A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion divided by three circumferentially continuously extending main grooves into two crown land portions and two shoulder land portions. The axial width W2 of the shoulder land portion is 1.15 to 2.0 times the axial width W1 of the crown land portion. Crown axial grooves disposed in the crown land portions have a groove width of at most 2 mm and are inclined to the opposite direction to the inclining direction of the radially outermost belt ply cords. Shoulder axial grooves disposed in the shoulder land portions are inclined to the same direction as the inclining direction of the radially outermost belt ply cords. Each of the shoulder axial grooves is not connected to the main groove or alternatively connected to the main groove through a narrow part having a width of 1.2 mm or less.