2009 Pontiac torrent tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2009 Pontiac Torrent, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 235/50R18 OEM | R18 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
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 Pontiac Torrent, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Pontiac Torrent →
Compatible alternative sizes for 235/50R18
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
205/45R20 |
0.04% | plus 2 | Safe |
205/70R16 |
0.17% | alternative | Safe |
265/35R20 |
0.19% | plus 2 | Safe |
215/55R18 |
0.22% | winter narrower | Safe |
235/45R19 |
0.27% | plus 1 | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 235/50R18 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 235/50R18 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 235/45R19; one rim size up, 0.27% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 205/45R20; two rim sizes up, 0.04% 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 2009 pontiac torrent GXP-GXP-FWD
The 2009 Pontiac Torrent GXP-GXP-FWD ships from the factory on 235/50R18 tires mounted on R18 wheels. Only one approved fitment is documented for this model year, so replacement options should match the original size exactly unless a plus-size upgrade is being considered. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Pontiac Torrent comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), 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 2009 Pontiac Torrent GXP-GXP-FWD 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 2009 Pontiac Torrent GXP-GXP-FWD, 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 2009 pontiac torrent
Top issue category: TPMS
Reported across: 2009 – 2009 (1 year)
What owners described
Tread or belt separation is the most common description, in 13% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 8 reports covering every model year of the Pontiac Torrent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tread or belt separation | 13% | 13% | 0.9× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 13% | 8% | 1.5× |
| Premature or uneven wear | 13% | 1% | 9.6× |
Mileage at failure
6 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 80,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 36,982 and 164,039 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Pontiac Torrent. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES VERY EARLY ON DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR (I THINK ABOUT 35K MILES) SO THAT IS THE FIRST ISSUE. AFTER CHANGING MY TIRES, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE'S TRACTION CONTROL SEEMS TO FAIL. I WILL BE AT A DEAD STOP AND GO TO ACCELERATE WHEN MY TIRES SLIP AND THE TRACTION FLASHES. I HAD MY TIRES LOOKED AT AND THEY WERE DEEMED TO BE FINE. NOW THAT IT IS SNOWING, IT WAS AT ITS WORST TODAY. IT WAS FISHTAILING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON SNOW/ICY ROADS AND THE TIRES WON'T GRIP THE ROAD AT ALL FOR THE FIRST 400 FEET OR SO EVERY SINGLE TIME I GO FROM A STOP. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I FELT MORE COMFORTABLE DRIVING MY PONTIAC VIBE OR GRAND AM IN SNOW THAN THIS AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TRACTION CONTROL!! NOBODY IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, BUT I SEE OTHER REPORTS. THERE SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL!!!
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 PONTIAC TORRENT EQUIPPED WITH DUNLAP SIGNATURE 2 TIRES, SIZE 235-65R16 AND DOT NUMBER TJ46JU1R3512. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR TIRES FAILED PREMATURELY. THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED THE TIRES TO BECOME FLAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,039. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE TIRES ARE BRIDGE STONE FIRESTONE DUELER H/T 684 II P235/60R17. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BEGAN TO WOBBLE AND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED COMPLETELY TO THE GROUND. HE ATTEMPTED TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT CONSEQUENTLY CRASHED INTO A RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE CAN. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY SHREDDED, BLOWN OUT AND THE TIRE HAD A 16 INCH DEEP TEAR IN IT. BEFORE DRIVING, HE RECALLED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION, THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. HE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND HAS PICTURES OF THE TIRES THAT FAILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE TIRES WAS 18,135.
NOTICE OF SLOW TIRE PRESSURE LEAK. WHEN TOPPING UP TIRE PRESSURE THE METAL VALVE STEM BRAKES OFF, FORCING THE TIRE TO BE EXCHANGED. REPLACEMENT OF VALVE STEM WITH BASIC NON SENSOR STYLE. ISSUE COMPUTER KEEPS REPORTING TIRE MONITOR ISSUES. TWO HAVE GONE FAULTY IN ONE WEEK.. FEAR OF OTHERS BLOWING ON HIGHWAY. REPLACEMENT UNITS QUOTED $125 WITH NO GUARANTEE OF PROBLEM BEING SOLVED. OLD PARTS BOTH AVAILABLE SENSOR & VALVE STEM. TIMES 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.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 2009 Pontiac Torrent?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2009 Pontiac Torrent?
Where can I buy tires for my 2009 Pontiac Torrent?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2009 Pontiac Torrent?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2009 Pontiac Torrent?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2009 Pontiac Torrent?
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 Pontiac Torrent is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2009 Pontiac Torrent.
- 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.