Can I change the profile of my tyres?

I have a 2025 Countryman JCW on 245 40 R20 99Y EL tyres. I appreciate the reason for the low profile on a performance car but is it possible given the crashing into potholes that occurs to fit tyres with a significantly higher profile.

Asked on 8 April 2026 by Bernard Brewer

Answered by David Ross
You could increase the profile of the tyre to 45 which would give you a taller tyre with a more generous sidewall and potentially improve the ride, but it is important to note this also increases the circumference of the tyre which may affect the accuracy of your speedometer and result in longer gearing. It is also recommended that you do not increase the overall diameter by more than 3%, which would be the case with this change. One option would be to increase the tyre width but keep the profile the same, which would give you a fractionally taller but wider sidewall, but the best albeit most expensive option would be to swap the 20-inch wheels for original equipment 245/45R19 wheels and matching tyres.
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