Nothing grabs my attention quicker than a Jimny rolling on bigger tires. They just look so good, even though they’re such compact little vehicles. The new Gen4 Jimny is a bit bigger than the previous generation and the wheel arch clearance is slightly better with more space for bigger wheels. Many have asked, what the biggest tire size is you can comfortably fit on a stock 2019 Jimny without any suspension upgrades. Will you need wheel spacers? All these questions and more will be answered in this article.
215/75R15 is the biggest size you can fit at stock height without trimming.
The off-road dimensions on the Jimny’s are what most 4 wheel drives dream of. These are such nimble little vehicles that put the bigger vehicles to shame on even the toughest of tracks. They’ve amassed quite a loyal following right around the world and we’re seeing more and more customized Jimny’s with oversized tires popping up all over.
The next part of this article will discuss what the biggest tires are you can fit without any modifications to the 2019 Suzuki Jimny.
Biggest Tire You Can Fit On a 2019 Suzuki Jimny
Bigger tires don’t only look good, but also offer more stability off-road, improved ground clearance as well as improved break-over angles when tackling steep offroad obstacles. All plusses when you consider the financial outlay since big tires are always going to be an expensive modification.
So as mentioned from the outset, the 215/75R15 is the largest tire you can fit on the stock 2019 Suzuki Jimny. What advantage does that have over the stock tires?
Well, the stock tires are 195/80R15 for the petrol or 175/80R16 on the diesel.
Other specs:
- Center Bore: 108.1 mm
- Wheel Fasteners: Lug nuts
- Thread Size: M12 x 1.25
- Trim Production: [2018 to current]
- RIM: 5.5Jx15 ET5
- PCD: 5×139.7
So if you’re upgrading from a stock 15” tire to a 215/75R/15 then you gain a 3.3% increase on your sidewall height as well as a 10.4% width increase.
| Measurement | 195/80R15 | 215/75R15 | Difference |
| Diameter | 27.3″ | 27.7″ | +1.5% |
| Width | 7.7″ | 8.5″ | +10.4% |
| Sidewall | 6.1″ | 6.3″ | +3.3% |
| Circumference | 85.7″ | 87″ | +1.5% |
| Revs/Mile | 740 | 729 | -11 |
When selecting a tire choice, you want the tire to preserve good road manners and keep the gearing standards. So if you go too big and heavy, the vehicle gearing ratios, fuel economy, and overall performance will suffer.
Can we go bigger without any issues?
Let’s find out
Fitting 235/75/15 on The 2019 Suzuki Jimny
235/75r15s will fit without issue. They are a much more popular tire size amongst 4×4 enthusiasts who is serious about off-road trails and going as extreme as possible. The 235/75/R15 also comes in a wider variety of tires so you have a much more varied choice available,
However, to make them fit will require a suspension upgrade of 2” to improve the clearance and allow for improved wheel travel. You’ll need to look at an aftermarket wheel to accommodate the lack of backspacing. Something with a slightly more negative offset will allow the wider wheels to sit snug inside the wheel wells without scrubbing on full lock.
When venturing off-road, you want your upgraded tires to be able to reach their maximum articulation without causing any damage to the tires, wheel guards, or arches.
What Owners Have To Say
I spent ages looking at different tyre options, which if I’m honest are an almost purely aesthetic choice, as I do little to no driving offroad. Whatever you choose in the larger size, you’re likely to see slightly worse fuel economy (I reckon mine has dropped a couple of mpg) and potentially less ride comfort due to the higher load rating.
https://www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum/6-jimny-chat/64406-new-jimny-tyre-choice-discussion?start=0
I went for Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 in 215/75R15 and I’m really pleased with them, as they give it far more presence on the road without being OTT. Garage set pressure to 34-36psi, which I’ve dropped to 30 at the moment and the ride seems as good as it did beforehand. Debating dropping them lower but they already look fairly soft with an even contact patch.
I have some rubbing in my stock Jimny with 215/75R15 and Hankook RF10s. Luckily only when four persons in the car and driving to potholes.
https://www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum/6-jimny-chat/64406-new-jimny-tyre-choice-discussion?start=12
How Does Bigger Tires Affect Ride Quality on the Jimny
Since the wider, taller tires have more surface area making contact with the road, the handling and traction will be improved both on-road and off-road. The bigger tires absorb road imperfections slightly better when combined with an upgraded suspension package, otherwise, the heavier AT or MT tires will result in a bumpier ride on the stock suspension.
The increased tire walls offer a slight increase in ride height and better clearance on your live axle diffs. A higher tire wall also allows you to deflate the tires a bit more, which offers a longer and slightly wider footprint, which helps a lot when driving on sand, mud, or snow.
How Does Bigger Tires Affect Fuel Economy on the Jimny?
Increased unsprung weight is the quickest way to increase fuel consumption. The heavier tires directly affect the consumption since it’s below the suspension and means the engine and drivetrain is required to work harder to move the heavier wheels along. This is especially true when pulling off.
The Jimny’s engine performance doesn’t easily absorb heavy accessories so commonly found on off-road vehicles, so be mindful of how much weight you add, since it will have a noticeable effect on performance and economy.
Does Big Tires Affect Performance on the Jimny?
Yes, many owners have reported a slightly more sluggish performance on pull off, however, once the momentum picks up it becomes less noticeable. The heavier tires increase the breaking distance slightly too, so you’ll need to compensate for these increases by adjusting your driving style slightly. It’s not a major difference, but it is there if you know your Jimny well. These vehicles are very sensitive to weight and are especially true with Jimny’s since they have very modest torque figures.
Resources
- Jimny wheel spacers (Amazon)
- 30mm Front Coil Spacer -up to 2018 (Amazon)
- Jimny Gen3&4 Complete 50mm Lift kit (Amazon)
- Jimny Rear Coils 2.5″ Dobinsons (98-2017) (Amazon)
- Dobinsons 40mm Lift Rear Shocks for Jimny 98-2017 (Amazon)
https://tiresize.com/comparison/
Conclusion
Jimny’s are fantastic vehicles, and improving the capability, performance and overall aesthetics can be achieved by simply fitting the right tires. Bigger however isn’t always better in all cases and you need to take a few things into consideration, such as:
- Fender Clearance
- Will you need to cut away any wheel well plastic guards?
- How does it impact the GVM limit?
- Will the spare wheel fit
- Will you be going off-road?
- How will fuel economy be affected
- How will gear ratios be affected
- How will ride quality be impacted
Once you have the answers to these and you know what your intended purpose for your tire upgrade is, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision. Tires are pretty expensive and not something you want to be changing too often, so make sure your tire and wheel size choice is suited for exactly what you will be using the Jimny for.