A year-round plan for a Grand Cherokee that mixes pavement, gravel and winter
- Run a 3PMSF-marked highway tire most of the year, such as NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN HTX2 in 265/60R18 110H.
- Compare a crossover all-terrain tire if weekend gravel becomes a regular habit.
- Swap to a winter set such as NEXEN TIRE WINGUARD Sport 2 (265/60R18 XL 114H) when ice and packed snow arrive.
- Keep all four tires matched on 4WD and AWD models.
When one Grand Cherokee handles weekday commuting, weekend gravel roads and real winters, a single tire rarely covers every season well. A two-set plan, one tire for most of the year and a winter set for the cold months, is often the simpler answer. This guide lays out that plan for 2026. The model years below are examples, not fitment for every trim.
Start with the way you drive, then confirm the factory fit
Choose a tire category before comparing product names. Daily pavement use points toward a road-focused all-season tire. Occasional gravel calls for a mild-trail design that remains suited to highway driving. Frequent severe winter conditions call for dedicated winter tires.
A Grand Cherokee’s model year and trim determine the starting fitment. Pirelli’s Grand Cherokee catalog asks shoppers to enter the vehicle year and version to show relevant tire sizes, then compare product data sheets against driving needs. Use the same model-year and trim-specific approach for any brand’s product finder.
Read the tire size and recommended cold inflation pressure from the driver's door-area Tire and Loading Information label. Confirm the required load index and speed rating from the original-equipment tire specification and the owner's manual; they are not necessarily printed on that label. The 2025 Grand Cherokee manual identifies the placard or certification label as the size reference and the original tire sidewall as the load-index and speed-symbol reference. For a used vehicle, verify that its currently fitted tires are correct before copying their specifications. The replacement must provide the required load capacity; wheel diameter alone does not establish fit.
A Goodyear service bulletin advises following the owner’s manual on 4WD and AWD vehicles because even small differences in tire outside diameter can damage the drivetrain. It also recommends replacing all four tires together for continued vehicle performance. Treat a category change, such as touring to all-terrain, as a full-set decision unless the vehicle manufacturer gives a specific replacement procedure.
The NEXEN TIRE two-set plan: ROADIAN HTX2 and WINGUARD Sport 2
NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN HTX2 is a highway terrain tire designed as a high-mileage SUV and light-truck tire with all-weather driving performance. It carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) mark except on original-equipment sizes, and its P-metric sizes carry UTQG 700 A A/B. NEXEN TIRE lists ROADIAN HTX2 in 265/60R18 110H (product code 17962), which meets an H requirement. Its 265/50R20 is 107T (product code 17950), so a Grand Cherokee that calls for a V rating on 20-inch wheels should use a V-rated size instead.
NEXEN TIRE WINGUARD Sport 2 is a performance studless winter tire with the 3PMSF mark. A high-density multi-sipe is designed to improve braking grip on icy and snowy roads, a directional tread supports snow and dry traction and cornering, and large grooves drain water to resist hydroplaning. NEXEN TIRE lists WINGUARD Sport 2 in 265/60R18 XL 114H (product code 18100), so it keeps the H rating of an 18-inch factory fitment.
Together they cover an 18-inch Grand Cherokee through the year: ROADIAN HTX2 for pavement, rain and light snow, and WINGUARD Sport 2 once winter roads turn icy. Owners on V-rated 20-inch wheels can use ROADIAN GTX in 265/50R20 XL 111V for the warm-season set.
For rain and occasional snow: Michelin CrossClimate2
Choose the Michelin CrossClimate2 when the Grand Cherokee sees changing weather through the year and occasional snow is part of the route. Michelin’s CrossClimate2 product page describes it as an all-season tire for dry, wet, and light-snow driving, and identifies the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) marking on the range.
Michelin's February 2021 report describes third-party ASTM F1805-12 snow testing of 235/55R18 tires buffed to 3/32 inch. CrossClimate2 scored 93 and CrossContact LX25 63 against the reference tire. These manufacturer-published results concern those test specimens, not a Grand Cherokee or every size, and Michelin says on-road results may vary.
This is a year-round category to consider for occasional snow when the exact tire specification is approved. The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association's 3PMSF definition uses a specified snow-traction test against a standard reference tire. The marking is evidence of tested snow traction, not an ice-braking rating or a guarantee of identical winter performance across tires. An M+S marking alone does not establish that the tire passed the 3PMSF test. Frequent ice or heavily snow-covered roads warrant a dedicated winter set.
For weekend gravel and mild trails: Falken WILDPEAK A/T TRAIL
The Falken WILDPEAK A/T TRAIL fits the middle ground for Grand Cherokee owners who spend most miles on pavement but regularly reach gravel roads, trailheads, and mild dirt routes. Falken says the tire was designed for crossovers and developed around a crossover unibody platform, with testing on modern crossovers such as the Toyota RAV4. Its product page describes a blend of off-road traction and on-road use.
