Pneumatic tire

A pneumatic tire comprising:

• a tread portion comprising a first tread pattern formed between a tire equator and one of tread edges and a second tread pattern formed between the tire equator and the other one of the tread edges, the first tread pattern and the second pattern being formed as a substantially line symmetrical shape with respect to the tire equator and being shifted with respect to one another in a tire circumferential direction;
• each of the first and second tread patterns being provided with
• lateral inclined grooves each extending axially inwardly from the tread edge to an axially inner end located adjacent to the tire equator without reaching the tire equator, and
• connecting inclined grooves each having an inclination opposite to the lateral inclined grooves and connecting a pair of circumferentially adjacent lateral inclined grooves;
• and
• central connecting grooves each extending across the tire equator to connect one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the first tread pattern with one of the lateral inclined grooves arranged on the second tread pattern,
• wherein the central connecting grooves each comprise a first end and a second end such that the first end is located nearer to the tire equator than the second end and that a depth (D6) of each central connecting groove decreases gradually from the first end to the second end, and
• the first end has a depth that is the same as the depth of the lateral inclined groove to which the first end is connected.