The X3 is part of BMW’s mid-range SUV pairing alongside the BMW X4. As one of the most popular BMW models, the X3 is a great balance of practicality and performance. With a range of engine options available, whatever X3 you drive, you’ll need the right tires.
Depending on how you use your X3, tire selection is vital. If you want the best performance, you’ll need a tire to match. In the same way, if you want a tire for winter, what is the best choice? We’ve got you covered here, and in this article, we’ve broken down our picks for the best tires in each category.
X3 models come with a variety of different wheel sizes, so make sure you’re checking for the right tire. Below we’ve explained how you can check your tire specs to make sure you are buying the right tire for your BMW.
Let’s get started!
What tires are available on the BMW X3?
X3 models come with three standard tire options – either 19-inch, 20-inch, or 21-inch. These are the standard sizes offered by BMW, but some X3 models may have aftermarket wheels of different sizes, so it’s important to check your tire specs.
A list of the standard specs for each X3 model is below. Like most BMW models, your rear tire size may differ from your front tire, so check both:
| Model | Front Tire Specs | Rear Tire Specs |
| X3 30i / X3 M40i | 245 / 50 / 19 inch | 245 / 50 / 19 inch |
| X3 30i / X3 M40i | 245 / 45 / 20 inch | 275 / 40 / 20 inch |
| X3 30i / X3 M40i | 245 / 40 / 21 inch | 275 / 35 / 21 inch |
| X3 M | 255 / 45 / 20 inch | 265 / 45 / 20 inch |
| X3 M | 255 / 40 / 21 inch | 265 / 40 / 21 inch |
How Do I Check My Tire Specs?
Along the edge of every tire, you will find the specs. They are usually shown like in the image below, with three numbers and a letter:
- Width (the larger number, usually between 200-400)
- Profile (often between 30-100)
- Tire Construction (a single letter)
- Rim Size (the size of your wheel, often between 15-25)
There may be extra details after the rim size, which can include:
- Load Rating (a number between 90-120)
- Speed Rating (a single letter)
What Do My Tire Specs Mean?
Tire specs provide information on your tire dimensions and performance:
- Width: measured in millimeters, this is the width of the tire from side to side
- Profile: this is the height of the tire’s sidewall, as a ratio against the width. In simple terms, the larger this value, the ‘thicker’ the tire
- Construction: The structure of the tire. Most modern tires are radial (shown with an R), but some run-flat tires will have a different designation.
- Rim Size: the diameter of your wheel, measured in inches
- Load Rating: How much weight the tire can support. This number is from a load index chart, and the higher the number, the more weight a tire can cope with
- Speed Rating: A letter designating the maximum safe speed a tire can handle. Common speed ratings are H (130mph), V (149 mph), W (168 mph), and Y (186 mph)
What tires are best for a standard X3?
Below we’ve covered our favorite tires for the BMW X3 at each size. As we mentioned, it’s important to compare your current tire specs to the tires below to make sure you get the perfect tire for your X3!
19 Inch Tires
We’ve broken down our choice of 19-inch tires into the following:
Performance Tire
High-performance tires are designed for the best handling performance, with the best grip and speed ratings. These tires should also be excellent on wet roads too.
The downsides to high-performance tires are usually fuel efficiency and tire lifetime (they won’t last as long as other styles of tire)
Our favorite tire for X3 models with 19-inch wheels is the Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06+. With excellent wet grip and a speed rating of Y, this is a fantastic performance tire.
All Season Tire
As the name suggests, all-season tires are designed to work well in almost every condition. They lack the handling of high-performance tires, but all-season tires are safer in worse weather, especially in winter.
Our choice for your X3 with 19-inch wheels is the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4. With excellent fuel efficiency and an average customer rating of 9.1/10 on Tire Rack, this is one of the best all-season tires available.
Budget Tire
Combining solid performance with a lower cost than premium brands, the General G-Max is our choice for a more economical X3 tire. The AS-05 isn’t as strong on speed or wet grip as our other choices, but it’s still a solid tire.
Winter Tire
The final tire is our choice for winter tires, the Michelin CrossClimate 2. These styles of tires are specifically for the worst weather conditions, and they sacrifice all-around performance in order to tackle snow and ice.
With a lower speed rating and low fuel economy, the CrossClimate isn’t a tire designed for year-round use, but in snowy conditions, there isn’t much better for your X3.
20 Inch Tires
For 20-inch tires on the X3, the standard setup has different sizes for the front and rear tires. We’ve broken down our choice of 20-inch tires into the following:
Performance Tire
Our choice of performance tire for 20-inch X3 models is the Pilot Sport 4S. This has been Michelins flagship tire for the past couple of years, and it’s one of the best road tires you can buy for grip and handling.
The Pilot Sport 4S isn’t the best in fuel economy, but if you want the best performance out of your BMW X3, the 4S is the tire for you.
