Choosing the best car tyres and how to get them most from them

In this guide we give you the facts and advice to answer the question: Which tyres should I buy? We give you lowdown on tyres from Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear and Continental, as well as details on what to look for when buying and how to make your tyres last longer.

Which companies make the best tyres?

The biggest tyre brands are all household names and these manufacturers are the ones that have a 'premium' offering. They're very rarely the cheapest, but they offer good quality and can last longer than those that are initially cheaper. 

The premium brands also offer specialist tyres for performance models and for use in snow/all-weather conditions.

Our advice for tyres is to buy the best you can afford. Don't skimp on quality - tyres are so vital when it comes to safety. When it comes to fitting the right tyres, make sure you choose versions of those that are recommended in your service book; fitting incorrect tyres can have an adverse effect on your car's handling.

Tyre labels were brought in a few years ago (see an example below). These can give you a better steer when it comes to budget tyres and how they perform against premium rivals. Some will give good grip in the dry, for example, but this will be at the expense of other criteria, such as road noise.

Every tyre sold now comes with one of these labels, allowing you to compare.

As well as those above, Vredstein, Cooper, Hankook and Dunlop are usually found in the price categories as the big five.

What is a tyre label and how does it work?

Under current EU rules, tyres are measured for noise, rolling resistance and wet weather performance when they're new and typically have 7mm of tread depth. The ratings, which span A - F, indicate a wet braking distance of three meters between each category. This means a car with a set of A-rated tyres will 18 metres shorter than one on F-rated tyres. 

However, Michelin says that the EU system is unreliable as wet braking distances can vary dramatically as a tyres becomes worn. 

“We want a minimum performance standard for all tyres. This means testing tyres when they're new (7mm) and when they're worn to the 1.6mm tread limit.” said Cyrille Roget, technical communication manager of Michelin. 

“Tyre compounds and performance levels change over time and it can be very difficult for drivers to understand how much wet grip they will get from a tyre as it becomes worn. Likewise fuel economy also changes and a worn labelling system would make it easier for everyone to understand whole life tyre performance. We already have plans to implement such a system for all of our products."

What Is My Tyre Size?

The size of the tyres on your car contributes significantly to the way it behaves on the road, which is why it is so important to choose the correct size for your car when replacing them - or to make careful consideration should you wish to change the size of the wheels on your car.

The width of a tyre dictates how much grip is available for cornering, braking and acceleration. The wider a tyre is, the bigger the contact patch - the bit of the tyre in contact with the road - and the bigger the contact patch, the more grip is available. Although a lot of other factors are involved, a wider tyre will in general have a higher rolling resistance, which is a trade-off for the increased grip. This is why cars with modest performance and high economy have narrower tyres for efficiency, whereas high-performance cars have wider tyres and prioritise grip over efficiency.

The aspect ratio of a tyre also has an effect on the way your car behaves on the road. The higher the aspect ratio the taller the tyre is in relation to its width, or how tall the sidewall is. A tall sidewall contributes to ride comfort by helping to absorb bumps in the road, but the trade-off here is that a tall sidewall deflects more during cornering, giving less accurate response through the steering wheel. A high-performance car will usually wear a low aspect-ratio tyre for this reason, while economy or comfort-biased cars will have higher aspect ratios.

As a comparison, prices for the Michelin Energy Saver + were checked at in a variety of sizes:

What are the most common tyre sizes in the UK?

Below are the most popular tyre sizes in the UK. These are the most popular tyre sizes as they tend to be the tyre sizes that are fitted to the UK's best-selling cars.

We've put together the table below, which shows roughly what you should expect to pay from each of the main tyre brands for these sizes. This is, naturally, a rough guide and you should shop around and compare prices before buying your new tyres.

*Prices include VAT, but not fitting.

Prices may vary from the above, so make sure that you check a number of retailers for current pricing and to shop around, including Blackcircles.com*, Tyre-shopper.co.uk* and Tyresonthedrive.com.

Which manufacturers offer a spare wheel as standard?

Full-size spare wheels and spacesavers are becoming a thing of the past, with an increasing amount of manufacturers opting for either tyre repair kits or run-flat tyres. The table below shows which manufacturers offer a spare wheel and which offer an alternative.

More on spare tyres

What is the legal tread depth in the UK and how can I check my tyres?

If you want to stay the right side of the law, your tyres need to have a tread septh of at least 1.6mm. Anything lower than this and it's not only an MoT failure, but also illegal.

There's a couple of way to check the tread on your tyres. Tread guages cost just a few pounds on Amazon and will give you a precise reading. Or you can use one the older-style 20p pieces. Insert the outer rim of the coin into the tread and if the outer rim is exposed, the tread is below the legal minimum.

See also: Tyre date codes explained / Tyre pressures explained

Checking your tyre pressures and picking a tyre inflator

Converting Tyre Pressure In BAR to PSI

Tyre pressures are almost always expressed as PSI (then BAR). However, some compressors and inflators are in BAR. The chart below converts pressure in BAR to PSI.

More on the right tyre pressures for your car

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