Find Dealers
View dealers around Make a new search
Search to complete Delete
Tyre Selector Tyre Selector
My Garage : Make a new search
r1a2 header

How to choose the best tyres for my car

Tips and advice for Auto

What tyres do I need? How to choose the best tyres for my car? If you are asking yourself these questions, our article will help you to consider the important criteria for making the right choice.

The tyre size might seem to be the only important factor in deciding which tyres to buy. However, as we will see, it is also essential to take into account your driving style and climatic conditions. To help you make the right choice, we'll also mention the European labelling system and provide you with a decision-making tool.

Observe the dimensions indicated by the manufacturer

This is the very first criterion to consider when choosing tyres for your car.
As a tyre does not have a standard size, you must first identify the tyre sizes that are compatible with your vehicle before making your choice according to the other criteria that we will explain below.

car edito find tyre size tiresidewall tips and advice

Where can I find the tyre sizes for my car?

Look at the sidewall of any one of your tyres and note the numbers and letters on it.
This information will help you find the tyres that fit your car.
Here is an example of the complete dimensions of a tyre: 255/55 R17 72H

You can also find the tyre sizes in your driver or passenger door

Tyre sizes are also listed in your vehicle's owner's manual (which you should find in the glove compartment). These documents usually contain all the information relating to your tyre size and specifications, as well as the appropriate tyre pressure.

sticker

What do these letters and numbers mean? 

Tyre Width or Section Width : (Example : 255)
Tyre width in millimetres is measured from the widest point of a tyre’s outer sidewall to the widest point of its inner sidewall.

Aspect Ratio : (Example : 55)
Aspect ratio is the relationship between a tyre’s sidewall height and the tyre's width. The lower the ratio, the smaller the sidewall height, which means better cornering but a rougher ride.

Construction : (Example : R)
This indicates the tyre’s internal construction. They can be R (Radial) like most tyres, or D (Diagonal construction) or B (Belted).

Wheel Diameter : (Example : 17)
The number is in inches and indicates the diameter of the wheel on which the tyre is designed to fit.

Load Index : (Example : 72) 
This indicates how much weight the tyre is certified to carry at maximum safe inflation. The numbers refer to a chart that specify the load capacity that the tyre can carry.
For example, 72 = 355 kg.

You can find yours in the load Index chart :

Show the load index chart

Speed Rating chart : (Example : H)
This indicates the maximum safe speed at which a tyre is certified to carry a load under specified conditions. Speed ratings range from A (lowest) to Y (highest), with one exception: H falls between U and V.
For example, H = 210 km/h.

To find the maximum speed for your tyre, refer to the speed rating chart. Exceeding the lawful speed limit is neither recommended nor endorsed.

Show the speed rating chart
hl marking

High load Capacity tyres (HL tyres)

HL tyres are designed to support the weight of Electric & Hybrid vehicles. They allow to use the same tyre size but with higher load carrying capacity.
How to recognize a HL tyre? thanks to the HL prefix located at the beginning of the tyre size.

More info

What are OE tyres?

OE stands for “Original Equipment”, meaning that the tyres were approved by your vehicle manufacturer to be fitted as standard on your vehicle.
Some vehicle manufacturers, such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes and others, equip their vehicles with tyres that are specifically designed for their brand. These tyres have a special OE marking on the sidewall. In this case, MICHELIN recommends replacing the tyres on your vehicle with tyres with the specific OE marking.

Table of OE markings by vehicle brand:

tableau parts 1
tableau parts 2
marked tyre

Choosing tyres for my car according to my use and the conditions of use

Once you have the dimensions, there are three other criteria to consider:

  • the climatic conditions in which you drive
  • your driving style
  • the type of vehicle (electric or thermic)
  • Opt for all-season tyres if you live in a region with less severe winters with occasional snowfall.
  • Opt for summer tyres all year round if you drive in southern European regions with mild winters (temperature over 7°C, no snow).

Your driving style :

To make sure that you enjoy your drive, look for tyres that match the way you like to drive.

comfortable ride

If you like a quiet comfortable ride :

Look for tyres that specifically mention comfort, smooth ride, or low road noise. Generally speaking, touring tyres with lower speed rating (S, T or H ratings on the sidewall) are optimized for more comfort instead of more speed – it's recommended to never fit a tyre with the speed rating lower than the one specified by the manufacturer of your vehicle. Also, avoid aggressive tread designs – they may look cool but can generate lots of road noise.
Our MICHELIN Primacy 4⁺, for example, would be a good choice.

If you like to feel every curve :

Look for tyres that mention great handling or steering precision. These are often called high-performance tyres and have higher speed ratings, meaning that they are optimized to provide better control and a stiffer, more precise ride.
Our MICHELIN Pilot Sport ⁵, for example, is suitable for this style of driving.

feeling curves

The type of vehicle (electric or thermic)

More and more electrically powered vehicles are being introduced to the market. Specific tyres are now offered because they are designed for the particular characteristics of these vehicles. Tyres with low rolling resistance, for example, are suited to maximise battery range. This applies to our MICHELIN e·Primacy and MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV tyres.

Although the MICHELIN e·Primacy is not specifically designed for electric vehicles, it is particularly well suited to them because of its ability to offer low rolling resistance. The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV is more suitable for "sporty" electric vehicles (e.g. Porsche Taycan, Tesla Model Y, etc.)

Choosing tyres for my car using the European tyre label

labelling

To help you choose the best tyres for your car, you can also use the labelling system set up by the European authorities, which allows you to highlight certain tyre performances, in particular wet grip and energy efficiency, with a grade ranging from A to E. See our article on the European tyre label :

View more

Find the perfect tyre

Enter your vehicle or tyre size
We're searching for your tyre... Wait few seconds we're processing your photo

See other related articles

MICHELIN-developed marked tyres

For a truly unique driving experience, Michelin's extensive engineering expertise allows it to select the ideal materials and technologies in order to design bespoke tyres for a variety of car models.

View more

Prepare your visit to the tyre shop

How can I find a tyre shop near me? Our tool will help you find it. And if you follow our simple preparation advice you will be better guided by your tyre wholesaler to buy tyres that best suit your specific needs.

View more

What is rolling resistance?

Lower Fuel Costs & Longer Life? Explore Low Rolling Resistance Tires (LRR) from Michelin. Understand how LRR impacts your drive.

View more
You are using an unsupported web browser
You are using a website browser that is not supported by this website. This means that some functionnality may not work as intented. This may result in strange behaviors when browsing round. Use or updgrade/install one of the following browsers to take full advantage of this website