205/55 R16 Tyres Norwich

205/55 R16 is one of the two or three most searched-for tyre sizes in Britain, and this page is the plain-English version of what we tell customers on the phone: which cars run it, what the load and speed codes after it mean, how the brands compare in this size, and what to watch for. Call 07933 900901 with the size or your registration and we will quote and book you in, seven days a week.

Tyres from £40supplied and fitted, quoted by size

Same-day fittingmost sizes, while you wait

Open 7 daysMon-Sat 8-6, Sun 10-4

3-month guaranteeor 3,000 miles on workmanship

Which Cars Use 205/55 R16?

This is the most common tyre size in Britain and the one we fit more than any other. It is the standard fitment on the Volkswagen Golf from the Mk5 onwards, the Audi A3, Skoda Octavia and SEAT Leon, the Ford Focus Mk2 and Mk3, Vauxhall Astra, Toyota Corolla and Auris, Honda Civic, Peugeot 308, Renault Megane, Kia Ceed, Hyundai i30 and Mazda 3, and on the BMW 1 Series and older Mercedes A-Class in run-flat form. If you drive a family hatchback on 16-inch wheels, there is a fair chance this is your size.

Always confirm against your own sidewall or the tyre label inside the driver's door, because the same model can run different sizes on different wheels and trims.

What 205/55 R16 Means

Read the size off the sidewall from left to right. 205 is the tread width in millimetres. 55 is the profile, the sidewall height as a percentage of that width, so on this tyre the sidewall is about 113 mm tall. R16 means radial construction on a 16-inch wheel. The overall diameter works out at roughly 632 mm, which is the figure your speedometer and gearing are calibrated for and the reason you cannot swap freely to a "close" size.

Load and Speed Ratings on 205/55 R16

On this size you will typically see 91V, 91H, 91W and 94V XL. The number is the load index (how much weight each tyre may carry) and the letter is the speed rating. Your car's requirement is on the door-jamb label or in the handbook; you may go higher on either but never lower. Where the label asks for the higher load index, that means an XL (reinforced) tyre, and fitting the standard version is a genuine safety error on a loaded car.

Good to know

Can I fit 205/55 R16 tyres with a different speed rating? You must fit at least the speed rating your car specifies; a higher one is fine, a lower one is not. Most cars on this size need H or V; hot hatches need W. We check the requirement by registration.

What to Watch For on This Size

Because every manufacturer makes a 205/55 R16, the choice is enormous and the prices are the keenest of any size, which makes it the size where the EU label matters most: two tyres at the same price can be a full grade apart on wet grip. The speed rating varies with the car (H for most diesels and small petrols, V or W for quicker versions), so we match what your car requires rather than what is cheapest. Run-flat versions exist for the BMW and Mercedes fitments and should be replaced like for like unless you carry a spare.

Brands Available in 205/55 R16

Every brand we list makes this size, from Michelin Primacy and Continental PremiumContact at the top through Hankook, Falken and Nexen in the middle to Davanti, Landsail and Kormoran at the budget end, plus a good supply of part worns.

We show you the EU tyre label for each option in your size, which rates wet grip, rolling resistance and noise, so the choice between tiers is an informed one rather than a guess. See all the brands we supply and our honest guide to cheap tyres.

Other 16-Inch Sizes

Sizes on the same rim diameter that are often confused with this one, each with its own page: 205/60 R16, 195/55 R16, 215/65 R16, 215/60 R16, 205/65 R16C. See the full tyre size guide.

Fitting 205/55 R16 at Ber Street

Bring the car to 100-106 Ber Street or call 07933 900901 first with the size and registration. We fit this size most days and usually have premium, mid-range and budget options to hand. Each tyre is mounted with a new valve, balanced on the computer balancer, torqued by hand and covered by our 3-month / 3,000-mile guarantee, and the old tyre is disposed of. Seven days a week, free parking on site.

How Tyre Fitting Works at Ber Street