BMW X3 tire size
Original tire sizes for the BMW X3, model years 2011 through 2024. Trim levels and wheel packages change the size within the same year, so confirm on the door-jamb sticker before ordering.
Check before you order. The surest answer is the tires on the car right now: the size is molded into the sidewall. The placard inside the driver's door tells you what the factory fitted, which can differ from what a previous owner put on. Our guide on reading a tire size shows exactly where to look.
Size by year and trim
| Model years | Trim or package | Tire size | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-2024 | Base 18 in | 225/60R18 | $95 |
| 2018-2024 | 19 in | 245/50R19 | $130 |
| 2011-2017 | 18 in | 245/50R18 | $95 |
Tire size by model year
| Model year | Tire size | Trim or package | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 BMW X3 | 225/60R18, 245/50R19 | Base 18 in or 19 in | $95 |
| 2023 BMW X3 | 225/60R18, 245/50R19 | Base 18 in or 19 in | $95 |
| 2022 BMW X3 | 225/60R18, 245/50R19 | Base 18 in or 19 in | $95 |
| 2021 BMW X3 | 225/60R18, 245/50R19 | Base 18 in or 19 in | $95 |
| 2020 BMW X3 | 225/60R18, 245/50R19 | Base 18 in or 19 in | $95 |
| 2019 BMW X3 | 225/60R18, 245/50R19 | Base 18 in or 19 in | $95 |
| 2018 BMW X3 | 225/60R18, 245/50R19 | Base 18 in or 19 in | $95 |
| 2017 BMW X3 | 245/50R18 | 18 in | $95 |
| 2016 BMW X3 | 245/50R18 | 18 in | $95 |
| 2015 BMW X3 | 245/50R18 | 18 in | $95 |
| 2014 BMW X3 | 245/50R18 | 18 in | $95 |
| 2013 BMW X3 | 245/50R18 | 18 in | $95 |
| 2012 BMW X3 | 245/50R18 | 18 in | $95 |
| 2011 BMW X3 | 245/50R18 | 18 in | $95 |
What BMW approves
BMW-approved tires carry a star on the sidewall.
The star means BMW signed off on that exact tire for that car. Many BMWs also leave the factory on run-flats, marked RSC or with the maker's own code such as ZP or MOE, and BMW's own advice is not to mix run-flat and standard tires on the same car.
Brands that carry the approval
Written on the sidewall as: Pirelli P Zero (★), Continental PremiumContact 6 (★).
The drawing carries the sizes we list for this car, so you know what you are looking for. The placard on the car is still the final word, and it is the only place that gives the cold pressures: the number molded into the sidewall is the maximum the tire can hold, not what your car wants.
What those tires cost
About the BMW X3
The X3 is BMW's compact luxury crossover, and since 2010 it has been built in South Carolina, which makes it one of the more American of the German SUVs. It runs from a four-cylinder xDrive30i up to the 500-plus-hp X3 M, and the tire fitments spread just as far. Two things bring X3 owners to a tire page: factory run-flats, and the staggered widths on the M cars.
Launched in 2003. Launched in 2003, the X3 was developed with Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, which also built it, and it was the first BMW to launch the xDrive all-wheel-drive system under that name.
How to tell the model years apart
Wheel and tire sizes follow the generation, not the badge, so identifying yours matters before you order.
2011-2017
Second generation (F25)
Shown at the 2010 Paris show and the first X3 built in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the F25 is noticeably larger and smoother than the first car, almost the size of the original X5. It has a wide twin-kidney grille, headlights that meet the grille and a rising crease along the doors. The 2014 facelift added new bumpers and LED options. Base cars ran 18-inch wheels on 245/50R18.
Tire sizes: 245/50R18
2018-2024
Third generation (G01)
Unveiled in June 2017, the G01 has a larger, more upright kidney grille, hexagonal fog lamp housings and a sharper crease running the length of the body. Base xDrive30i cars use 18-inch wheels on 225/60R18, mid-range cars 19s on 245/50R19, and the M40i and X3 M add larger wheels, quad exhaust and blue or gold brake calipers. The X3 M from 2020 is the one with staggered 21-inch wheels.
