A pneumatic tire comprises shoulder land zones and middle land zones divided by shoulder main grooves and a crown main groove. The shoulder land zone is divided by shoulder lateral grooves into shoulder blocks. The middle land zone is formed as a circumferential rib in substance. The middle land zone is provided with first and second middle outward slots which extend from the shoulder main groove toward the axially inside beyond the widthwise center line of the middle land zone, while gradually decreasing the width and inclining with respect to the tire axial direction at an angle θ1 and an angle θ2 (θ2>θ1), respectively, and terminate within the middle land zone. The open ends of the first and second middle outward slots respectively face the open ends of the shoulder lateral grooves at the shoulder main groove.