The maker lists durable two-ply polyester construction and rugged upper sidewalls for off-road terrain. It also identifies the A/T TRAIL with USTMA’s severe-snow rating and the 3PMSF symbol. Those features make it a useful candidate when a road tire’s intended use is too narrow for recurring loose-surface trips, while its crossover design keeps the choice centered on everyday driving as well as trails.
Falken’s A/T TRAIL size list gives the available sizes to compare with the Grand Cherokee’s placard.
For frequent ice and snow: choose a dedicated winter category
Choose dedicated winter tires when the Grand Cherokee regularly faces ice, packed snow, mountain passes, or prolonged severe winter weather. Goodyear’s winter-versus-all-season guide identifies severe winter conditions as the winter-tire use case and says dedicated winter tires are better for frequent driving on icy or heavily snow-covered roads.
The Canadian Automobile Association’s winter-tire guidance describes the 3PMSF mark as evidence that a tire passed a government-regulated traction test, and explains that an M+S mark alone does not identify a dedicated winter tire.
A Goodyear service bulletin recommends fitting winter tires in all four wheel positions.
Compare the options for this use
Pick one row for most of the year and one winter row, then confirm both against your placard.
| Use | Tire | Why compare it | Grand Cherokee sizes to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-mileage highway driving with rain and occasional snow | NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN HTX2 | Highway terrain tire with the 3PMSF mark except on OE sizes; UTQG 700 A A/B on P-metric sizes | 265/60R18 110H; 265/50R20 107T (below a V requirement) |
| Regular snow and icy roads with an H-rated fitment | NEXEN TIRE WINGUARD Sport 2 | Performance studless winter tire with the 3PMSF mark | 265/60R18 XL 114H |
| Quiet, comfortable pavement driving | NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN GTX | All-season SUV touring tire for long tread life, comfort and low noise; UTQG 540, 600 or 680 A A by size | 265/60R18 110H; 265/50R20 XL 111V |
| Rain and occasional light snow | Michelin CrossClimate2 | Michelin describes an all-season tire with the 3PMSF marking for dry, wet and light-snow use | Match the exact size and service rating to the placard |
| Gravel roads and mild trails | Falken WILDPEAK A/T TRAIL | Falken describes a crossover all-terrain tire with the 3PMSF symbol for year-round use | Match the exact size and service rating to the placard |
Complete these checks before buying
- Use the vehicle records, label and manual. Record model year and trim, the complete tire size and cold pressure, and the required load index and speed symbol from the original specification.
- Enter the exact vehicle in the tire maker’s search. Use the model year and trim; maker catalogs use those details to show available sizes. Pirelli’s catalog, for example, requests year and version before displaying Grand Cherokee sizes.
- Match the complete tire specification. Compare the full tire size and service ratings with the vehicle requirements; wheel diameter alone cannot establish fit. Choose a replacement with a load index that meets or exceeds the original tire’s rating.
- Follow the drivetrain’s tire instructions. For a 4WD or AWD Grand Cherokee, use the owner’s manual for the applicable tire-mixing and outside-diameter directions. Fit dedicated winter tires as a matching set of four.
- Ask a tire professional about a changed tire-and-wheel package. The Tire Industry Association recommends professional advice when a custom package differs from the placard information.
Once the fitment is confirmed, make the final choice from your driving pattern: road touring for pavement-led miles, mild all-terrain for weekend gravel, a trail-oriented tire for frequent unpaved travel, or dedicated winter tires for persistent ice and snow.
FAQ
Is a two-set tire plan worth it for a Jeep Grand Cherokee?
A two-set plan makes sense when you drive through real winters and also want a tire that is comfortable and long-wearing the rest of the year. NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN HTX2 covers pavement, rain and light snow with the 3PMSF mark, and WINGUARD Sport 2 takes over when ice and packed snow arrive. Both come in 265/60R18 with an H rating.
Can NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN HTX2 handle weekend gravel roads?
ROADIAN HTX2 is a highway terrain tire designed for high mileage and all-weather driving, so it suits graded gravel roads on the way to a trailhead. If unpaved driving becomes regular, compare a crossover all-terrain tire. Check that any tire you choose meets the size and speed rating on your placard.
When should I swap to winter tires on my Grand Cherokee?
Swap when ice, packed snow or sustained cold become part of your regular routes, following the vehicle and tire makers’ seasonal guidance. NEXEN TIRE WINGUARD Sport 2 comes in 265/60R18 XL 114H. Fit four matching winter tires.