Best 165/70R12 tires

2 rated tires available in this size, scored on dry, wet, snow, comfort and wear.

Top pick in 165/70R12

Zeetex ZT2000

5 owner reviews

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Compare two 165/70R12 tires side by side

Every rated 165/70R12 tire, by season

Ranked by our Relative score, weighed against how many reviews and tests stand behind it.

How scores work
Relative score
0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
Ranking
The score already allows for how much stands behind it: with only a few reviews or tests a tire stays near the typical score. Among similar scores, newer tires rank higher and tires replaced by a newer generation lower.

Best 165/70R12 summer tires

2
  1. Zeetex ZT2000

    5 owner reviews

    67 Check price on Amazon · 165/70R12
  2. Petlas Elegant PT311

    17 owner reviews

    57 Check price on Amazon · 165/70R12

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Nearest sizes with rated tires

Within 3% of the overall diameter, on the same rim first. Check the sizes approved for your vehicle before you switch.

165/70R12 in inches

Overall diameter21.1″
Section width6.5″
Rim diameter12″
Sidewall height116 mm
Circumference66.3″
Revolutions per mile956.1

Revolutions per mile: how many times the tire turns in one mile, the count your speedometer is calibrated to.

What rims fit 165/70R12 tires?

A tire fits a range of rim widths. Too narrow or too wide and the sidewall changes shape.

Minimum
4.5″
Ideal
5″
Maximum
6″

The rim diameter is fixed at 12″; only the width can change. Rims are usually 70–90% as wide as the tire’s 6.5″ section width.

Fitted from the factory on rims: 12x4.5, 12x5.

Some factory fitments sit outside that range: 12x4. Check the rim width approved for your car before you buy.

Cars that use 165/70R12

Fitted from the factory on at least one trim. Models with the most trims and years in this size come first.

165/70R12 — what does it mean?

ParameterMeaning
165The first number is the section width — 165 mm, or about 6.5 inches across the widest part of the tire.
70The second number is the aspect ratio: sidewall height as a percentage of width. At 70%, the sidewall is about 116 mm tall.
R12R means radial construction, which nearly all modern tires use. The number is the rim diameter in inches — this tire fits a 12-inch wheel.