Hot-selling tire specifications released | 2025

February 26, 2025
5140
Guide
Highlights at a glance
Tire industry financial declines in 2024 were attributed by some companies to weakening U.S. OEM market performance, yet USTMA data tells a different story. North American new vehicle sales rose, with U.S. passenger car sales up 2.5% to 16 million and Canada’s up 8.7%. Domestic automakers led growth, but imported vehicles—especially from Japan and South Korea—drove strong OEM tire demand, accounting for 70% of imported tires. Toyota dominated U.S. sales, while Ford led in Canada. Larger vehicles like the Ford F-Series and Tesla Model Y boosted light truck tire demand, which outpaced passenger car tires as light truck ownership grew 2.8% to 183.6 million. Meanwhile, passenger car numbers dropped 2.9% to 102.2 million. In tire specifications, 18-inch and larger sizes dominated the OEM passenger car market, with 275/60R20 remaining a top seller. The replacement market still holds significant share for 15-inch tires, though 225/65R17 remains the top replacement size. Notably, H, V, and Z-rated tires saw their first decline in decades. In the light truck segment, LT275/70R18 leads, with large-diameter tires gaining share in both OEM and replacement sectors. Finally, 23 new DOT codes were issued in 2024, including to Chinese manufacturers Zhongce, Sailun, and Sentury, signaling expanding global production footprints.
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