The Latitudes are rated as better tires than the Forteras from tirerack and Consumer Reports. I think it mostly depends on what you care more about...utility or style. The 18s are going to give you more utility and better traction performance, but the 20s will look cooler and handle better on pavement.

 

I just swapped out the Forteras (20" tire/rim package) because they royally sucked in snow. I have always run an AT tire in the winter, and I was just not comfortable with these tires during the first storm we had in October. With 22k miles on them they were already pretty worn, so I figured that it was a good time to swap them out. Mind you, I'm not an aggressive driver in winter weather - I just like the sure-footedness and ability to stop well in crappy conditions.

I have always read and used the ratings/surveys on Tireracks extensively before purchasing tires, and for the most part I have never been dissatisfied, or in disagreement with any of the surveys I've used there.

The Michelins are ranked better than the Forteras, so I'd probably start there. However, if you're looking for a good set of tires for winter driving I wouldn't rank either of them very highly.

 

I have a 2012 Overland V8 with the 20" Fortera HL Tires. It snowed heavy and I used snow mode and the tires worked great with that setting. And they look GREAT.

 

Ride and handling

I test drove many JGC Laredo and Limited from our company fleet on the same 700 mile loop from Minneapolis to Chicago many times. My opinion is that while the 20" wheel and tire packages look very nice, they negatively effect ride (mostly) and handling. That is why I wanted the 18" Michelin Latitudes on my new GC. I felt they had the best ride, and definitely had the best rain and snow handling and traction of all wheel and tire combos. Again, just my opinion. I might have done otherwise if I lived in a southern climate with minimal rain, ice and snow exposure. There is a reason Jeep puts only 18" tires on the serious off-roading packages. Best luck.

 

Need comparisons on how grand Cherokee Overland rides with Quadra Drive ii 18 inch off road package ii vs. lower models ie limited, laredo. Do you feel the road more as the Laredo feels too cushy and not like the real grand Cherokees with solid axles. Hoping for a more enjoyable more jeep like road and off road feeling ride with overland and off road package ii, thanks!

 

Well, I can't compare but I have an Overland with the off-road Adventure Package with Michelin 18" A/T2 mounted. I've had the GC on some forest roads in low range and it's great on these roads and I hit some wicked ruts and muddy hill climbs. On road I am well satisfied in the ride quality. My wife said she doesn't think the all terrian tires are any louder than the stock Michelins we had for a few miles. This vehicle was exactly what I wanted, a great ride for long trips and off-road capabilities.

We are going to the Grand Canyon this spring and I have found some trails near the northern entrance that the GC is well suited to take and will take us to where it is not so crowded. Thats what 4X4 is all about.

 

The OEM 18s and 20s have the same tire diameter and width.

I run 20 inch in the summer, 18 in winter and off road. The 20 inch handles interstates and highway commutes much better that the 18s. Much better turn in, much more controlled ride. The 18s give you more protection from curb damage, a bit softer ride. and there seems to be a broader selection of replacement tires when the time comes. The OEM tires are about the same, no significant difference. Certainly wouldn't factor into my decision. I'd base the decision on the wheel size you prefer. There is no one wheel/tire that is better for all conditions.

 

Yeah but the thing is, to have both a set of 18 and 20 inch wheels/tires is an extra $2,000 or so right? I'm not willing to spend that.

Guess I'll just have to decide between the two somehow.

 

Well the overland come standard with 20s, to go to 18s (ORA II) costs like $500-$1000 extra I think, so go with the 20s. The ORA II comes with other features that may be useful to some, but simply make you decision based on $$$. The differences between OEM tire performance are relatively minor. There are better tires available in either size.

You could probably sell your 20s and buy 18s and make some money. 20s seem to be in demand.

Not trying to jerk your chain, just trying to help...

 

Amazingly, the Adventure Pack is only an extra $250 - but I don't want that extra stuff that comes with it.

 

so the dealer i've been talking to said she would swap the 20's for the 18's. Is the consensus that this would benefit me in rain and snow?

seems like it is but i just wanted to check one last time.

thanks for all your help.

 

Not sure if I'm adding anything to what everyone else is saying, but when I purchased my Summit I actually didn't want 20" tires. However, I didn't like the painted aluminum wheels that the 18" came with. If the 18" came with the polished wheels that the 20" came with (in the right size of course) I would have loved those instead. As it is, I'm fine with the 20" tires and the ride is nice. However, as with all low profile tires, the ride is a little harsher.

 

The 18's that come on the limited's and ORII package overlands are polished like the summits. Only the laredo gets painted 18's with the X package.

 

pic of my 20" Overland wheel:

 

I have the 20" Overland wheels and they do look the best, but that is about as far as it goes. I think everything else about the 18's is better. The 20's probably do handle better but I don't think the gains in handling make up for the loss in ride quality. I just ordered a set of the 18" factory wheels and I'm going to put Wrangler silent armors on them.

