About the 4×4 Tyre Market

The market for off road vehicles is constantly changing; also the market for suitable tyres and wheels. In the 80s Japanese car makers Toyota, Nissan, Suzuki, Mitsubishi and Honda created this market with 4 wheel drive vehicles able to be used on rough terrain. Now the 4×4 cars have become more suitable for use on the streets and the term Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), replaces the former “Off Road Vehicle”.

Car manufacturers like Ford, Chrysler, BMW and Mercedes have discovered that this has become more than just a niche market. Explorer, Cherokee, X5 and M-class are closer to luxury cars than those for use off the beaten track. Some tyre manufacturers have developed their off-road programme in this direction, whilst others have directly used the platform of existing passenger car tyres for this new generation of vehicles.

The 4×4 tyre market will grow within the next few years as a lucrative market segment for the tyre industry, tyre dealers and also for the light alloy wheel business. Typical consumers in the 80s, with sparsely-equipped Suzukis, were not able to invest much money in tyres and wheels, but nowadays drivers of these cars are members of a more affluent society. The trends are very similar to passenger cars, with sizes becoming larger, faster, V, W, Y and Z speed ratings and higher load indices.