Some of the best tires for Jeep Cherokee are made for everyday driving. Others are meant to tackle the rigors of off-roading. Still others can safely carry you from point A to point B on snow. There’s a fourth category: budget tires that won’t weigh heavily on your pocket.
Depending on the conditions you intend to use your Jeep Cherokee in, one or more of the tire types mentioned above might be useful for you. It is thus recommended that before you go out shopping for tires, take some time deciding what you want them to do.
Opt for all-season touring tires if you rarely use this SUV for off-roading. All-terrain tires are worth a shot if you’re a serious off-roader who cannot remain away from dirt and gravel for long. And if your area receives more than its fair share of snow, winter tires are a no-brainer.
In this article, you’ll come across some of the best tires for Jeep Cherokee on the market. We’ve listed and reviewed various types of tires to help you make the choice. Aside from that, we’ll reveal the various factors you need to consider when selecting tires for this SUV.
#1. Michelin Defender LTX M/S – Best Tire Overall
The Michelin Defender LTX M/S ticks all the boxes to be one of the best tires for Jeep Cherokee. Its EverTread rubber compound is designed to offer long tread life in various conditions. The compound’s flexibility also saves the tire from hardening in colder temperatures.
The tread compound has been molded into a symmetric pattern that features independent blocks and 3D sipes. They should help enhance the tire’s grip and traction in dry and wet conditions, while also reducing the braking distances. Aside from that, stiffer tread blocks improve this model’s handling.
Light snow performance is another area where this tire excels. The sipes or biting edges on the tread help it plough through ice and snow for a safe driving experience. Four circumferential grooves back the sipes to help the LTX M/S boost the best in-class hydroplaning resistance.
MaxTouch Construction means that this tire can deliver a longer wear life, offer reduced rolling resistance and enhanced fuel economy. The last point gives Cherokee owners another reason to opt for this tire given that the SUV has a pretty average gas mileage compared to its rivals.
Lastly, while its M+S designation means that this tire is rated for mud and snow performance, we wouldn’t recommend tempting your luck on deep snow. The LTX M/S simply lacks the features that allow dedicated winter tires to keep your vehicle stable in harsh wintry conditions.
Pros
- Available in a large number of sizes
- Backed with an excellent 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Superb hydroplaning resistance
- Excellent levels of grip in dry and wet conditions
Cons
- Doesn’t come cheap
#2. Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus – Best Touring All-Season
The Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus has been designed for vehicles like the Jeep Cherokee. This model was manufactured to cater to the needs of smaller trucks as well as SUVs. So, by opting for the H/L Alenza Plus, you’d be joining a long list of Cherokee owners.
Year-round traction is one of the stand-out features of this tire. Sure, almost every touring tire on the mark claims to remain useful 364 days a year. But only a few, like the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus are able to back this claim with their performance.
A symmetric tread pattern is the force behind this model’s year-round utility. The tread pattern enables this tire to ensure your vehicle’s stability come rain, snow and sunshine. It also deflects road noise and soaks road vibrations for a comfortable driving experience.
The H/L Alenza Plus blows its opponents away when it comes to warranty. This model comes with the best in-class 80,000 miles treadwear warranty. This indicates that the tire should last you 5-6 years before needing replacement.
Unfortunately, like a true touring tire, this model doesn’t have many biting edges. Their absence makes it virtually useless in the face of deep snow and ice. Still, its flexible tread compound and grooves enable this tire to handle mild wintry conditions.
Pros
- 80,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Offers year-round traction
- Quiet and comfortable ride
Cons
- Not designed for deep snow driving
#3. Continental CrossContact LX20 – Best Premium Touring All-Season
The Continental CrossContact LX20 is a premium touring all-season tire designed for passenger cars, SUVs, and compact crossovers. Its excellent treadlife, year-round traction and grip and superior road performance set this model apart from rivals.
An eco-friendly tread compound featuring Tf-F polymers and +Silane additives provides this tire with dry and wet traction. The tread compound features a large contact patch to minimize rolling resistance and ensure even treadwear for a long road life.
A continuous center rib and independent tread blocks enhance this tire’s steering response vis-à-vis all-season touring tires. The center rib is also to credit for this tire’s excellent stability at high speeds, something our top two picks can also offer.
These are features that you usually get from high-performance tires, which probably explains why this tire too isn’t the most comfortable on the market. Just like its HP counterparts, the CrossContact LX20 is susceptible to vibration problems at high speeds.
