Tyre Sizes Guide
Understanding your tyre size can be confusing. Until you’re actually faced with having to replace a tyre, the codes on the sidewall of your tyre may seem like a random collection of numbers, but they actually contain vital information about the tyre size your car needs. Each tyre code is used to identify the size, manufacturer and physical features of the tyre and is displayed in this format 205/55R16. In this guide, we’re going to look at the numbers you should pay attention to on your tyre and what each one relates to when you need to buy new tyres.
How to read tyre codes
Your tyre code is a sequence of numbers and letters. With so many different tyre codes available, it’s important to know your existing tyre size to ensure you know what size to order when replacing. The most common UK tyre size is 205/55R16, let’s break down what each part of this code means.
Tyre Width
In this code, the 205 relates to the width of the tyre with the three digits displaying the width in millimetres. A tyre marked with 205 at the start will measure 205mm across the tyre tread from sidewall to sidewall.
Aspect Ratio
The next two digits on your tyre code are the aspect ratio, or profile height of the tyre sidewall expressed as a percentage of the tyre width. Using the 205/55R16 code, the 55 shows that the aspect ratio of the tyre is 55% of the width.
Radial
Almost all new tyres manufactured in the UK are radial tyres. This means that they are constructed with cord piles positioned at a 90-degree angle to the direction of travel in order to give the tyre extra strength. The letter R in the tyre code will identify that your tyre is a radial tyre.
Wheel Diameter
The next two digits on your tyre code identify the size of the wheel rim that the tyre is fitted to, it’s also the diameter of the tyre from bead to bead. In this code 205/55R16, the 16 identifies that the tyre will fit on a 16-inch wheel rim.
What do the other tyre numbers mean?
Although you typically only need the initial code to identify your tyre size, there are other markings on the tyre that you can familiarise yourself with.
Tyre load index
The load index represents the maximum load that the tyre can carry when it is inflated to it’s maximum (safe) pressure. For example, if your tyre has the number 97 following the main tyre code, this identifies that it relates to index 97 on a ‘look-up’ table, which is used to determine the load in kg.
What is the speed rating on tyres?
The speed rating is displayed in the form of a letter and represents the maximum speed that a tyre can carry a load safely. Speed ratings range from A (the lowest) to Y, with H as the exception as it is rated between U and V. As with the load index, each speed rating letter corresponds to a value in km/h. It’s important to note that the maximum speed that your tyre CAN carry does not mean that you can ignore legal speed requirements!
Need help finding the right tyre size? At Tyre Savings, you can search by the size of your tyre or by your vehicle registration. If you have any further questions, get in touch with a member of our team today.
- 205 55 16
- 225 45 17
- 225 50 17
- 205 60 16
- 215 65 16
- 225 55 17
- 225 45 18
- 195 65 15
- 235 55 19
- 195 55 16
- 235 55 18
- 245 45 18
- 225 40 18
- 215 60 17
