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
• 215 65 16
• 205 60 16
• 225 50 17
• 235 55 19
• 195 65 15
• 225 40 18
• 215 60 16
• 225 45 18
• 195 55 16
• 185 65 15
• 235 60 18
• 245 45 18
• 215 60 17
• 245 45 19
• 255 45 20
• 215 55 17
• 205 50 17
• 235 55 18
• 235 45 18
• 255 50 19
• 205 55 17
• 245 40 19
• 235 50 18
• 245 40 18
• 255 35 19
• 205 45 17
• 215 55 16
• 225 55 18
• 235 65 16
• 235 55 17
• 245 45 20
• 235 35 19
• 225 60 17
• 225 40 19
• 255 40 20
• 225 65 17
• 215 55 18
• 195 60 16
• 255 45 19
• 225 50 18
• 235 50 19
• 215 50 17
• 255 55 18
• 245 35 20
• 275 40 20
• 235 40 19
• 245 35 19
• 235 40 18
• 205 65 16
• 235 65 17
• 275 40 19
• 255 55 19
• 195 60 15
• 255 40 19
• 275 45 20
• 245 40 20
• 175 65 14
• 225 60 18
• 225 55 16
• 225 45 19
• 185 60 15
• 195 75 16
• 205 75 16
• 255 40 18
• 215 75 16
• 235 45 19
• 185 55 15
• 255 35 20
• 215 65 17
• 255 40 21
• 215 45 17
• 165 70 14
• 275 35 20
• 255 50 20
• 275 35 19
• 205 65 15
• 255 60 18
• 175 65 15
• 235 45 17
• 195 70 15
• 175 70 14
• 265 45 20
• 215 70 15
• 275 45 21
• 215 65 15
• 295 35 21
• 225 65 16
• 215 50 18
• 195 55 15
• 235 45 20
• 215 70 16
• 265 40 21
• 275 35 21
• 245 45 17
• 225 70 15
• 215 45 18
• 225 35 19
• 225 75 16
• 245 50 18
• 195 65 16
• 205 60 15
• 195 50 15
• 215 40 18
• 255 45 18
• 215 40 17
• 255 35 18
• 195 50 16
• 205 70 15
• 195 45 16
• 265 50 20
• 235 50 20
• 215 45 16
• 235 60 17
• 225 55 19
• 205 45 16
• 185 65 14
• 275 40 18
• 275 40 22
• 265 45 21
• 185 75 16
• 165 65 15
• 315 35 20
• 265 65 17
• 265 60 18
• 185 55 16
• 275 50 20
• 265 35 20
• 165 65 14
• 245 65 17
• 265 35 19
• 205 50 16
• 265 40 22
• 275 40 21
• 275 30 20
• 265 50 19
• 235 60 16
• 185 60 14
• 265 35 21
• 205 55 19
• 295 35 20
• 285 40 22
• 255 55 20
• 245 35 18
• 265 35 18
• 255 30 19
• 245 50 19
• 245 70 16
• 295 40 20
• 285 40 21
• 165 60 14
• 305 30 20
• 285 45 20
• 285 35 20
• 205 40 18
• 185 70 14
• 235 50 17
• 205 40 17
• 265 30 20
• 285 45 19
• 275 45 19
• 265 70 16
• 285 45 21
• 165 60 15
• 175 55 15
• 245 35 21
• 285 30 20
• 175 80 14
• 245 40 17
• 235 45 21
• 285 40 20
• 275 35 22
• 255 30 20
• 245 30 20
• 235 35 20
• 155 65 14
• 255 35 21
• 245 70 17
• 255 65 17
• 185 50 16
• 235 55 20
• 225 60 16
• 285 35 22
• 265 40 20
• 165 70 13
• 315 40 21
• 265 35 22
• 195 55 20
• 155 65 13
• 235 70 16
• 295 30 20
• 315 35 21
• 285 35 21
• 295 40 21
• 315 30 22
• 285 40 19
• 155 80 13
• 225 50 16
• 185 80 14
• 285 30 19
• 165 65 13
• 275 30 19
• 275 30 21
• 315 80 22
• 325 30 21
• 225 35 18
• 315 35 22
• 305 40 20
• 295 30 21
• 275 55 20
• 235 75 15
• 225 70 16
• 225 35 20
• 315 30 21
• 275 55 19
• 245 40 21
• 185 55 14
• 215 75 17
• 295 30 19
• 265 30 19
• 175 60 15
• 155 70 13
• 255 45 21
• 185 60 16
• 245 50 20
• 215 45 20
• 295 80 22
• 255 70 16
• 285 35 19
• 305 30 21
• 285 45 22
• 255 70 18
• 235 75 17
• 245 60 18
• 315 70 22
• 215 50 19
• 195 45 17
• 195 70 14
• 235 40 20
• 155 60 15
• 285 70 19
• 255 40 17
• 285 30 21
• 285 30 22
• 235 65 18
• 325 35 22
• 205 80 16
• 195 60 18
• 195 40 17
• 265 70 17
• 285 50 20
• 275 35 18
• 285 40 23
• 245 45 21
• 275 70 16
• 235 85 16
• 265 40 18
• 255 45 17
• 175 70 13
• 225 50 19
