195/55 R15 Tyres Explained

195/55 R15 is a common tyre size for small family cars. Cars which require a balance of comfort and fuel economy. The numbers convey the different aspects of a tyre's dimensions. 195 is the width in millimetres. 55 is the aspect ratio, so the sidewall height is 55% of 195mm (about 107mm). And finally R15 means the tyre is for a 15 inch wheel. The size is offered by premium manufacturers including Michelin, Continental, and Bridgestone. You'll also find mid range choices from the likes of Hankook, Yokohama and Toyo. Finally, budget options include Westlake, Wanli, Mazzini and Royal Black. Popular examples in this size include the Michelin CrossClimate 2 and the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance. You can confirm this is the right tyre for your vehicle by checking the tyre sidewall, the driver's door sticker or your vehicle handbook. You can also enter your registration for exact matches.

The first 3 sets of numbers that you will see when reading a tyre size tell you the width, profile and diameter of your tyre. In this case, for the tyre size 195/55 R15 this is broken down as follows: 195 - the width of the tyre in millimetres. In this case 195mm wide. 55 - the height of the sidewall as a percentage of the width. In this case 55% R15 - the diameter of the tyre's inner rim in inches. Essentially what size of wheel this is intended to be fitted onto. For this size, that is a 15 inch wheel

There is no standard recommended tyre pressure for 195/55 R15 tyres, as each vehicle manufacturer will recommend their own optimal tyre pressure so you can enjoy the best performance from your vehicle. If you are unsure as to the correct tyre pressure for your 195/55 R15 tyres, there are a few different places you can look to find this information. Vehicle handbook - There is a section in most manufacturer handbooks which covers all the technical details for a tyre. This includes the tyre size, load rating, speed rating and tyre pressure. Tyre label - The tyre label is often found on the door jamb of the driver’s side. It is a small rectangular sticker which contains the information you need to know in regards to tyre pressure and tyre sizes. It should also tell you the tyre pressure recommendation

The height of your tyre's sidewall for the tyre size 195/55 R15 can be worked out by using the tyre's profile size. For the tyre size, the profile is 55. What this tells us is that the sidewall height is 55% of the cross-section width of the tyre. The sidewall height is determined by the distance between the rim line and the tread line. So, as this tyre has a cross-section width of 195mm, the height of the sidewall is 55% of 195 – which is 107.25mm.