- 235 60 18
- 215 60 16
- 185 65 15
- 205 50 17
- 245 45 19
- 235 50 18
- 215 55 17
- 255 45 20
- 205 45 17
- 245 40 18
- 245 40 19
- 255 50 19
- 205 55 17
- 235 65 16
- 235 55 17
- 225 55 18
- 255 35 19
- 235 65 17
- 255 55 18
- 235 50 19
- 225 65 17
- 185 60 15
- 225 40 19
- 175 65 14
- 225 60 17
- 205 65 16
- 255 55 19
- 235 35 19
- 215 55 18
- 235 45 18
- 195 60 16
- 245 45 20
- 235 40 18
- 215 55 16
- 275 40 20
- 255 40 20
- 245 35 19
- 225 60 18
- 225 50 18
- 215 50 17
- 215 45 17
- 255 35 20
- 275 45 20
- 245 35 20
- 255 40 19
- 255 60 18
- 255 45 19
- 275 40 19
- 265 45 20
- 195 60 15
- 225 45 19
- 235 40 19
- 175 65 15
- 225 55 16
- 205 75 16
- 245 40 20
- 245 45 17
- 195 75 16
- 165 70 14
- 175 70 14
- 225 65 16
- 215 75 16
- 215 70 15
- 225 55 19
- 205 65 15
- 235 45 19
- 275 35 19
- 255 40 18
- 195 50 15
- 275 35 20
- 225 35 19
- 235 45 17
- 215 65 15
- 225 75 16
- 295 35 21
- 215 40 17
- 275 45 21
- 195 70 15
- 215 65 17
- 195 45 16
- 265 65 17
- 215 70 16
- 255 40 21
- 245 50 18
- 265 40 21
- 255 50 20
- 195 55 15
- 195 50 16
- 255 45 18
- 205 70 15
- 185 55 15
- 245 65 17
- 315 35 20
- 205 40 17
- 185 55 16
- 235 60 17
- 275 30 20
- 205 60 15
- 255 35 18
- 225 70 15
- 165 65 15
- 215 50 18
- 195 65 16
- 205 50 16
- 245 40 17
- 215 45 18
- 275 40 18
- 265 35 19
- 215 45 16
- 265 50 19
- 265 50 20
- 185 75 16
- 275 50 20
- 215 40 18
- 265 60 18
- 185 70 14
- 185 65 14
- 235 60 16
- 275 35 21
- 235 45 20
- 155 65 14
- 275 40 22
- 185 60 14
- 245 35 18
- 265 35 18
- 275 40 21
- 165 65 14
- 265 45 21
- 255 55 20
- 255 65 17
- 295 40 20
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- 285 45 19
- 285 40 21
- 155 80 13
- 265 70 16
- 275 45 19
- 245 70 16
- 165 60 14
- 265 35 20
- 295 35 20
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- 185 50 16
- 285 35 22
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- 285 30 20
- 175 55 15
- 235 50 17
- 235 70 16
- 255 70 16
- 285 45 21
- 165 70 13
- 205 80 16
- 165 60 15
- 245 50 19
- 235 50 20
- 265 40 22
- 295 30 20
- 285 40 19
- 225 60 16
- 255 30 19
- 225 35 20
- 195 55 20
- 315 35 21
- 175 80 14
- 175 70 13
- 225 50 16
- 265 35 22
- 255 30 20
- 225 70 16
- 255 35 21
- 205 55 19
- 175 60 15
- 155 70 13
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- 305 30 20
- 295 30 19
- 235 75 15
- 245 35 21
- 275 30 19
- 275 30 21
- 245 50 20
- 285 35 21
- 225 35 18
- 285 40 20
- 155 65 13
- 295 40 21
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- 185 55 14
- 165 80 13
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- 315 40 21
- 165 65 13
- 265 35 21
- 215 45 20
- 255 40 17
- 265 40 20
- 285 50 20
- 275 55 19
- 285 45 20
- 255 45 17
- 275 55 20
- 285 35 19
- 275 35 18
- 265 30 19
- 195 80 15
- 285 30 19
- 325 30 21
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- 315 30 21
- 215 75 17
- 185 70 13
- 235 35 20
- 235 55 20
- 245 40 21
- 305 30 19
- 245 60 18
- 285 35 18
- 185 80 14
- 155 60 15
- 235 65 18
- 245 45 21
- 185 60 16
- 265 40 18
- 245 70 17
- 315 80 22
- 315 30 22
- 215 35 18
- 195 80 14
- 275 70 16
- 215 50 19
- 175 60 14
- 155 80 12
- 195 45 17
- 285 45 22
- 195 65 14
- 195 40 17
- 245 75 16
- 275 35 22
- 195 45 15
- 235 45 21
- 31 10 15
- 265 65 18
- 305 40 20
- 175 60 13
- 195 60 14
- 305 30 21
- 205 55 15
- 295 30 21
- 295 30 22
