Subaru Forester SG5 - Tyres – when to choose XL rated?

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Fri 29 Nov 2013 11:38
Subaru Forester SG5 - Tyres – when to choose XL rated? - dimdip

Looking for a full set of tyres, I notice that some for this model in 205 / 70 R15 can be bought as either standard or XL, both the same price.

Reading explanations of the XL rating, I'm still not clear which would be best suited to the Forester.

It's a high sidewall size and I remember reading somewhere (probably here, though I couldn't find it) that Forester handling benefits from a strong sidewall. But on the other hand, it's not a particularly heavy car, which is what XL is meant to be for.

So which would be best do you think? If I did go for XL, would I be needing to change the recommended tyre pressures due to the higher weight rating of the tyre? Or just go with the standard tyre and accept handling might be worse?

Thanks

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Fri 29 Nov 2013 12:10
Subaru Forester SG5 - Tyres – when to choose XL rated? - gordonbennet

I doubt you'll notice much difference in the handling, far more difference to be found between good and mediocre tyre makes and models IMO.

If the car requires XL then it should have XL, you can put XL on if you want to anyway or happen to find a real bargain that happens to be XL rated...the one to watch is that you get at least the necessary minimum load rating for the car eg 95V or whatever is specified, you can up but shouldn't go down.

Some of my tyres are XL, not required fitment they just happened to be that rating when i nipped a bargain.

Edited by gordonbennet on 29/11/2013 at 12:10

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Fri 29 Nov 2013 12:19
Subaru Forester SG5 - Tyres – when to choose XL rated? - RT

Ignore the tyre construction!

Standard, Reinforced, Extra Load, Commercial as types of construction are important to tyre engineers but not to users.

Tyres are all marked with a Load Index, 2 or 3 numeric digits, which relate to the maximum load on the tyre. Find out from the owners manual, or B-post sticker what the Load Index is for your car, eg on "235/60R18 103V" tyres, the 103 is the Load Index.

You can use higher Load Indexes than OE tyres but not lower ones.

If you have a choice of Load Index that aren't lower than OE, the higher one is probably built with stronger construction, useful for off-roading, but possibly less comfortable on-road.

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Sat 30 Nov 2013 12:54
Subaru Forester SG5 - Tyres – when to choose XL rated? - dimdip

Thank you gents, that has clarified things.

Bizarrely, both standard and XL versions of this tyre have the same load rating (shrug), however the XL has a higher speed rating, yet is the same price as the standard. I've since seen other examples of where an XL costs more than the standard, so that counts in favour of the XL. Rolling resistance, wet grip and noise ratings are all the same.

Given that the stiffer sidewall should help the handling, and given your info that the XL should be fine, I'm going to go with it.

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Sat 30 Nov 2013 12:58
Subaru Forester SG5 - Tyres – when to choose XL rated? - RT

I've seen many examples where the higher speed rating has been cheaper than the otherwise identical tyre - it's to do with sales volume and supply & demand.

My own 235/60 R18 were cheaper as 107V (ie XL) than 103V, with both cheaper than 103H.

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