This model’s wet performance is also supreme. Continental’s exclusive Traction Grooves work alongside the tire’s lateral grooves to enhance its wet traction. Four circumferential grooves, meanwhile, help with water evacuation from the tread area to limit hydroplaning.
Pros
- 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Excellent hydroplaning resistance
- Quiet on the highway
Cons
- Susceptible to vibrations at high speeds
#4. Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season Plus –Touring All-Season
The Pirelli Scorpion Verde is one of the few tires that care as much for your pocket as they do for the environment. This tire is designed to limit rolling resistance for higher fuel savings, while also minimizing emissions to protect the environment.
A silica-enhanced tread compound makes all of this possible. The tread compound has been molded into an asymmetric tread design to offer confident grip and traction in a variety of conditions. You can even count on this model to remain useful in snow.
The tire’s pitch sequence is the force behind its impressive fuel economy. The sequence is basically sequencing on the tire’s contact patch, the area of the tire that kisses the road. The benign-looking sequencing ensure even pressure distribution for lower fuel costs.
A built-in Noise Canceling System helps this tire take care of road noise. This system works by placing a sound-absorbing device between the contact patch and the tread, ensuring that the majority of the disturbances faced by the contact patch don’t make their way inside the cabin.
That isn’t to say that the Scorpion Verde doesn’t have any points we can complain about. This model’s treadwear warranty (65,000 miles), for instance, is someway smaller when compared with our top picks. And its wet traction though decent is nothing to write home about.
Pros
- Excellent fuel economy even for an all-season tire
- Noise-free riding experience
- Improved handling and steering response
Cons
- Average high-speed traction on wet roads
#5.Continental CrossContact UHP – Best Summer High-Performance
The Continental CrossContact UHP epitomizes what summer high-performance tires are all about. This tire has been engineering to offer ultra-high performance handling and traction on dry and wet roads. At the same time, it’s quiet at highway speeds.
An advanced formula silica tread compound has lowered this tire’s rolling resistance for higher fuel savings. The tread compound has been molded into an asymmetric tread pattern for added traction and grip on dry and wet roads.
Multiple outer tread blocks and a continuous center rib make this tire stable at high speeds. The duo also increases this model’s steering response and cornering grip.
Four circumferential grooves and multiple lateral grooves reduce the risk of hydroplaning. They also increase the tire’s wet surface handling by not letting water accumulate in the contact patch. This results into an enhanced braking performance in rough weather.
Unfortunately, this tire’s tread life is visibly smaller than those reviewed above, which was expected given that HP and UHP tires always wear more quickly than touring tires.
Pros
- Backed with Continental’s limited treadwear warranty
- Has remarkably short stopping distances on dry and wet roads
- Poses very low rolling resistance, even for a UHP tire
Cons
- Wears quickly
#6. Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max – Most Fuel Efficient
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly touring tire for your Grand Cherokee, the Assurance CS5 Fuel Max should be on your list. This model rivals the performance of its much pricier counterparts and has everything needed for a safe and comfortable riding experience.
A fuel-saving tread compound helps this model offer gas savings. It does that by reducing the tire’s weight and, in turn, rolling resistance. The tread compound is firm enough to offer solid handling and grip on dry roads, yet it is by no means stiff, meaning it will remain useful in the winter.
The combination of Dry Tread Zones and Wet Tread Zone help this model become uber-responsive in the corners. The partnership also enables this tire to offer high levels of traction and grip in summer and winter conditions, respectively.
Multiple Dual Aquachannel Grooves – a fancy term for circumferential grooves – help this tire put up formidable resistance to heavy rain. Furthermore, as a close inspection of its tread area will reveal, this tire has the biting edges needed to battle light snow.
There are two areas on which the CS Fuel Max could have done better. This tire’s 65,000 miles treadwear warranty is lacking when compared to its premium rivals. And while it is comfortable and quiet, this tire’s ride quality cannot compete with that of the best touring tires.
Pros
- Outstanding dry and wet traction
- Fuel-saving tread compound
- Remains usable in mild wintry conditions
Cons
- Treadwear warranty could have been better
#7. Hankook DynaPro HP2 – Best Budget Tires
Superb hydroplaning resistance. Excellent mileage warranty. Great tread life. The DynaPro HP2 possesses every feature that attracts people toward Hankook tires. That too while costing less than half of its premium counterparts, making it a perfect budget option for Cherokee.
