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Best tires for the Isuzu Trooper

Top picks across four categories for the Isuzu Trooper, anchored to the current-generation OEM size 245/70R16. 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 2026-10-07

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
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Best budget
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Best quiet
Michelin X-Ice Snow
UTQG treadwear600800-
Mileage warranty50,000 mi--
Cabin noise73 dB-71 dB
Season classall-season-winter
Typetruck-suv-passenger

OEM tire sizes by year

What size does the isuzu trooper 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
1983–1991225/75R15Year-specific fitment →
1992–2003245/70R16Year-specific fitment →

How we ranked these tires for the isuzu trooper

We started with the latest model-year's OEM tire size; 245/70R16; 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 isuzu trooper

44
Complaints
4
Crashes
9
Injuries
1
Deaths

Top issue category: Tires (General)

Most reported: Tires (General) (25) · Tread / Belt (15) · Sidewall (4)

Reported across: 1988 – 2002 (11 years)

What owners described

Tread or belt separation is the most common description, in 19% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 27 reports covering every model year of the Isuzu Trooper 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
Tread or belt separation 19% 13% 1.4×
Blowout or sudden deflation 15% 20% 0.7×
Sidewall failure 11% 15% 0.7×
Loss of control, rollover or collision 11% 8% 1.3×
Bubble or bulge in the tire 4% 6% 0.6×
Cracking or dry rot 4% 9% 0.4×

Mileage at failure

8 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 21,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 12,000 and 119,000 miles.

In owners' own words

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

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 ISUZU TROOPER EQUIPPED WITH BF GOODRICH MUD TERRAIN T/A KM2 TIRES, SIZE: LT265/75R16. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-65 MPH, THREE OF THE TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THERE WERE MOMENTARY VIBRATIONS JUST BEFORE THE FAILURES. THE FAILURES OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER WHERE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRES WERE DEEMED DEFECTIVE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE DEFECTIVE TIRES WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES WITH ONLY 12,000 MILES ON THEM PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000. THE VIN AND DOT NUMBER WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 1337681 · 2002 vehicle

PE00 020; CONSUMER TOOK TIRE INTO FIRESTONE AGENCY AND THE ATTENDANT TOLD HIM THAT HIS REAR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED. FIRESTONE, BRIDGESTONE DULLER, #684 2457014. HE HAD THEM REPLACED IN THE REAR TIRES, AND THE FRONT TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint 248698 · 1998 vehicle

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 75MPH ON HIGHWAY AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE BECAUSE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE, AND FLIPPED MULTIPLE TIMES. *AK DRIVER DIED FROM HEAD INJURIES, I PERSON WAS INJURED, TIRES WERE BRIDGESTONE DESERT DUELLER, SIZE P235/75R15, DOT WK13356. *SLC

NHTSA complaint 279085 · 1991 vehicle

BLOWOUT OCCURRED ON JULY 31, 2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 4:45PM ON ROUTE 2 IN THE EAST BOUND HIGH SPEED LANE. I FELT THE CAR VIBRATE. BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY, THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AT APPROXIMATELY 65M.P.H. I SWERVED INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND BACK INTO THE LEFT LANE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WENT INTO A 360 DEGREE PLUS SPIN. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD INTO THE CENTER MEDIAN.

NHTSA complaint 367304 · 1998 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 Isuzu Trooper?
The all-season touring slate above ranks the top options for the 245/70R16 OEM size. The leader is selected by matching isuzu-segment fitment, all-season compound class, and premium-brand quality bonus. For most Isuzu Trooper 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 Isuzu Trooper?
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 Isuzu Trooper 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 245/70R16 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 Isuzu Trooper?
Plus-size and minus-size alternatives within ±3% overall diameter are typically safe per the ETRTO standard. See the 245/70R16 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 2026-10-07.