Wheel sizes are getting bigger and bigger, with seemingly every new automobile generation offering wheels with larger diameters than the previous generation. That includes GM’s full-size SUVs, which offer 24-inch wheels options in conjunction with the latest 2025-model-year refresh. Of course, that shouldn’t come as a surprise, as GM’s chief designer hinted way back in 2019 that 24-inch wheels and even 26-inch wheels were coming. Which begs the question – where are the 26-inch rollers? Well, as it turns out, the bigger wheel sizes are presenting GM with something of a challenge, in particular when it comes to fitting them with tires.
In a recent interview, GM Authority Executive Editor Alex Luft spoke with the program engineering manager for the 2025 Chevy Tahoe and 2025 Chevy Suburban, Steve Kersh. We asked Kersh if the GM team has tried to put wheels larger than 24 inches in diameter on the refreshed SUVs.
“The limitation is not so much the size of the wheel but the size of the tire,” Kersh told GM Authority. “If you have less tire, you can imagine the issues that would occur. We’re not doing that.”
Although Kersh did not specify the challenges associated with larger tires, there are a few obvious disadvantages. Among these are a stiffer, rougher ride due to a low-profile sidewall, as well as an increased risk of tire failure or blowouts, especially on rough roads. There’s also the issue of tire production. In fact, in order to bring the new 24-inch alloy options to market with the launch of the refreshed 2025 Chevy Tahoe and 2025 Chevy Suburban, GM partnered with Bridgestone to create a new tire with a new tire size specifically for the application, namely the Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02, sized at 235/40R24.
“We still want to balance the vehicle – beautiful proportions and looks, fantastic ride handling. That’s our goal,” Kersh told GM Authority. “People do all kinds of crazy stuff. Yeah, I love it, but you know, we’re not going to try.”
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Comments
Self-created problem. Quit being stupid. Tires need sidewalls. Period.
The alenzas aren’t very good for winter at all. This will be a problem because every third vehicle on the road in Colorado is a gm full size suv
Utter nonsense. 22’s are already massive and oversized enough. Are they trying to kill ride quality, lower there worse in class MPG ratings and increase the customers frustrations with replacement costs and increased roadside punctures?
Just plain stupid! Why? They look very silly, the tires are very expensive, and they are very susceptible to road hazard damage and go flat easily when it’s really cold.
Currently have 22” on my suburban and would never get this size again. It’s crazy that I paid extra for this upgrade. Lesson learned!
22s on a Sururban are great. . until you have to drive it
I’m old enough to recall a day when an owner purchased those vehicle because of the ability to get off the paved road. Even think of the carnage of 22’s and expensive wheels actually going through the mud and over rocky country paths to get to the hunting cabin? Never happen! Those days are long gone.. in my town, the official vehicle of the stay at home moms is the Suburban and Escalade.. they go to the kids schools, the tennis clubs and the grocery store, that’s it. Expensive Luxury tokens. Hey, if you have that kind of money, have at it..
Grocery getters!
When will this nonsense stop. I would never purchase a vehicle with more than 18 inch wheels.
Can’t wait for the 30″ Wood-Spoked, 2″ Hard Rubber Rim “Conestoga Package” .
Just plain stupid! Why GM putting the big tires on their trucks. And these ugl
y lollipop wheels. And what is the deal waiting on allocation to order a new Canyon?????
This is insane. I turned down two dealership GMC’s when buying my 2022 GMC Sierra because they had 18″ tires, instead of the 17″ tires.
One of the first things I did with my XTS Plat stock 20″ r/f’s was change to a set of 18″ CT6 Eagle takeoffs. The ride and road noise was terrible.
My 2010 Caddie SRX looks like it has too much space between the tire and the wheel well. I would like a larger tire, but not a larger rim. I want a higher profile tire with more sidewall and a better ride.
It is going to look wrong on 235 width tires. Stick with the 22s…they look good in that size.
i refuse to buy anything unless it has at least 32″ threads on it. cant be seen driving while poor with commoner 26″………… stop the madness!
im having the opposite issue – difficulty finding 18″ tire sizes anymore
Love those big wheels..Got 24’s on my Nissan Armada such a smooth ride,and the look of chrome is awesome…ain’t taking my baby off road,,strictly to the malls and club
I’d take 24 inch or 26 inch tires any day! I don’t drive it off-road! I like the looks of bigger rims. Now lower the stance and we are really talking!!
