AutoTools

205/55R16 tire size

A 205/55R16 tire stands 24.88 inches tall overall, on a 16-inch wheel, with a 112.8 mm sidewall and 205 mm of tread across. It turns roughly 811 times per mile.

Overall diameter
24.88″
631.9 mm
Sidewall height
112.8 mm
55% of 205 mm
Circumference
78.2″
1,985 mm
Revs per mile
811
504 per km

Reading the number

205 / 55 R 16
   │   │  └─ rim diameter, 16 inches
   │   └──── aspect ratio, sidewall is 55% of width
   └──────── tread width, 205 mm

sidewall  = 205 × 0.55 = 112.75 mm
diameter  = (16 × 25.4) + (2 × 112.75) = 631.9 mm

Sizes that can replace 205/55R16

One rim step away, sorted by how close the rolling diameter stays.

Questions

What does 205/55R16 mean?

205 is the tread width in millimetres. 55 is the aspect ratio, so the sidewall is 55% of 205 mm, or 112.8 mm. R means radial construction, and 16 is the wheel diameter in inches.

How tall is a 205/55R16 tire?

24.88 inches, or 631.9 mm overall. That is the 16-inch rim plus a 112.8 mm sidewall at the top and another at the bottom.

How many revolutions per mile does 205/55R16 do?

About 811 revolutions per mile, from a rolling circumference of 78.2 inches. Speedometers and odometers are calibrated against this figure, which is why changing size shifts both.

What tires can replace 205/55R16?

Sizes within 3% of its rolling diameter and one rim step away, such as 225/45R17, 195/65R15, 205/60R16. Each is compared in full below.

Comparing against a size not listed? Open the calculator.