 

what do you mean by handle better? do you mean they are easier to control but not as smooth at the latitudes? the dealership keeps telling me that the 20in tires are smother and quieter because they are bigger - whatever that means.

 

why do yall want bigger wheels? its a jeep haha bigger wheels means, less cushion on road, and much more expensive tires

 

To me bigger wheels look out of proportion baby carriage stage coach look very Ghetto.Bigger tires on the other hand looks like a JEEP!!!

 

Yep just checked it with a tire calculator 30.43 overall diameter for the 20" and 30.52 for the 18" tires

 

Subjective aesthetics aside, you can get both good and bad tires in any size. I think the anecdotes here are more about comparing an AT tire to a road tire than about tire size.

18s have larger sidewalls, more of a truck tire, giving up on road performance for durability. 20s have smaller sidewalls, more of a car tire, giving up durability and load carrying capacity for on road performance and behavior. Best tire for you depends more on whether you want to drive a truck or a car.

Larger sidewalls are typically softer, absorbing bumps, but you can also get stiffer sidewalls. So some 18 inch tires ride stiff (more truck like), others soft (more car like). The OEMs are on the soft side. When you are towing a trailer or hauling heavy loads you don't want soft squirmy sidewalls (they heat up and blow out, or you are all over the road, constantly making steering corrections).

Smaller sidewalls typically feel stiffer but also provide quicker turn in (more responsive to steering input) and handling (keeping more tire rubber in contact with the road) which is better for carving up canyons. Sidewalls are typically thinner and are more easily damaged by off road rocks and curbs. Not much margin so rims may also be more easily dented.

So if you want a durable 18 inch tire, it is going to feel as stiff at the 20s. An 18 inch car tire will feel a bit softer but, if you have QL, probably too soft.

Currently tire prices in OEM sizes vary more by tire brand and model than by 18/20 inch size. Some 20 inch tires are less money than their 18 inch counterpart. You may have more tire choices for the OEM sized 18 inchers, however.

I use both 18s and 20s. The QL air springs make up for any differences in tire harshness, so the ride is about the same. The Jeep with 18s will wallow around more on the highway and back roads, not as satisfying to drive on the highway. When riding with the 20s, however, I'm more concerned about road debris, more careful about where I'm driving. I just punish the 18s. Dirt roads are not an issue for the 20s, but I wouldn't want to take them over more challenging terrain.

 

I have the 20's with the QL and I find the ride very soft, however, Cleveland had a bit of snow, which turned to freezing rain and slush, and I found them very loud when I was driving on the slush/ice. I did have the fun opportunity to have a semi merge into my lane (right next to me) forcing me to turn into the unplowed median and I must say I was scared to death thinking the 20's would not handle the snow, and they did great. Still shaking though...or maybe because my wife was screaming at the top of her lungs that I was off the road. It was either that or let the semi hit me. I wasnt about to let that happen given I have only had the Jeep for 2 weeks.

 

wow! glad you're okay! that would be very scary. i hate driving in show with SEMIs. they are everywhere and they just zoom past.

realistically, in Kansas City we get 4-5 good snows a year, sometimes a lot of ice.

i don't care if the tire is loud while driving in snow, it's not like it snows everyday.

it's hard for me to weigh the importance of safety in rain and occasional snow, to possibly having to drive on uneven or rough road at some point, to the majority of time driving on nice highway and wanting a good ride.

i guess i'll probably just stick with the 20's and see how they do and go from there. wish it weren't so expensive to buy new wheels and tires.

 

after thinking about it, i think it's just better to go with the ORA II package. i know they aren't really off-road tires but they are at least better than the stock 20's. and the tow hooks and whatever else comes with it can't be a bad thing to have. it's only a $275 add on. i think it used to be closer to $1000.

good to know that you can't really feel the difference between the two. i've been driving on 18s for the past 10 years, first with an XTerra and then with a Santa Fe. i'm sure the Overland experience will be a jillion times better.

 

Does anyone know of the off road package can be installed after purchasing huge more available Overlands that come without the skid plates and 18 inch tires? It seems the only way to get this Jeep is to custom order and wait weeks as opposed to obtaining the more readily available Overlands on dealer lots. Def want the off road package as we intend to go to Jeep Jamboree. Anyone take this latest Overland to camp Jeep and how did the vehicle do on the trails? Thanks for all of your input

 

You can get the tow hooks and skid plates installed by the dealer (or yourself) later on. Look at the "Skid Plate Installation" thread (see link below) for some details on what skid plates you can order, someone listed part numbers for all the skid plates included in the Off-Road Adventure packages. You can probably do the front axle and transfer case by yourself if you are mechanically inclined, but the fuel tank skids you will probably want Jeep to install.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f309/skid-plates-installation-1300044/

 

20 inch oem

i just leased a 2012 JGC laredo x it comes with the 18 inch wheels. i love the 20 inch wheels anyone interested in trading or sell wheels?