Best 205/55R16 tires

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

Top pick in 205/55R16

Michelin Primacy 5 Energy

488 owner reviews

Check price on Amazon · 205/55R16 Read the review

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Compare two 205/55R16 tires side by side

Every rated 205/55R16 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 205/55R16 all-season tires

190

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

Best 205/55R16 summer tires

299

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

Best 205/55R16 winter tires

196

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

Best 205/55R16 all-weather tires

More 205/55R16 tires, season not listed

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

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205/55R16 in inches

Overall diameter	24.9″
Section width	8.1″
Rim diameter	16″
Sidewall height	113 mm
Circumference	78.2″
Revolutions per mile	810.7

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

What rims fit 205/55R16 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: 16x5.5, 16x6, 16x6.5, 16x7, 16x7.5.

Some factory fitments sit outside that range: 16x8, 16x9. Check the rim width approved for your car before you buy.

Cars that use 205/55R16

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

Audi A31996–2027

Volkswagen Golf1997–2027

Audi A41994–2009

BMW 3 Series1998–2013

Toyota Corolla2001–2026

Skoda Octavia1996–2022

Renault Megane2002–2025

BMW 1 Series2004–2024

Seat Leon1999–2026

Opel Astra2004–2027

Peugeot 3082007–2026

Volkswagen Golf Variant1999–2027

700 more models use this size. Find your vehicle

Sizes often compared with 205/55R16

Close alternatives — each opens in the tire size calculator.

205/55R16 — 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.
55	The second number is the aspect ratio: sidewall height as a percentage of width. At 55%, the sidewall is about 113 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.