Car tyres

How do I choose a car tyre? Thanks to Pirelli’s extensive catalogue it is possible to choose a car tyre depending on your personal requirements. The first choice is usually made based on the season you intend to use it and for this reason Pirelli offers tyres for every season: summer, winter and all season.

Car tyres: size

When choosing a car tyre, it is important to pay attention to the right size. It is possible to check the correct tyre size both in your car’s vehicle registration document and on the tyre sidewall, where it is shown by a series of letters and numbers.

• How do I read the size of a tyre? Let’s use the following series of numbers and letters “275/30 R19” as an example:the first three-digit number (275) indicates the width of the tyre. This figure is expressed in millimetres and is the measurement from side to side at the tyre’s widest point. In this example, the tyre is 275 mm wide.
• The two-digit number in the middle (30) shows the height/width ratio of the tyre expressed as a percentage. In the example, the number 30 refers to 30% of 275 mm.
• The letter R and the respective number next to it indicate the radial construction of the tyre and the diameter of the wheel expressed in inches, 19 inches in the example.

Car tyres: car type

Once you have identified the right tyre size, your next choice relates to the type of car you own.

Do you need tyres for an SUV or an off-road vehicle? If so, we recommend choosing long-lasting tyres, recognised for their performance in terms of traction and reliability. Most modern SUVs are mainly suited for road driving with occasional spells on light terrain. However, to get the best out of the off-road potential of a 4x4, it is worth investing in.

If you are looking for tyres for an electric or hybrid car we recommend tyres for electric cars designed to dissipate less energy, thanks to their low rolling resistance.

Lastly, car tyres are also categorised according to their performance, as in the case of sports tyres, for example, or in terms of their efficiency, such as fuel saving tyres.

Car tyres: type of terrain

Another factor that influences the choice of car tyres is that of the type of terrain on which you want to drive your vehicle. For this search criteria, Pirelli offers tyres for different objectives. The most popular are tyres to support all surfaces, known as all terrain tyres, but for those who need to drive on even more demanding surfaces, mud tyres are the ideal choice.