- 255 70 18
- 175 80 13
- 265 70 15
- 195 60 18
- 315 35 22
- 285 30 21
- 265 75 16
- 295 80 22
- 295 35 22
- 155 70 19
- 145 65 15
- 255 60 17
- 205 50 15
- 265 70 17
- 255 70 15
- 225 60 15
- 215 40 16
- 295 45 20
- 295 40 22
- 235 85 16
- 265 40 19
- 305 35 20
- 275 50 19
- 155 70 12
- 285 30 22
- 175 65 13
- 175 75 16
- 225 50 19
- 275 45 18
- 265 30 22
- 175 60 16
- 265 30 21
- 175 50 15
- 145 80 13
- 255 30 22
- 255 65 16
- 275 50 21
- 235 40 20
- 265 70 19
- 285 35 23
- 295 35 19
- 315 70 22
- 255 50 18
- 235 60 20
- 185 75 14
- 175 55 20
- 255 30 21
- 235 70 17
- 265 45 19
- 225 40 20
- 235 30 20
- 225 70 17
- 235 75 17
- 325 35 22
- 285 60 18
- 295 30 18
- 145 70 12
- 295 40 19
- 215 80 14
- 265 55 19
- 275 55 17
- 205 80 14
- 175 50 16
- 145 80 12
- 295 35 23
- 245 55 19
- 215 35 19
- 305 40 22
- 185 60 12
- 155 60 20
- 175 60 19
- 275 60 20
- 255 40 22
- 205 75 17
- 165 50 15
- 275 65 17
- 325 40 22
- 285 65 16
- 255 50 21
- 245 55 17
- 145 70 13
- 165 70 12
- 255 60 19
- 245 30 19
- 215 80 15
- 255 60 20
- 205 50 19
- 245 75 17
- 385 65 22
- 275 60 18
- 225 75 17
- 195 60 12
- 205 70 14
- 7.5 80 16
- 165 80 14
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- 205 65 17
- 165 55 15
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- 145 80 10
- 235 65 19
- 165 60 13
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- 285 25 20
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- 325 35 20
- 255 65 19
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- 175 80 16
- 7.5 0 16
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- 135 80 13
- 175 65 17
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- 6.5 0 16
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- 30 9. 15
- 195 50 13
- 285 55 18
- 225 30 20
- 315 30 20
- 205 75 15
- 225 75 15
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- 305 45 22
- 165 55 14
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- 185 45 15
- 285 65 17
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- 165 80 15
- 325 25 21
- 275 25 21
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- 205 75 14
- 305 30 23
- 255 35 22
- 255 45 22
- 135 70 15
- 165 40 16
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- 12 80 22
- 245 30 21
- 325 25 20
- 295 60 22
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- 175 60 18
- 9.5 80 17
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- 175 50 14
- 235 35 18
- 445 45 19
- 165 45 16
- 245 45 16
- 9.5 0 17
- 650 80 16
- 335 30 21
- 145 80 15
- 285 50 22
- 255 60 15
- 205 0 16
- 225 45 21
- 225 50 15
- 275 50 22
- 285 55 16
- 225 65 18
- 155 80 14
- 205 70 16
- 225 70 19
- 205 60 17
- 275 40 23
- 225 35 17
- 205 40 16
- 195 45 14
- 6.0 80 16
- 435 50 19
- 235 30 21
- 215 75 15
- 285 40 18
- 285 70 17
- 305 25 20
- 175 50 13
- 165 60 12
- 235 60 19
- 255 30 24
- 235 70 15
- 7.0 0 16
- 5.5 80 13
- 285 40 24
- 335 25 22
- 285 25 22
- 185 80 13
- 135 80 15
- 425 65 22
- 285 75 16
- 185 35 17
- 385 55 22
- 315 45 21
- 195 60 17
- 325 40 21
- 235 60 15
- 285 50 18
- 445 65 22
- 315 30 19
- 265 45 22
- 255 75 17
- 335 30 24
- 225 30 22
- 165 40 17
- 235 70 18
- 225 45 16
- 275 65 18
- 215 85 16
- 6.5 80 16
- 305 70 16
- 195 40 16
- 295 30 24
- 235 30 22
- 145 80 14
- 335 30 23
- 305 25 22
- 215 80 16
- 33 12 15
- 285 40 23