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Guide

Choosing Tyres: What To Check

A short, general guide to choosing tyres: reading the size marking, the tyre label, seasonal types and tread depth.

Choosing the right tyre comes down to a handful of things you can check yourself. This page is general guidance, not a list of specific tyres, brands or prices.

Start with the size and ratings

The marking on a tyre's sidewall, for example 205/55 R16 91V, gives the width in millimetres, the sidewall height as a percentage of that width, the radial construction and rim diameter in inches, and the load index and speed rating. Your vehicle handbook (or the tyre information placard, where the manufacturer fits one) gives the specification to match — it's not something to guess or downgrade. Our guide to reading your tyre's sidewall and our tyre size calculator explain more.

Check the tyre label

Tyres sold in Great Britain carry a label that rates fuel efficiency and wet grip and shows external rolling noise. Checking it alongside the price is a direct way to compare two specific tyres, rather than assuming a price bracket tells you the same thing. See our guide on comparing premium and budget tyres.

Think about the seasons and the tread pattern

Summer, winter and all-season tyres are designed for different conditions: winter tyres use a softer compound that stays flexible in the cold, and all-season tyres are a compromise between the two. Some tyres also have asymmetric or directional tread patterns that have to be fitted the right way round. See our guides on choosing the right tyres for your car and asymmetric and directional tyres.

Tread depth and age

The UK legal minimum tread depth for cars is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, around the entire circumference. That is a legal minimum, not a target: condition, damage, age and pressure all matter too. See our guide on how long tyres should last.