The invention relates to a pneumatic vehicle tire for utility vehicles having a belt which has a plurality of belt layers and having a tread (1) with circumferential grooves (6, 7, 8) which run in the circumferential direction and divide the tread (1) into circumferential ribs (2). An envelope h which runs parallel to the periphery of the tread in the tread (1) and is in contact with the deepest circumferential groove or grooves from the radially inner side, defines, together with the periphery of the tread and the shoulder-side edge sections (5), a tread gross volume (V), wherein all the grooves (6,7,8) in the tread (1) define a groove volume (VR) between 5% and 28% of the tread gross volume (V), wherein three circumferential grooves (6,7,8) are provided which are arranged over the axial width of the tread (1) in such a way that the first circumferential groove (6) is arranged in the region of the one edge (10) of the widest belt layer, the second circumferential groove (7) is arranged in the region of the other edge (11) of the widest belt layer of the belt, and the third circumferential groove (8) is arranged between the first circumferential groove (6) and the second circumferential groove (7) in the tread (1), and wherein the first and second circumferential grooves (6, 7) each have a groove volume (VR1,2) between 1.25% and 7.00% of the tread gross volume (V), and the third circumferential groove (8) has a groove volume (VR3) of the first or of the second circumferential groove which is at least twice as large.