What the press said
The X3 is one of BMW's most consistently praised products, generally described as driving more like a tall sports sedan than a crossover, with well-judged ride and body control and strong four- and six-cylinder engines. Criticisms in recent generations have centered on styling details front and rear, on infotainment menus that have grown more complicated, and on synthetic engine sound piped through the speakers. Earlier F25 cars drew complaints about hard ride quality on run-flat tires, which is a common thread across BMW road tests of that era.
The X3 continues to deliver a balanced driving experience that supersedes its sometimes-puzzling styling elements.
Car and Driver, 2026
| Model year | Units sold in the US |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 31,924 |
| 2016 | 44,196 |
| 2017 | 40,691 |
| 2018 | 61,351 |
| 2019 | 70,110 |
| 2020 | 59,777 |
| 2021 | 75,858 |
| 2022 | 65,799 |
| 2023 | 63,172 |
| 2024 | 68,798 |
| 2025 | 76,546 |
US sales rose from 31,924 in 2015 to 76,546 in 2025, making the X3 BMW's best-selling model in America for most of that period.
Was it a success?
The X3 is a straightforward commercial success and has been BMW's volume leader in the US for years, outselling the 3 Series it is based on. Resale is among the better figures in the premium compact SUV class, though it still depreciates faster than a comparable Lexus. Reliability reputation is average for the segment: the B46 and B58 engines are well regarded, while cooling system components, oil leaks and electronics dominate out-of-warranty complaints, and the run-flat tires themselves are a recurring cost.
Did you know?
- The X3 was the first BMW to officially introduce the xDrive name, and the first-generation car was built entirely by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, under contract.
- Since 2010 the X3 has been built at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, making the American-market car a domestic product and a significant US export.
- BMW added a South African assembly line in Rosslyn for the 2017 G01 X3, which had previously built the 3 Series for decades.
Tire options on the BMW X3
Two X3-specific issues matter more than the sizes themselves. First, most X3s left the factory on run-flat tires with a reinforced sidewall and no spare wheel anywhere in the car; you can switch to conventional tires and gain a lot of ride comfort and a little money, but you then need a plug kit and a compressor because there is nowhere to put a spare. Second, the fitments vary widely: 245/50R18 on F25 cars, 225/60R18 on base G01s, 245/50R19 in the middle of the range, and the X3 M runs staggered 21s with 275/35R21 at the front and wider rubber behind, which cannot be rotated. Many factory tires carry BMW's star marking, which indicates a BMW-specific construction; it is not legally required for replacement but matching it keeps the ride and steering feel closest to original. Original equipment came from Bridgestone, Pirelli and Michelin. Winter tires are available in all these sizes except the M's 21s, where a smaller winter wheel package is effectively mandatory, and run-flat winter tires exist but cost a premium for no real benefit.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, caranddriver.com.
BMW X3 tires: common questions
What size tires does a BMW X3 take?
The most common original size is 225/60R18. Other model years and trims use different sizes, so check the list on this page and confirm against the sticker inside your driver's door.
Can I fit a different size on my BMW X3?
You can, within limits: the overall diameter should stay within about 3 percent of the original, and the load index and speed rating must meet or exceed the door placard. Anything further changes your speedometer reading and can rub at full lock.
Where is the tire size on a BMW X3?
Open the driver's door and look at the white and yellow placard on the door jamb or the B-pillar. The same size is also molded into the sidewall of the tires currently on the car, unless someone changed them.
What size tires does a 2024 BMW X3 take?
The 2024 BMW X3 came from the factory on 225/60R18 and 245/50R19. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.
What size tires does a 2023 BMW X3 take?
The 2023 BMW X3 came from the factory on 225/60R18 and 245/50R19. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.
What size tires does a 2022 BMW X3 take?
The 2022 BMW X3 came from the factory on 225/60R18 and 245/50R19. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.