Wheel & Tyre Guide for Suzuki Jimny (2018+)

Ali Graham
2024-06-24T14:52:47+01:00

Looking to change your Jimny's wheels and tyres but don't know where to start? You've come to the right place! Thanks to its incredible popularity, there's no shortage of aftermarket wheels and tyres to choose from if you're looking to transform the style of your 2018+ Suzuki Jimny.

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Looking to change your Jimny's wheels and tyres but don't know where to start? You've come to the right place!

Thanks to its incredible popularity, there's no shortage of aftermarket wheels and tyres to choose from if you're looking to transform the style of your 2018+ Suzuki Jimny.

Don't worry though - we're here to help! Thanks to our own Jimny experience and data gleaned from hundreds of our customers, we have all the information you need to find the best wheel and tyre setup to suit your requirements.

Once you've chosen your dream wheels, we can supply them to you either as a wheel-only bundle, or as a fully assembled wheel & tyre package.

Style

This is the first thing that we ask when approached by a customer. There are two main camps that Jimny wheels fall into; modern or retro.

This decision is all down to personal preference! While modern "spoke" style wheels will typically be lighter, retro wheels can ooze character and old-school cool.

To help you decide, we'd advise checking out our Suzuki Jimny Lookbook, filled with customer car photos for you to gain inspiration from!

Modern Wheels

Magpie M-01 16" wheel with 215/70R16 BF Goodrich KO2 tyre

Modern wheels will typically be multi-spoke designs that look similar to what you would expect to see on a rally car or traditional sports car.

Click here to view our range of modern spoke-style Jimny wheels.

Retro Wheels

HIGH PEAK J-01 16" wheel with 215/70R16 BF Goodrich KO2 tyre

Retro wheels will tend to evoke designs of yesteryear, with vintage colours, chrome centre caps and "full face" designs being commonplace.

Click here to view our range of retro vintage-style Jimny wheels.

Diameter

This is another common talking point and, again, the decision comes down to personal preference! You'll find that almost all Jimny wheels tend to be offered in either 15" or 16" diameters, as these sizes look the best while also providing good performance and have plenty of suitable tyre sizes to choose from.

HIGH PEAK J-02 15" wheel with 215/75R15 BF Goodrich KO2 tyres

A 15" wheel allows you to use a tyre with a bigger sidewall, giving a tough and chunky look. If you are a serious off-roader, or you prefer a "small wheel/big tyre" look, then a 15" wheel is for you.

Compared to 16" wheels, there are fewer designs to choose from, and there are slightly fewer tyre options.

HIGH PEAK J-01 16" wheel with 215/70R16 BF Goodrich KO2 tyres

If your Jimny is predominantly used on the road, with a bit of weekend off-roading on the side, then 16" wheels will suit you perfectly.

Compared to 15" wheels, there are more designs and tyre options to choose from. The tyres will also have a slightly lower profile/smaller sidewall, which can improve road cornering performance but provides less wheel protection when off-roading.

Wheel Width & Offset

This can be a minefield on other cars, but thankfully this isn't the case when it comes to the Jimny!

The wheel width controls the width of tyre that can be installed, while the offset determines how far the wheels will "poke" out from the suspension components and bodywork.

Due to the Jimny's suspension design and bodywork, almost all aftermarket wheels adhere to the same basic width and offset specifications in order to provide a "flush" and chunky look. This makes choosing a wheel that you like much easier!

A small number of wheels are designed to be much more aggressive and might be designed to protrude from the bodywork. If this is the case, you'll find a warning message regarding this on the respective product listing.

HIGH PEAK J-02 15" wheels with 215/75R15 BF Goodrich KO2 tyres

"Flush" Fitments

The vast majority of wheels are designed to sit "flush" with the Jimny's wheel arches. This gives the Jimny a tough stance but without any concerns of tyres protruding from the bodywork (which, here in the UK, would cause the car to fail an MOT).

Unless there is a warning stating otherwise, all aftermarket Jimny wheels in our shop are designed to provide a great looking "flush" fitment without the need for any additional modifications.

EVO Corse DakarZero 15" wheels with 235/75R15 BF Goodrich KO2 tyres

"Aggressive" Fitments

These are for experts, or those who don't mind modifying their Jimny more heavily!

Usually, these wheels will protrude from the Jimny's wheel arches. They might be compatible with larger/wider tyre sizes, but suspension modifications (such as a lift kit) and bodywork modifications will often be required.

Wheels that fall into this category will have warnings on their respective product listings.

Tyres

Once you've found a wheel design that suits you, the final decision to make is choosing a suitable tyre that meets your needs.

Mud-terrain tyres with aggressive tread patterns look really cool, but they can affect fuel economy and handling in wet/icy conditions. They can also be quite heavy.

All-terrain tyres with less aggressive tread patterns might not look as cool, but they will provide better fuel economy and road manners than more aggressive tyres. They also tend to be lighter.

Falken Wildpeak AT3WA tyre in 215/70R16 size

Road-Friendly Tyres

Ideal for those that drive many miles on the road.

Typically, these tyres have less aggressive tread patterns compared to dedicated off-road tyres. They also tend to be lighter, provide better fuel economy and will handle better in wet/icy conditions.

BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tyres in 215/75R15 size

Off-Road Tyres

Ideal for those who do regular off-roading, or want the coolest look for their Jimny!

These tyres tend to have more aggressive tread patterns, ideal for driving through mud and across rocks. The BF Goodrich KO2 has both great looks and decent road manners, whereas the BF Goodrich KM3 is recommended for those that spend most of their time in fields and mud.

HIGH PEAK J-02 15" wheel with 215/75R15 BF Goodrich KO2 tyre

Moderate Tyre Sizes

These are tyre sizes that will fit the Jimny without any modifications necessary, while still filling the wheel arches nicely and providing a chunky look.

Recommended tyre size for most 15" wheels: 215/75R15 (pictured)

Recommended tyre size for most 16" wheels: 215/70R16

EVO Corse DakarZero 15" wheel with 235/75R15 BF Goodrich KO2 tyre

Aggressive Tyre Sizes

These are tyre sizes that will fit the Jimny so long as certain modifications are performed (i.e. a suspension lift, bodywork trimming etc.). You can find these recommendations on the respective product listings.

Aggressive tyre size for most 15" wheels: 235/75R15 (pictured)

Aggressive tyre size for most 16" wheels: 235/70R16

Still Not Sure?

If you're struggling, don't worry about it! Wheels & tyres can be quite confusing, and you'll always want to make sure that you're making the right decision for your car and your requirements. Please contact us with any questions you might have and we'd be more than happy to help.