2020 Chevrolet cavalier tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 195/65R15 OEM | 6x15 | N/A | 39mm | 91 | H |
| 205/55R16 OEM | 6.5x16 | N/A | 44mm | 91 | V |
| 205/50R17 | 6.5x17 | N/A | 44mm | 89 | V |
| 225/45R17 | 7x17 | N/A | 44mm | 91 | V |
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 Chevrolet Cavalier, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Chevrolet Cavalier →
Compatible alternative sizes for 195/65R15
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
225/45R17 |
-0.03% | plus 2 | Safe |
215/65R14 |
0.09% | alternative | Safe |
175/65R16 |
-0.09% | plus 1 | Safe |
185/55R17 |
0.13% | plus 2 | Safe |
175/80R14 |
0.17% | winter narrower | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 195/65R15 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 195/65R15 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 175/65R16; one rim size up, -0.09% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 225/45R17; two rim sizes up, -0.03% 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 2020 chevrolet cavalier
The 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier ships from the factory on 195/65R15 tires mounted on 6x15 wheels, with a load index of 91 and a speed rating of H. 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 Chevrolet Cavalier comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number, in this case 91), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard, here H), 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 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier 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 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier, 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 2020 chevrolet cavalier
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (53) · Tread / Belt (10) · Sidewall (6) · Spare Tire (3) · TPMS (1)
Reported across: 1986 – 2005 (19 years)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 25% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 40 reports covering every model year of the Chevrolet Cavalier 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 | 25% | 20% | 1.2× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 25% | 8% | 3.0× |
| Tread or belt separation | 10% | 13% | 0.7× |
| Sidewall failure | 8% | 15% | 0.5× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 8% | 9% | 0.8× |
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 8,000 and 45,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Chevrolet Cavalier. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
LEFT TIRE BONE BROKE IN TWO WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH. NO PREVIOUS INCIDENT CAUSED EXCESS STRESS IN CAR STRUCTURE. CONTROL OF THE CAR WAS LOST, BUT BROUGHT TO STOP IN MIDDLE OF STREET. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. THEY SAID THIS WAS DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR IN PAR. HOWEVER, TIRES HAD BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER 3 WEEKS BEFORE. NO FISURES REPORTED THEN. OWNER FEELS LUCKY THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN IN A HIGHWAY. I ALSO FEEL MAD AT THE UNRESPONSIVENESS OF MANUFACTURER, WHO APPARENTLY REGARDS THIS PART AS DISPOSABLE ALONG WITH THE SECURITY AND THE LIVES OF ITS CUSTOMERS.
THE SERVICE WRITER FIRST SAID, "IT'S OUT OF ALIGNMENT." I KNOW BETTER (I'VE BEEN IN THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR BUSINESS FOR 21 YEARS). THEN HE SAID, "THE TIRE WAS RAN LOW." I SAID IT WASN'T. THEN HE SAID, "YOU DIDN'T ROTATE THE TIRES OFTEN ENOUGH." THEN HE SAID (IN CONFIDENCE), "GM USES JUNK TIRES." BUT THEY WON'T WARRANTY THE TIRES. AND I HAVE A BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. I ALSO KNOW THAT ALL CHEVY ASTROVANS HAVE THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM.( DOT NUMBER: ?? TIRE SIZE: P195/65R15 )
WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR LAST YEAR;THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY PUT NEW TIRES ON MY CAR,BUT WHEN IT RAINED MY CAR TIRES WOULD SLIDE IN PUDDLES OF WATER;I WAS FRANTIC.MY KIDS WERE IN THE CAR WITH ME AND WAS SCREAMING AND HOWLING BECAUSE WE ALMOST HAD A ACCIDENT.SO I STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL I PURCHASED NEW TIRES.I BOUGHT TIRES FROM WAL MART AUTOMOTIVE [THAT WAS IN DECEMBER]BUT IN FEBURARY I EXPERICENCED THE SAME PROBLEM EXCEPT THESE TIRES SPLITTED OPEN AND I PURCHASED TWO MORE TIRES FROM WALMART AND THE GUY THAT CHANGED MY TIRE SAID IT'S NOT AWANNDER IF I DIDN'T KILL MYSELF....BUT HE TOLD ME THAT FIRESTONE WAS RECALLING THESE TIRES AND TOLD ME ABOUT IT.SO WHAT CAN I DO NOW I HAVE THE TIRES AT HOMEO
SIR: I PURCHASED 2 FIRESTONE TIRES, STYLE "FR410" AND 2 DAYS LATER ON A BUSY I-95 FLORIDA HIGHWAY, AT 65 MPH I GOT A TWO WHOLE BLOWOUT ON A BRAND NEW TIRE. I WAS VERY LUCKY I DID NOT GET KILLED BY THE SPEEDING CARS. I JUST WANT TO REPORT THAT THE "FR410" TIRE IS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND IT SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I AM STILL SHAKING FROM THE ORDEAL. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST? THEY REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE TIRES WITH ANOTHER 2 FIRESTONE TIRES. I HOPE I DONT HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH THESE. NEW TIRES IS FT70C. *AK
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 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Where can I buy tires for my 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier?
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 Chevrolet Cavalier is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2020 Chevrolet Cavalier.
- 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.