All Those Numbers and Letters
The side of your tyre may look like an ancient hieroglyphic text to you. Don’t sweat it. Our tyre maintenance section explains each of those numbers to you. The most important of the markings on the side of your tyres is the size of the tyre, e.g.:
205/55 R 16 91V
Here’s what each section means, using a 205/55 R16 V tyre as an example:
- 205– Tyre width in millimetres
- 55 – Tyre sidewall profile, i.e. the height of the tyre side, expressed as a percentage of its width
- R – Radial
- 16 – Diameter of the wheel rim, in inches
- 91 – Load Index
- V– Speed rating, which must match or exceed the maximum speed of your car
Load Index
This shows the weight the tyre can support when properly inflated.
Speed Rating
These are represented by letters of the alphabet from A to Z. Conversion tables which indicate the speed corresponding to each letter are available.
| Rating | N | P | Q | R | S | T | H | V | W | Y |
| Km/Hr | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 | 210 | 240 | 270 | 300 |