1991 – 2000 (9 years)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 11% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 9 reports covering every model year of the Geo Metro that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 11% | 20% | 0.6× |
| Sidewall failure | 11% | 15% | 0.7× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 11% | 6% | 1.9× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 11% | 9% | 1.2× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 11% | 8% | 1.3× |
| Premature or uneven wear | 11% | 1% | 8.5× |
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Geo Metro. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOW WAS REPORTED YESTERDAY 11/12/1999. I FORGOT TO ADD THAT IT MAY NOT CAUSE SAFETY PROBLEMS NOW BUT MONTHS DOWN THE LINE AND DEPENDING ON THE TEMPERATURES, THE SEEPAGE OF THE SEALANT CAN CAUSE THE SEAL AROUND THE WINDOW TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND ULTIMATELY CAUSE WATER TO ENTER THROUGH THE CABIN AREA. WHEN THAT HAPPENS IT COULD CAUSE SHORTAGE AND RISK TO MAJOR COMPONENTS. THE PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES ARE THAT THEY SHOWED PRE-MATURE UNEVEN WEARING ON THE OUTER TREADS OF ALL TIRES AT APPROXIMATELY 1,500 MILES. THIS WEARING CAN BE HAZARDOUS DURING WET DRIVING CONDITIONS AS THE GRIP OF THE TIRES TO ADHERED TO THE ROAD CAN BE LIMITED. I REPORTED 3 TIRES/FAILURES BECAUSE I HAD TO REPLACE ONE ORIGINAL BECAUSE OF A FLAT THAT WAS UNREPAIRABLE.
THE GOODYEAR INVICTA GL 155-80-13 TIRES ON THE VEHICLE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FLAT TIRE ON ONE, TIRE HAD A FIST SIZED BUBBLE ON THE SIDEWALL, INSPECTION SHOWED REMAINING TIRES WERE ALSO DEFECTIVE, CONSUMER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO DEFECT TIRES. *MJS
ONE OF THE WHEEL HUB CAPS CAME OFF AND THE TREAD OF TWO TIRES BEGAN PEELING OFF.*NM A TICKING SOUND WAS HEARD WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AND GETTING LOUDER EVERY DAY. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID APPEARED BROWN INSTEAD OF PINK. THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE WORN OUT. THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP CRACKED, THE OIL SWITCH WAS BAD, AND THE PCV VALVE WAS BAD. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHEED THE 25 MPH MARK. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT RESTART.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND AIR COMING OUT BETWEEN THE VALVE STEM AND THE TIRE. AFTER TEN DAYS, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND AIR COMING OUT IN THE SAME AREA. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS PRIOR TO THESE INCIDENTS. THE PROPER PRESSURE RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNKNOWN AND PRESSURE CHECKS WERE NOT PERFORMED. THERE WAS ALSO NO VIBRATION BEFORE THE INCIDENT. HE BRAND NAME OF THE TIRE IS TURISMO TWO.
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.
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Geo Metro →
FAQ
What's the best all-season tire for the Geo Metro?
Should I get a cheaper tire for my Geo Metro?
Does the Geo Metro need winter tires?
Can I run a different tire size on my Geo Metro?
Where can I buy these tires?
Last verified 2026-10-07.