Best 205/50R16 tires

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

Top pick in 205/50R16

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

6,510 owner reviews · 23 tests

Check price on Amazon · 205/50R16 Read the review

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Compare two 205/50R16 tires side by side

Every rated 205/50R16 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.

Rank by

Best 205/50R16 all-season tires

45 more rated tires in this size are listed on their brand pages.

Best 205/50R16 summer tires

150

138 more rated tires in this size are listed on their brand pages.

Best 205/50R16 winter tires

23 more rated tires in this size are listed on their brand pages.

More 205/50R16 tires, season not listed

iLink L-Zeal 56
759 owner reviews
61 Check price on Amazon · 205/50R16
iLink Thunder U09
445 owner reviews
52 Check price on Amazon · 205/50R16
iLink L-Grip 55
894 owner reviews
47 Check price on Amazon · 205/50R16

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205/50R16 in inches

Overall diameter	24.1″
Section width	8.1″
Rim diameter	16″
Sidewall height	103 mm
Circumference	75.6″
Revolutions per mile	837.9

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

Compare 205/50R16 with another size in the tire size calculator

What rims fit 205/50R16 tires?

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

Minimum

5.5″

Ideal

6.5″

Maximum

7.5″

The rim diameter is fixed at 16″; only the width can change. Rims are usually 70–90% as wide as the tire’s 8.1″ section width.

Fitted from the factory on rims: 16x6, 16x6.5, 16x7.

Some factory fitments sit outside that range: 16x8. Check the rim width approved for your car before you buy.

Changing wheels too? The wheel offset and backspacing calculator shows how far a new wheel width and offset move the tire toward the suspension and the fender.

Cars that use 205/50R16

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

Opel Astra1998–2005

Subaru Legacy1991–2003

Citroën Xsara1997–2006

Saab 90001984–1998

MG 32011–2026

Subaru Impreza1993–2007

Opel Corsa2006–2026

232 more models use this size. Find your vehicle

Sizes often compared with 205/50R16

Close alternatives — each opens in the tire size calculator.

205/50R16 — what does it mean?

Parameter	Meaning
205	The first number is the section width — 205 mm, or about 8.1 inches across the widest part of the tire.
50	The second number is the aspect ratio: sidewall height as a percentage of width. At 50%, the sidewall is about 103 mm tall.
R16	R means radial construction, which nearly all modern tires use. The number is the rim diameter in inches — this tire fits a 16-inch wheel.