235/50 R18 Tyres Explained

235/50 R18 is a common tyre size for mid-size cars, crossovers and many SUVs. The numbers are simple. 235 is the tread width in millimetres. 50 is the aspect ratio, so the sidewall height is 50% of 235mm (about 117.5mm). R18 means the tyre fits an 18 inch wheel. You'll find this size on vehicles that need a stable ride and good wet grip, from family miles to light towing and higher ride crossovers. Premium manufacturers on the page include Michelin, Continental, Pirelli, Bridgestone and Goodyear. mid range names include Hankook, Kumho, Yokohama and Falken. Value options include Wanli, Tomket and Mazzini. Popular tyre models offered in 235/50 R18 include the Michelin CrossClimate 3 and the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 SUV. To confirm this is right for your car, check the tyre sidewall, the driver's door sticker or your vehicle handbook. You can also enter your registration on our site 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 235/50 R18 this is broken down as follows: 235 - the width of the tyre in millimetres. In this case 235mm wide. 50 - the height of the sidewall as a percentage of the width. In this case 50% R18 - 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 18 inch wheel

If you are looking for the recommended tyre pressure for 235/50 R18 tyres, you will find that this will depend on the manufacturer and model. Each vehicle manufacturer has their own tyre pressure recommendation for their model, that will deliver an optimal performance for your vehicle. Check the following if you are unsure what the correct tyre pressure is for your 235/50 R18 tyres Tyre label - this is often the best place to find your tyre pressure information. It is located on the door jamb on the driver’s side of the vehicle. It is a small rectangular label that provides the driver with the recommended tyre pressure and tyre sizes. Vehicle handbook - Quite often the vehicle handbook with contain a section that relates to the technical details for the tyre. This should include the required tyre size, load rating, speed rating and recommended tyre pressure.

The sidewall height of a 235/50 R18 tyre is calculated by using the profile information of the tyre size. In this instance 50. This tells us that it is 50% of the tyre's cross-section width. When looking at a tyre, the sidewall height is the distance between the tread line of the tyre and the rim line. Given that this tyre size has a cross-section width which equals 235mm, we can work out that the sidewall height is 50% of 235 – this comes to 117.5mm.