The DynaPro HP2 features various improvements over its predecessor, the popular HP. This tire promises a more comfortable ride, overall better traction in dry and wet conditions, and a longer tread life. All in all, it can be a dependable companion for your SUV on the road.
Hankook made several design improvements to improve this tire’s performance. For instance, the reshaped shoulders and the new center rib has led to improved stability at high speeds and better handling. An updated tread design, meanwhile, has enhanced its wet traction.
The addition of grooves and sipes has improved this model’s wet handling and reduced the risk of hydroplaning. That this tire features so many improvements over its predecessor seems difficult to believe when you come to know that the HP2 costs less than the original HP.
Yet there are a few areas where this tire disappoints. For a touring tire, the DynaPro HP2 is not quiet by any stretch of the imagination. The road noise isn’t unbearable yet might force the noise-conscious among you to travel with the windows rolled all the way up.
Pros
- Best in-class treadwear warranty (40,000 miles)
- Shortest braking distances of any tire in this category
- Offers above-average handling on dry surfaces
Cons
- Could have been quieter
#8. BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 – Best All-Terrain Tire
The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 is one of the best all-terrain tires on the market. This tire is available in an unbelievable size range (15- to 24-inches in diameter), which means you can count on it to fit almost every trim of the Jeep Cherokee.
A double-thick tread compound and Tri-Gard sidewall design makes this model a serious candidate for off-roading. The tread compound gives this tire the toughness needed to withstand tough conditions, while the sidewall enhances puncture resistance.
The sidewall’s rubber compounds features many improvements over that of T/A KO, this tire that this model has replaced. The rubber compound is twice as thick and resultantly a lot tougher, all but guaranteeing long-term durability.
Bridgestone’s own data backs these claims. The tire brand submits that the T/A KO2 has 10% higher mud traction and 19% more traction on snow than its previous versions. These are serious improvements as this model’s predecessors were no shrinking violets.
Side biter lugs give this model all the traction it needs to thrive in mud and snow. These protruding rubber blocks also enhance this tire’s rock climbing traction, especially when it is aired down. Mud-buster bars are also on offer to do precisely what their name suggests.
Pros
- Tough and durable tread
- Brilliant off-road performance
- Very, very impressive treadlife
Cons
- Could get noisy at high speeds on gravel
#9. Falken Wildpeak AT Trail – Best Budget All-Terrain Tire
The AT Trail belongs to Falken’s highly successful Wildpeak series, whose tires are guaranteed to strike the sweet spot between off-road traction and all-weather performance. And just like its counterparts, this tire will also earn your respect with its aggressive looks and ferocious performance.
Start with the aggressive looks.
Big, rugged tread patterns and bold lettering on the sidewall leaves no doubt that this tire is made for serious off-roading. An all-black construction – even its rims are pitch black – are meant to instill respect about this tire’s capabilities in the onlooker’s heart.
A durable 2-ply polyester construction enables this model to retain its shape for long, while a rugged upper sidewall gives it all the protection it needs against punctures. At the same time, an optimized tread pattern ensures that this model’s fuel consumption don’t leave you broke.
This tire also features USTMA’s severe snow rating, meaning you can use it in harsh wintry conditions as well. Throw into the mix its affordable asking price (for an all-terrain tire) and the best in-class 65,000 miles treadlife warranty, and there isn’t much to complain about this model.
Pros
- Superb 65,000 miles treadlife warranty
- Balances off-road traction and all-weather performance
- Features USTMA’s severe snow rating
Cons
- Not for rock crawling or serious off-roading
#10. Firestone Destination LE2 – Best Highway Tire
Firestone tires are famous for affordable asking prices and long treadwear warranties. The Destination LE2 shows where all that fame comes from. This tire is one of the cheapest in this review yet comes with a respectable treadlife warranty.
Compared with its predecessor, the LE2, this tire offers better traction and a more surefooted handling on dry and wet pavements. Its handling and cornering performance have also experienced upgrades, and the overall steering response has also improved.
Circumferential and lateral grooves join forces to expel water from the tread area. The result is improved wet traction and a lower risk of hydroplaning. Additionally, zigzag sipes and unique cross grooves help improve this model’s performance on snow.
An extensive size range (15-20 inches) and 60,000 mile treadlife warranty further enhance this model’s reputation. However, the same couldn’t be said about its traction on hardpack and ice, which is poor, even for a highway tire.
