What do tire speed ratings mean

Obviously, most of these ratings are for tires that do not go on passenger cars. The lowest speed rating you will probably ever see on a passenger car or truck tire is either S or T, which appear most often on dedicated snow tires.

You can see that there is quite a safety cushion built into the system—how long do you think you're going to sustain miles per hour on snow tires? How many times do you think you might even reach miles per hour on snow tires? However, there is another use for this information—it gives you an idea of how well the tires are built for speed.

In general, speed ratings of V or above mean that the tire has extra cap plies or even multiple steel belts to provide extra stability at very high speeds. It's built better to perform better. If you're looking for a tire to run on the Autobahn in your M3, you probably want something in the ZR range. Likewise, if you're looking to put inexpensive shoes on a minivan, you probably don't need V-rated tires, even if they were the original equipment manufacturer OEM choice.

It's hard to understate the importance of knowing what the speed ratings really mean. If for example, the manufacturer did put V-rated tires on that minivan, it can be difficult to convince many tire places to put an H-rated on as a replacement. This is less about selling more expensive tires, although that ends up being the functional consequence, and more about fears of liability.

This, although good advice in general, has to be balanced against the car manufacturers' predilection for putting increasingly over-rated tires onto new cars. This is something that you as a consumer should be aware of. Do you need the more expensive, better-built tire that will perform beautifully at 90 mph, or will you be better off with the cheaper one that works just fine at 65—75 mph but maybe doesn't do as well at 90— mph and might fail at mph?

That's ultimately a choice for you, not the tire seller. A caveat: The speed ratings are based on lab conditions and don't take into consideration an extra-heavy load in the vehicle or the heat and condition of the pavement. W and Y limited speed symbols have been added as higher speed categories. Always consult the manufacturer for the maximum speed of Unlimited Z tires. For example:. Consult the tire manufacturer for maximum speed when there is no service description. Blog Categories Blog Home.

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