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 55 17
- 205 60 16
- 215 65 16
- 235 55 19
- 195 65 15
- 225 50 17
- 225 45 18
- 195 55 16
- 215 60 16
- 225 40 18
- 185 65 15
- 245 45 18
- 215 60 17
- 235 55 18
- 235 60 18
- 255 45 20
- 255 50 19
- 245 45 19
- 245 40 19
- 215 55 17
- 245 40 18
- 205 50 17
- 235 50 18
- 235 45 18
- 205 55 17
- 255 35 19
- 235 65 16
- 225 55 18
- 215 55 16
- 205 45 17
- 235 55 17
- 245 45 20
- 195 60 16
- 225 65 17
- 235 35 19
- 255 40 20
- 175 65 14
- 225 40 19
- 215 55 18
- 195 60 15
- 235 65 17
- 235 50 19
- 255 55 18
- 225 50 18
- 275 40 20
- 215 50 17
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- 225 60 17
- 245 35 20
- 255 45 19
- 245 35 19
- 255 40 19
- 185 60 15
- 225 45 19
- 195 75 16
- 225 60 18
- 275 40 19
- 235 40 19
- 235 40 18
- 255 35 20
- 205 65 16
- 205 65 15
- 275 45 20
- 225 55 16
- 215 45 17
- 255 60 18
- 215 75 16
- 245 40 20
- 255 40 21
- 205 75 16
- 255 40 18
- 175 65 15
- 235 45 19
- 185 55 15
- 255 50 20
- 165 70 14
- 215 65 15
- 195 70 15
- 215 65 17
- 275 45 21
- 175 70 14
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- 225 65 16
- 275 35 20
- 275 35 19
- 265 45 20
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- 235 45 17
- 245 50 18
- 225 70 15
- 225 35 19
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- 215 50 18
- 215 45 18
- 195 55 15
- 195 65 16
- 215 70 15
- 205 60 15
- 265 40 21
- 215 70 16
- 295 35 21
- 215 40 17
- 255 35 18
- 275 35 21
- 255 45 18
- 215 40 18
- 235 60 17
- 235 45 20
- 205 70 15
- 195 45 16
- 185 65 14
- 265 65 17
- 195 50 16
- 195 50 15
- 215 45 16
- 165 65 15
- 315 35 20
- 265 50 20
- 275 50 20
- 185 60 14
- 235 50 20
- 275 40 18
- 205 45 16
- 265 45 21
- 265 50 19
- 275 40 21
- 165 65 14
- 245 65 17
- 265 60 18
- 185 75 16
- 295 40 20
- 235 60 16
- 275 40 22
- 205 50 16
- 255 30 19
- 285 40 22
- 265 40 22
- 265 35 20
- 245 70 16
- 275 30 20
- 295 35 20
- 265 35 18
- 265 35 21
- 185 55 16
- 265 35 19
- 255 55 20
- 185 70 14
- 165 60 14
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- 245 50 19
- 235 50 17
- 265 70 16
- 175 55 15
- 155 65 14
- 255 35 21
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- 285 45 19
- 275 45 19
- 245 40 17
- 205 40 17
- 205 40 18
- 285 40 21
- 255 65 17
- 165 60 15
- 285 40 20
- 155 80 13
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- 315 40 21
- 165 70 13
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- 215 75 17
- 225 50 16
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- 285 30 20
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- 155 65 13
- 315 35 21
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- 315 80 22
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- 315 30 22
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- 155 70 13
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- 325 30 21
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- 185 55 14
- 305 40 20
- 225 35 20
- 165 65 13
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- 175 60 15
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- 315 35 22
- 315 70 22
- 205 80 16
- 195 70 14
- 315 30 21
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- 215 45 20
- 305 30 21
- 255 40 17
- 215 50 19
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- 255 45 21
- 235 75 17
- 185 60 16
- 165 80 13
- 325 35 22
- 245 60 18
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- 275 70 16
- 175 70 13
- 265 70 17
- 255 45 17
- 285 30 21
- 235 65 18
- 255 70 18
- 275 35 18
- 145 65 15
- 215 35 18
- 195 80 15
- 235 40 20
- 285 70 19
- 195 40 17
- 255 60 17
- 225 75 17
- 265 70 19
- 245 45 21
- 285 40 23
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- 235 85 16
- 195 45 17
- 265 40 18
- 305 30 19
- 285 50 20
- 275 45 18
- 295 30 22
- 285 30 22
- 225 50 19
- 385 65 22
- 285 60 18
- 205 50 15
- 195 80 14
- 155 70 19
- 265 40 19
- 245 55 17
- 225 40 20
- 385 55 22
- 265 30 21
- 265 65 18
- 195 45 15
- 31 10 15
- 175 60 13
- 195 60 14
- 245 75 16
- 155 80 12
- 265 70 15
- 175 80 13
- 255 50 21
- 155 70 12
- 255 70 15
- 225 60 15
- 255 40 22
- 225 70 17
- 175 60 16
- 195 65 14
- 175 60 19
- 185 75 14
- 145 80 13
- 325 35 23
- 205 55 15
- 175 75 16
- 325 40 22
- 175 60 14
- 285 35 23
- 275 50 19
- 175 50 15
- 255 50 18
- 265 55 19
- 305 35 20
- 175 65 13
- 295 35 22
- 185 70 13
- 245 30 19
- 205 65 17
- 295 35 19
- 245 70 19
- 305 40 22
- 205 60 17
- 275 65 17
- 275 60 20
- 175 65 17
- 165 50 15
- 145 80 12
- 275 50 21
- 255 65 16
- 145 70 12
- 295 45 20
- 295 30 18
- 265 45 19
- 235 60 20
- 295 35 23
- 235 30 20
- 205 70 14
- 235 65 19
- 245 75 17
- 235 60 19
- 215 35 19
- 325 30 23
- 255 70 17
- 265 30 22
- 215 80 15
- 315 30 23
- 255 60 19
- 215 40 16
- 175 55 20
- 275 35 23
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- 195 50 20
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- 7.5 0 16
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- 215 80 14
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- 225 35 17
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- 6.5 0 16
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- 9.5 0 17
- 305 35 19
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- 30 9. 15
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- 225 30 19
- 155 80 14
- 165 60 12
- 325 40 21
- 7.0 0 16
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- 235 50 21
- 275 50 22
- 235 60 15
- 255 55 17
- 295 45 19
- 305 35 23
- 285 40 18
- 175 50 13
- 325 25 20
- 215 85 16
- 325 55 22
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- 245 45 16
- 7.5 80 16
- 235 35 18
- 195 45 14
- 285 25 22
- 6.5 80 16
- 225 65 18
- 235 40 21
- 235 30 21
- 145 80 15
- 5.5 80 13
- 165 55 14
- 185 35 17
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- 315 25 19
- 205 40 16
- 425 65 22
- 205 0 16
- 9.5 80 17
- 315 45 21
- 255 40 23
- 315 30 18
- 225 45 21
- 195 50 13
- 225 45 16
- 265 70 18
- 435 50 19
- 295 35 24
- 285 55 20
- 33 12 15
- 6.5 0 15
- 285 55 18
- 235 30 19
- 175 50 14
- 650 80 16
- 255 60 15
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- 155 55 14
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- 225 50 15
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- 335 30 21
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- 225 30 22
- 225 30 20
- 235 70 18
- 12 0 22
- 195 40 16
- 6.0 80 16
- 295 45 18
- 265 45 22