• 385 65 22
• 145 65 15
• 305 30 19
• 165 80 13
• 265 70 19
• 285 35 18
• 265 40 19
• 225 60 15
• 205 75 17
• 195 80 15
• 285 35 23
• 175 60 16
• 215 35 18
• 195 80 14
• 255 60 17
• 225 75 17
• 245 55 17
• 225 40 20
• 385 55 22
• 195 45 15
• 275 45 18
• 265 55 19
• 295 35 22
• 175 80 13
• 305 35 20
• 295 30 22
• 285 60 18
• 155 70 19
• 325 35 23
• 265 65 18
• 185 70 13
• 255 50 21
• 255 40 22
• 265 30 21
• 31 10 15
• 145 80 13
• 275 50 21
• 195 65 14
• 245 75 16
• 325 40 22
• 175 60 14
• 205 50 15
• 245 70 19
• 175 65 17
• 325 30 23
• 255 70 15
• 175 60 13
• 275 50 19
• 275 65 17
• 225 70 17
• 295 35 23
• 245 30 19
• 295 35 19
• 265 70 15
• 175 65 13
• 305 40 22
• 295 40 22
• 175 50 15
• 255 50 18
• 215 40 16
• 275 60 20
• 235 65 19
• 175 60 19
• 295 40 19
• 155 80 12
• 195 60 14
• 205 55 15
• 205 60 17
• 215 35 19
• 255 60 20
• 235 60 19
• 255 60 19
• 145 80 12
• 255 70 17
• 165 50 15
• 315 30 23
• 195 50 20
• 265 30 22
• 215 60 18
• 295 30 18
• 185 75 14
• 175 55 20
• 205 65 17
• 265 45 19
• 235 60 20
• 295 60 22
• 245 75 17
• 235 30 20
• 155 70 12
• 315 60 22
• 275 45 22
• 265 45 18
• 215 80 15
• 235 70 17
• 215 75 15
• 165 60 13
• 245 55 19
• 205 50 19
• 145 70 12
• 185 45 15
• 175 60 18
• 275 35 23
• 185 80 15
• 205 70 17
• 255 30 21
• 255 65 16
• 335 30 20
• 275 60 18
• 295 25 20
• 305 35 21
• 175 80 16
• 295 45 20
• 205 70 14
• 215 60 15
• 255 65 19
• 325 35 20
• 245 30 21
• 175 75 16
• 175 70 12
• 185 50 14
• 225 75 15
• 285 65 17
• 205 60 14
• 165 55 15
• 265 75 16
• 285 25 20
• 195 60 12
• 275 65 18
• 155 70 14
• 175 50 16
• 355 25 21
• 335 25 22
• 165 45 15
• 195 55 18
• 145 70 13
• 255 45 22
• 135 70 15
• 185 60 12
• 295 25 21
• 305 45 22
• 155 60 20
• 255 35 22
• 205 60 13
• 205 80 14
• 165 45 16
• 255 75 17
• 215 30 20
• HL2 35 23
• 275 70 22
• 255 30 22
• 285 55 16
• 315 30 20
• 145 80 10
• 285 30 18
• 275 25 21
• 205 75 14
• 165 40 16
• 225 35 17
• 325 25 21
• 9.5 0 17
• 285 50 18
• 295 35 18
• 305 25 21
• 305 35 19
• 235 30 22
• 305 70 19
• 245 30 24
• 165 80 14
• 315 45 21
• 7.5 0 16
• 165 60 12
• 205 75 15
• 165 55 13
• 30 9. 15
• 235 50 21
• 205 45 18
• 305 30 23
• 185 45 17
• 245 75 15
• 165 50 16
• 335 30 23
• 445 65 22
• 295 50 15
• 135 80 13
• 285 65 16
• 285 70 17
• 325 25 20
• 195 55 10
• 215 85 16
• 265 70 18
• 285 50 22
• 225 70 19
• 285 75 16
• 235 35 18
• 325 40 21
• 195 60 17
• 6.5 80 16
• 145 80 15
• 195 50 13
• 225 45 16
• 285 55 18
• 315 30 18
• 315 25 19
• 235 40 21
• 205 0 16
• 9.5 80 17
• 175 50 14
• 305 35 24
• 285 25 22
• 6.5 0 16
• 225 65 18
• 6.5 0 15
• 235 30 21
• 185 80 13
• 225 50 15
• 445 45 19
• 165 40 17
• 335 30 24
• 165 70 12
• 245 50 17
• 33 12 15
• 185 60 13
• 195 40 16
• 11 0 22
• 235 30 19
• 650 80 16
• 255 60 15
• 275 40 23
• 175 50 13
• 225 45 21
• 135 80 15
• 165 80 15
• 435 50 19
• 295 35 24
• 295 45 19
• 285 55 20
• 305 35 23
• 225 30 22
• 225 30 20
• 205 70 16
• 305 30 22
• 235 60 15
• 6.0 80 16
• 315 70 17
• 12 0 22
• 265 45 22
• 325 55 22
• 285 40 18
• 215 80 14
• 245 45 16
• 7.5 80 16
• 335 30 21
• 425 65 22
• 305 35 22
• 7.0 0 16
• 235 70 18
• 165 0 13
• 275 50 22
• 5.5 80 13
• 165 55 14
• 185 35 17
• 255 40 23
• 205 40 16
• 255 65 18