How to choose the best tyres for my car

This is the very first criterion to consider when choosing tyres for your car.
As a tyre does not have a standard size, you must first identify the tyre sizes that are compatible with your vehicle before making your choice according to the other criteria that we will explain below.

What do these letters and numbers mean? 

Tyre Width or Section Width : (Example : 255)
Tyre width in millimetres is measured from the widest point of a tyre’s outer sidewall to the widest point of its inner sidewall.

Aspect Ratio : (Example : 55)
Aspect ratio is the relationship between a tyre’s sidewall height and the tyre's width. The lower the ratio, the smaller the sidewall height, which means better cornering but a rougher ride.

Construction : (Example : R)
This indicates the tyre’s internal construction. They can be R (Radial) like most tyres, or D (Diagonal construction) or B (Belted).

Wheel Diameter : (Example : 17)
The number is in inches and indicates the diameter of the wheel on which the tyre is designed to fit.

Load Index : (Example : 72) 
This indicates how much weight the tyre is certified to carry at maximum safe inflation. The numbers refer to a chart that specify the load capacity that the tyre can carry.
For example, 72 = 355 kg.

You can find yours in the load Index chart :

Speed Rating chart : (Example : H)
This indicates the maximum safe speed at which a tyre is certified to carry a load under specified conditions. Speed ratings range from A (lowest) to Y (highest), with one exception: H falls between U and V.
For example, H = 210 km/h.

To find the maximum speed for your tyre, refer to the speed rating chart. Exceeding the lawful speed limit is neither recommended nor endorsed.

What are OE tyres?

OE stands for “Original Equipment”, meaning that the tyres were approved by your vehicle manufacturer to be fitted as standard on your vehicle.
Some vehicle manufacturers, such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes and others, equip their vehicles with tyres that are specifically designed for their brand. These tyres have a special OE marking on the sidewall. In this case, MICHELIN recommends replacing the tyres on your vehicle with tyres with the specific OE marking.

Table of OE markings by vehicle brand:

Once you have the dimensions, there are three other criteria to consider:

• the climatic conditions in which you drive

• your driving style

• the type of vehicle (electric or thermic)
  
  

Climatic conditions :

The other criterion we recommend you take into account when choosing tyres for your car is the weather conditions.

How do I choose tyres for my car according to the climate?

• Opt for summer and winter tyres if you drive in a mountainous region exposed to severe winter conditions (snow, winter, ice) for several months of the year and temperatures below 7°. If your winter conditions are more severe, see our article "How to choose a winter tyre?"

• Opt for all-season tyres if you live in a region with less severe winters with occasional snowfall.
• Opt for summer tyres all year round if you drive in southern European regions with mild winters (temperature over 7°C, no snow).

Your driving style :

To make sure that you enjoy your drive, look for tyres that match the way you like to drive.

The type of vehicle (electric or thermic)

More and more electrically powered vehicles are being introduced to the market. Specific tyres are now offered because they are designed for the particular characteristics of these vehicles. Tyres with low rolling resistance, for example, are suited to maximise battery range. This applies to our MICHELIN e·Primacy and MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV tyres.

Although the MICHELIN e·Primacy is not specifically designed for electric vehicles, it is particularly well suited to them because of its ability to offer low rolling resistance. The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV is more suitable for "sporty" electric vehicles (e.g. Porsche Taycan, Tesla Model Y, etc.)

This tool will help you to choose the best suitable tyres from the main MICHELIN offers available, according to the seasonal criteria mentioned above. 

For example, if you have a family car such as a Renault Scenic and drive in a mountainous region, you will be alternating summer and winter tyres.  
In this case, you can choose MICHELIN Alpin ⁶ for winter and MICHELIN Primacy ⁴ for summer.