All Season Tire
For our all-season tire choice, the Yokohama Geolander X-CV takes our top spot. For 20-inch tires, there are plenty of choices for your X3, but the X-CV is our top choice based on cost and lifetime. With an average treadwear rating of 9.3 from Tire Rack customers, there are few tires in this category that will last as long.
The X-CV does sacrifice fuel efficiency here, and the speed rating of W means you’ll lose some performance against tires like the Pilot Sport 4S. For a tire that will work all year round though, these are only minor downsides.
Budget Tire
For our economy option on the 20-inch X3 models, we have another General tire. Like the 19-inch options, the General G-Max RS has a great balance of performance and cost, with a speed rating of Y as a bonus!
The G-Max does have some downsides though. With poor fuel efficiency, and a shorter lifetime than the Yokohama Geolander, it’s not the perfect tire for your X3, but it’s excellent value.
21 Inch Tires
The largest standard wheel size for X3 models is 21 inches. Like the 20-inch options, you have different widths and profiles between front and rear tires, so our top choices include a combination of both front and rear sizes.
At 21 inches the tire profile is reduced, and that means some tire options (like winter tires) are unavailable.
Performance Tire Choice
Once again, our performance tire of choice is the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. Like the 20-inch option, this tire offers exceptional levels of grip and impressive handling in wet conditions too. With the increased power on X3 M40i models, having a tire like this will make a difference.
All Season Tire
Our choice for the best all-season tire is the Michelin Primacy Tour AS. With a lower speed rating than the Pilot Sport 4S, this won’t be the best tire if you want to push your X3 hard, but its long tread life and decent fuel efficiency make this a strong choice for year-round driving.
The Primacy Tour AS is also one of the best value tires for your 21-inch X3, so consider this if you’re looking for an economical option too!
What tires are best for an X3 M?
With over 500 bhp, the X3 M requires a different kind of setup from the standard X3 models. That includes the tire choice, so while there are some similarities, your X3 M won’t fit the same tires as an X3 30i. Below we’ve covered our top picks for this special SUV.
20 Inch Tires
For 20-inch tires, the reduced options mean we have only included our top choice for all-season and winter:
Performance / All-Season Tire
Our choice for both the performance and all-season tire on your 20-inch X3 is the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4. With a great wet grip rating and a fuel efficiency to last all year, and an average review on Tire Rack of 4.5/5, the Pilot Sport All-Season is one of the best tires all-around for your X3 M.
Winter Tire
Our winter tire of choice on 20-inch X3 M models is the Pirelli Scorpion Winter. We included this option as our favorite choice for standard X3 models, and the same is true here for the X3 M.
With a reduced speed rating and a shorter lifetime, this won’t be your first choice for a year-round tire, but in winter conditions the performance on the Pirelli Scorpion Winter beats every other tire for your X3 M.
21 Inch Tires
Like the 20-inch options, your choice is reduced on the X3 M for 21-inch tires, but we’ve included our top picks below:
Performance Tire
Our top choice here is the Pilot Sport 4S. BMW has used this tire as the default option for X3 M vehicles for a while now, and it’s easy to see why. At this spec, the Pilot Sport 4S is unmatched in handling, especially when pushing your X3 M.
All Season Tire
Just like the 20-inch option for the X3 M, our choice of the larger wheel is still the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season. With a speed rating of Y, this tire can still handle itself, and with one of the best treads on offer, you can comfortably use this Michelin tire all year round.
Winter Tire
For winter conditions, you won’t find a better tire for your X3 M than the Pirelli Scorpion Winter. It’s down on speed and fuel efficiency, but in difficult conditions, this won’t matter. The X3 M isn’t the best SUV for snow and ice, but these tires will make a significant difference.
The Best Tire Accessories
If you’re looking for a new set of tires for your X3, you’ll want to make sure you look after them too. Keeping your tires clean, inflated, and stored safely is vital, so I wanted to share a few of the items I keep to make sure my tires are in the best condition.
These accessories include places to store and protect your tires when they are not in use, which is ideal if you have a set of winter and summer tires. You’ll also need a tire inflator kit, and it’s important to keep tire sealant in case you end up with a puncture.
Finally, keeping your tires clean is overlooked by so many drivers. I’ll see people spend hundreds on keeping their car paint and interior surfaces in top condition, but you need to make sure your wheels and tires are in the best shape too!
- Holds up to 35kg per bag
- Machine Washable
- Holds up to 400 lbs
- Adjustable for different tire widths
- Includes different nozzles for various tires
- Available in four colors
- Includes a 20V battery for portable use
- Automatic shutoff valve
- 24 fl.oz spray
- Suitable for up to 100 miles on damaged tires
- Eco-friendly
Summary
Finding the right tire for your BMW X3, whatever the model, is vital. Whether you’re looking for a tire to manage the full year, or something just for extreme winters, we’ve got you covered with the options above.
For more info on all things BMW, check out our other articles:
Comparing The Audi Q3 vs The BMW X3
The Most Fuel Efficient BMWs in 2023
Which BMW Models Have A Heated Steering Wheel?