Pros
- Excellent dry and wet traction
- Very good handling and cornering stability
- Respectable treadlife warranty (60,000 miles)
Cons
- Poor traction on ice and hardpack
#11. Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2 – Best Winter Tires
Dedicated winter tires have poor treadlife. Dedicated winter tires provide below-average handling on dry surfaces. Dedicated winter tires never come with a treadwear warranty. All of these are myths propagated by people who haven’t seen the Latitude X-Ice Xi2 in action.
Start with the treadlife. The X-Ice Xi2 features a wide tread contact patch that equally distributes the pressure forces placed on the tire. For this reason, this tire doesn’t suffer unequal or quick wear, making it one of the long-lasting winter tires on the market.
A FleX-IceTM tread compound has all the flexibility that is needed to remain useful in harsh wintry conditions, including snow, ice, and slush. At the same time, a continuous center rib gives this model the firmness that is required for good handling on dry roads.
Treadwear warranty is another area where this tire excels. Unlike the majority of its fellow tire brands, which don’t bother backing their winter tires with a warranty, Michelin has slapped the X-Ice Xi2 with a 40,000-mile treadwear warranty, excellent for a winter tire.
Braking distances are short in the harshest of weather conditions, while this tire’s acceleration is excellent for any model that isn’t touring or high-performance. All in all, in the X-Ice Xi2, Michelin have succeeded in making a ferocious winter tire that excels in all conditions.
Pros
- Best in-class treadwear warranty (40,000 miles)
- Shortest braking distances of any tire in this category
- Offers above-average handling on dry surfaces
Cons
- Could have been quieter
Best Tires for Jeep Cherokee
Touring and Highway
Touring are highway tires are the most popular among Jeep Cherokee owners. Both these tires are pretty similar in their asking prices, road manners and treadlife. The primary difference between them is that highway tires are much better for towing and hauling.
Everything else is almost always the same. Both these tires offer outstanding levels of comfort and ride quality. They are famous for reducing road noise and soaking vibrations. Plus, modern touring and highway tires are backed to last 70,000 to 80,000 miles.
All-Terrain
All-terrain tires work as well in off-road conditions as they do on the road. However, that is not to say that their road manners are as good. A stiffer sidewall makes them more puncture-resistant than touring and highway tires, but it also makes them much noisier on the road.
More compromises might also need to be made, especially if you’re opting for a mud-terrain or a rock-crawling tire. Both of which will fare much worse in terms of ride comfort and overall safety on the road. Yet, these compromises are expected.
Winter
Dedicated winter tires like the Michelin X-Ice Xi2 reviewed above offer excellent snow performance without compromising on dry road manners. These models have superb hydroplaning resistance and comes with as many biting edges as are needed to stay useful in harsh wintry conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tires come standard on Jeep Cherokee?
Here are the standard tire sizes on the various 2022 Jeep Cherokee trims:
- Altitude: 265/50R20
- Laredo: 245/70R17, 265/60R18, or 265/50R20
- Limited: 265/60R18 or 265/50R20 tires
- Overland and Overland 4×4: 265/50R20 and 265/60R18, respectively
- Summit, Summit Reserve V6, Summit Reserve V8, and Summit Reserve V8 4×4: 265/50R20, 275/45R21, 275/45R21, and 265/50R20, respectively
- Trailhawk: 265/60R18
When should Jeep Cherokee tires be replaced?
You should replace your Jeep Cherokee tires when the available tread depth is less than 2/32 of an inch. The tread design indicates that the tire has worn out beyond repair, and needs to be replaced with a set of tires with maximum tread depth still intact.
How long do tires last on a Jeep Cherokee?
The life of your Jeep Cherokee tires depend on your driving habits and driving conditions. If you plan to use this SUV for everyday driving, a reliable set of touring or highway tires should last you 4-5 years. Conversely, tires meant for off-roading only last 2-3 years on average.
Conclusion
Jeep Cherokee has all the attributes to be a family SUV. It offers a plush interior, has the latest safety features and provides you with a comfortable ride quality. All that is lacking is a set of tires that will help you make the most of the features on this offer.
That is why we came up with this article. All the tires mentioned above have been tried and tested by hundreds of Jeep Cherokee owners like you. You can therefore replace your SUV’s original equipment (OEM) tires with any of the models reviewed above.
