Tyre Speed Rating | Chart and Rating Letters (2024)

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Tyre Speed Rating | Chart and Rating Letters (1)

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    Understand what tyre speed ratings are

    And how to find the right tyres for your car

    One way to keep on top of tyre safety is to make sure that the tyres on your car have the right tyre speed rating. We’ll explain what a tyre speed rating is, why it’s important and how to check it for your car.

    In this article
    • What’s a tyre speed rating?
    • Why does it matter?
    • Where can I find it?
    • Tyre speed rating chart
    • Tyre load index chart
    • Lower speed ratings
    • Higher speed ratings
    • Can I mix speed ratings?

    Tyre Speed Rating | Chart and Rating Letters (2)

    What’s a tyre speed rating?

    The speed rating of a tyre shows you the top speed that the tyre can safely be driven at. It’s a legally approved limit and tyres are only rated after they’ve been tested in a lab. The safest top speed applies as long as the tyre isn’t being driven with too much weight loaded.

    Often, the tyre speed rating will be a faster speed than your car's able to go. That’s mainly for safety reasons, to make sure that you tyre performance is never worse than the car’s performance.

    Find out more about tyre law.


    Does the tyre speed rating matter?

    Choosing the right tyre speed rating for your car’s important for the safety of yourself and other road users.

    If the tyre speed rating’s too low for your car, it might not be able to cope with the heat of high speeds. That could cause the tyre to lose performance and the car to lose control. It could even lead to a tyre blow-out.

    But it’s not just about speed. The rating also relates to:

    • Ride comfort
    • Tread wear
    • Traction
    • Cornering ability

    It’s important to choose the right speed rating for your vehicle and the conditions. Tyres with higher speed ratings may give better grip and stopping distances, but they might not perform as well in the cold and could wear out faster.

    Tyre speed rating and insurance

    The tyre speed rating’s also important for legal reasons. If you have a lower tyre speed rating than you should, it might invalidate your car insurance.


    Where can I find the tyre speed rating?

    You can check the tyre speed rating on the sidewall of a car. There's a group of letters and numbers on the side. The final letter is the speed rating.

    The speed rating letter comes after the load rating. It’s important to look at both together because the speed rating depends on driving with the right load.


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    Tyre speed rating chart

    This chart shows you the maximum speed is for each tyre speed rating letter. The system is based on kilometres per hour (kmh), which is why the increments seem odd in miles per hour (mph).

    Speed
    rating

    mph km/h

    Speed
    rating

    mph km/h
    A1 3 5 K 68 110
    A2 6 10 L 75 120
    A3 9 15 M 81 130
    A4 12 20 N 87 140
    A5 16 25 P 93 150
    A6 19 30 Q 100 160
    A7 22 35 R 106 170
    A8 25 40 S 112 180
    B 31 50 T 118 190
    C 37 60 U 124 200
    D 40 65 H 130 210
    E 43 70 V 149 240
    F 50 80 W 168 270
    G 56 90 Y 186 300
    J 62 100 (Y) 186+ 300+

    Tyre load index chart

    The 2 numbers on a tyre sidewall that come before the tyre speed rating are the load index. This shows you the maximum weight of the vehicle (and any load it’s carrying) for that tyre.

    It’s important not to go over the maximum load as it could be dangerous. The tyre speed rating won’t be accurate and it could affect the way the tyres perform and handle.

    You’ll also need to make sure your tyre pressure is correct.

    Load index

    Load (kg) Load index Load (kg) Load index Load (kg)
    62 265 84 500 106 950
    63 272 85 515 107 975
    64 280 86 530 108 1000
    65 290 87 545 109 1030
    66 300 88 560 110 1060
    67 307 89 580 111 1090
    68 315 90 600 112 1120
    69 325 91 615 113 1150
    70 335 92 630 114 1180
    71 345 93 650 115 1215
    72 355 94 670 116 1250
    73 365 95 690 117 1285
    74 375 96 710 118 1320
    75 381 97 730 119 1360
    76 400 98 750 120 1400
    77 400 99 775 121 1450
    78 400 100 800 122 1500
    79 400 101 825 123 1550
    80 400 102 850 124 1600
    81 400 103 875 125 1650
    82 400 104 900 126 1700
    83 400 105 925


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    Can I fit tyres with a higher speed rating than I need?

    Yes, you can. It’s not against the law to choose tyres with a higher speed rating that your car needs as long as they’re right for your vehicle.

    Find out more about the legal requirements for car tyres.


    Can I fit tyres with a lower speed rating that I need?

    No, you shouldn’t ever fit tyres with a speed rating that’s too low for your car. It could cause steering and control issues or you might even suffer tyre failure.

    It’s not illegal to use a tyre speed rating that’s too low but it is dangerous and it could stop your car insurance from paying out.


    Can I mix tyres with different speed ratings?

    We’d never recommended mixing tyres with different speed ratings on your vehicle.

    It’s safest to fit the same size and type of tyre, with the same speed rating, on all your wheels.

    Find out more:

    • How to change a flat tyre

    Published: 23 November 2020 | Updated: 24 November 2020 | Author: The AA

    Related links
    • Tyre pressures
    • The law about car tyres
    • Non-standard spares
    • Tyre life and age
    • Tyre repairs and sealants
    • Tyre labelling
    • Directional and asymmetric tyres
    • Run-flat tyres
    • Nitrogen inflation
    • Winter tyres
    • Dashboard warning lights
    • Top 10 causes of breakdowns
  • Tyre Speed Rating | Chart and Rating Letters (2024)

    FAQs

    Tyre Speed Rating | Chart and Rating Letters? ›

    H and V tires often go hand in hand. While the V rating technically allows for a higher maximum speed, practically speaking, this a distinction without much of a difference (in light of U.S. speed limits).

    What tire rating is better H or V? ›

    H and V tires often go hand in hand. While the V rating technically allows for a higher maximum speed, practically speaking, this a distinction without much of a difference (in light of U.S. speed limits).

    What are the speed rating letters on tires? ›

    What Is a Tire Speed Rating?
    • The speed rating tells you the speed the tire can safely maintain over time. ...
    • M — Up to 81 mph.
    • N — Up to 87 mph.
    • P — Up to 93 mph.
    • Q — Up to 99 mph.
    • R — Up to 106 mph.
    • S — Up to 112 mph.
    • T — Up to 118 mph.

    What does H or S mean on tires? ›

    The most common ratings are S and T (sedans, minivans, light trucks); H (some passenger cars, sports cars, coupes, some light trucks); N, P, Q and R (light trucks); and V, W and Y (high-performance and some electric vehicles). Most winter tires have Q, S or T speed ratings.

    What does V or W mean on tyres? ›

    H = 130mph/210kmh. V = 149mph/240kmh. Z = 149mph+/240kmh+ W = 168mph/270kmh. Y = 186mph/300kmh.

    Do I really need H-rated tires? ›

    H-Rated Tires: This is a perfect, average tire for most sedans and commuter vehicles. It might not seem to fit in our chart, but the tire speed rating “H” is rated for up to 130 mph. T-Rated Tires: This tire is often recommended for family sedans and vans. It's rated for up to 118 mph.

    Can I fit H-rated tyres instead of V? ›

    You can fit tyres with a higher speed rating than recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer. If you do this, you don't need to advise your insurance company and you won't face any penalties for doing so.

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