2021 Buick LaCrosse tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2021 Buick LaCrosse, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 235/55R17 OEM | 7.5x17 | N/A | 40mm | 99 | V |
| 235/50R18 | 8x18 | N/A | 42mm | 97 | V |
| 245/45R19 | 8.5x19 | N/A | 40mm | 98 | W |
| 245/40R20 | 8.5x20 | N/A | 45mm | 95 | W |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
Best all-season
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
all-season touring, UTQG 800, 80,000-mi warranty
Best budget
Goodyear
Assurance MaxLife
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 820
Best quiet
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
68 dB cabin noise (EU label); quietest in this size
Best winter
Bridgestone
Blizzak WS90
Dedicated winter (premium compound); ice/snow grip
See the best tires for the Buick LaCrosse, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Buick LaCrosse →
Compatible alternative sizes for 235/55R17
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
215/60R17 |
-0.07% | winter narrower | Safe |
205/75R15 |
-0.26% | alternative | Safe |
235/60R16 |
-0.28% | alternative | Safe |
235/50R18 |
0.28% | plus 1 | Safe |
205/50R19 |
-0.39% | plus 2 | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 235/55R17 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 235/55R17 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 235/50R18; one rim size up, 0.28% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 205/50R19; two rim sizes up, -0.39% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 2021 buick LaCrosse
The 2021 Buick LaCrosse ships from the factory on 235/55R17 tires mounted on 7.5x17 wheels, with a load index of 99 and a speed rating of V. 4 approved fitments are documented for this model year, allowing some flexibility between performance, comfort, and winter compounds. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Buick LaCrosse comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number, in this case 99), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard, here V), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 2021 Buick LaCrosse owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 2021 Buick LaCrosse, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 2021 buick LaCrosse
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (14) · TPMS (3) · Tread / Belt (2) · Valve (1) · Sidewall (1)
Reported across: 2005 – 2016 (9 years)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 16% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 19 reports covering every model year of the Buick LaCrosse 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 | 16% | 20% | 0.8× |
| Sidewall failure | 11% | 15% | 0.7× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 5% | 9% | 0.6× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 5% | 8% | 0.6× |
Mileage at failure
19 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 23,708 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 3,800 and 68,832 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Buick LaCrosse. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE HEARD A CLICK NEAR THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE HUBCAP WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE VALVE STEM, WEARING THE RUBBER DOWN TO THE METAL. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE OTHER TIRES EXHIBITED THE SAME DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 11/19/13*LJ ALL FOUR OF THE VALVE STEMS WERE WORN DOWN TO WHERE THE RUBBER WAS MOLDED. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE TIRES.
ON JUNE 7, 2018, I PURCHASE 4 TIRES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO LAST 40,000 MILES. THE ODOMETER IN MY CAR READ 68,832 MILES. ON OCTOBER 16, 2019, I HAD A FLAT IN ONE OF THEM AND WENT TO THE DEALER WHO SOLD THE TIRES (FIRESTONE) AND THEY SAID THAT 2 OF THESE TIRES ARE TOO WORN OUT AND NOT SAFE ANY LONGER. THE ODOMETER IN THE CAR READ 92,540 MILES. I HAD TO BUY 2 NEW ONES AND FIRESTONE GAVE ME A DISCOUNT FOR WHAT HAPPEN (2 TIRES LASTED ONLY 23,708 MILES). DOT # Y9FJDCWX0418 FIRESTONE ARTICLE # 000845 35TN
2007 BUICK LACROSSE. CONSUMER IS SEEKING A REIMBURSEMENT FOR DEFECTIVE GOODYEAR TIRES PURCHASED FOR VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED GOOD YEAR TIRES WERE PURCHASED UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE NEW. UNITED TIRE OF DOWNINGTOWN INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE TIRED WOULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION AS THEY WERE DRY-ROTTED AND CRACKED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE TIRES TO BE 2-3 YEARS OLD UPON PURCHASE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES WERE WORN AFTER 29,504 MILES WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD A LIFE SPAN OF 65,000 MILES. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR 54.6% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE COST.
Malfunction of a cooper CS5 Ultra Touring tire 245/4519. I noticed that the PSI of front drivers tire was low. Put air in tire, one week later the PSI was low again. I was vacationing in the mountains, so I started down the mountain to go to the nears gas station for air. I had driving apex. 2 miles when I heard the sound of a flat tire. I had to pull over on the side of this narrow road and wait for road side assistance. This was very hazardous since my car was in a blind spot to on coming traffic. When I did make it to a tire center, I was told the tire was not repairable because the belt had separated from the tire. Now this morning I have a second tire that needs air. I will get this tire checked immediately. This tires have low mileage on them and the belt should not be separating. Cooper dids to recall this tires. Incident 10/28/2022
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.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 2021 Buick LaCrosse?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2021 Buick LaCrosse?
Where can I buy tires for my 2021 Buick LaCrosse?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2021 Buick LaCrosse?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2021 Buick LaCrosse?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2021 Buick LaCrosse?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Buick LaCrosse is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2021 Buick LaCrosse.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-09-02.