Unlike all these so called overweight or 5 foot 5 inch gentlemen who drive their pavement pounding lifted trucks to the mall and back and then brag that it can go off-road but never does!! So sick of lifted trucks!
GM needs to give us a lowered SS model on all their SUVs and Trucks
“A new tire with a new tire size specifically for the application”
Heh… national backorder when you need to replace one?
Thanks, but for a mainstream SUV I’ll take one with common-sized tires that are actually available.
I am 45 years old and I remember when 18 inch wheels where considered huge…24 inch wheels is just dumb it’s for people who want to show off…and it’s not just GM a family member of mine has these massive 19 inch wheels I think they could be 18 but on his Honda Accord they look like to big of a wheel and there’s this tiny little side wall good luck with that in the northeast where all roads are not paved very well. Stop let’s go back to normal tire and wheel sizes.
in our day 14″ were quite common. hundais, corollas etc. suzuki swift (geo metro) was on 12″ no..
18 was premium and cost a kidney. i remember paying out the nose for 18″ mille miglias in 2002. no way i could swing the 19s back then
lol l…my 2002 Camaro Z28 had 17 inch tires I upgraded them to 18’s which where old early 90s ZR1 replica wheels and they looked just fine I thought 24 inch or bigger where like low Rider wheels. It’s just a trend like tuning was in the 90s and early 2000’s
sad thing is, all the new features are because you the consumer wanted it. You just couldn’t be happy with a vehicle that designed to carry a family on or off road. you wanted luxury, with that came tires and wheels, heated cooled seat. Lane assist, massaging chairs, heads up displays. that’s only a few. Now you have vehicles from all the manufacturers going in to the service departments to be fixed because the tech isn’t reliable
So Dave why can’t I have safety and convince features without giant wheel and tires…this makes no sense station wagons in the 7070s and 80s came with or where available withe every luxury and convince features the car companies could throw at it…no these stupid big wheels and tires are for show boating how much you can afford kind of like a Mercedes SUV with a V8 and side exhaust that’s really to small to carry anything and can’t go off road because it’s wearing stupid big summer tires. On my cars I always go up on aspect ratio on the sidewall of my tires the car rides so much better.
Is that size a misprint? 235? The prior 22’s were a 275 I believe. My ’14 Enclave has 255’s from the factory.
285/40 R24
That makes more sense. I can’t wait to hear all the complaints about the garbage ride quality, tire shops ruining the wheels trying to fix and replace them, can’t get replacement tires, etc. I like big wheels, but this is just beyond stupid and idiotic. Not sure who at GM thought this was a good idea.
Y’all just complain about everything. “I wouldn’t get bigger than 17s”, Get over it
They’re supposed to reduce rolling resistance and increase fuel efficiency. Are the larger wheels worth it in the long run when considering the rougher ride and significantly more expensive tire replacement?
Idiots. 20 inch already ride like crap. It will result in lawsuits. No rubber in sidewalls case rim failure on potholes. I see death waiting to happen.
old guys in the comments are killing me. it’s 2024 get with the times and styling. you can have a very good ride on a luxury wheel. if you’re not comfortable with the size just spec your vehicle with the standard size wheel. gm is getting ahead of the its suv buyers who run and grab aftermarket wheels to make the vehicle look better and add pizzazz. personally i race and pull a trailer, my 18 suburban has 24” wheels and they perform flawlessly on the highway and long road trips. now can i jump curbs and off-road, no i can’t. however, if i wanted that capability i’d get a pickup or have another set of wheels for that. kind of like when you go hiking, you wear a boot not your sunday’s best. get with the time gentlemen or opt out for the standard size…
No your killing us GM should be investing it’s time into development of a hybrid Tahoe not giant wheels…. leave those in the aftermarket my 2020 equinox has 19 inch wheels and I think they are big enough and I am not old I am 45…how about an true off road model two and four foot Tahoe instead of this.