205/45R16 in inches

A 205/45R16 tire is 23.3″ tall and 8.1″ wide, and fits a 16″ wheel. In inches it is written 23.3×8.1R16.

Diameter23.26″

Width8.07″

Sidewall3.63″

Drawn to scale. Nominal dimensions calculated from the size code.

Manufacturer data

How tall 205/45R16 tires really are

Heights published by BFGoodrich, General and Toyo for all 5 tires in this size. Their published revolutions per mile work out to 22.5–22.6″ under load (below).

Real 205/45R16 tires measure 23.23–23.30″, against 23.26″ from the size code. Most run shorter than the size code (4 of 5).

Height under load22.5–22.6″

Published revs per mile (893–895) mean the tire rolls like a 22.5–22.6″ tire on the vehicle. Use this for speedometer calibration.

Weight spread17.6–23.0 lb

The lightest (Toyo Extensa HP II, XL) is 5.4 lb lighter per corner than the heaviest (BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS, XL).

5 tires in 205/45R16

Sort by the spec you care about.

	Load					Revs/mi	Source
Toyo Extensa HP IIPerformance	XL · 87V	23.23	17.6	9.1	1,201	894	Spec page
General G-MAX AS07Performance	XL · 83W	23.30	18.6	10.0	1,074	893	Spec page
Toyo Proxes R1RPerformance	SL · 83W	23.24	18.9	8.2	1,074	894	Spec page
Toyo Proxes R888RPerformance	XL · 87W	23.23	20.5	6.3	1,201	894	Spec page
BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUSPerformance	XL · 87W	23.23	23.0	9.0	1,201	895	Spec page

Is 205/45R16 a 23-inch tire?

≈23″

Yes. The size code works out to 23.26″, and the 5 tires here publish 23.23–23.30″, so people call it a 23.

Compare with nearby sizes

Differences in overall diameter, calculated from each size code.

Size	Diameter ″	vs 205/45R16	Difference
195/45R16	22.91	-0.35″	-1.5%
185/55R15	23.01	-0.25″	-1.1%
205/50R15	23.07	-0.19″	-0.8%
195/55R15	23.44	+0.18″	+0.8%
205/40R17	23.46	+0.19″	+0.8%
215/45R16	23.62	+0.35″	+1.5%
195/50R16	23.68	+0.41″	+1.8%
225/45R16	23.97	+0.71″	+3.0%
185/55R16	24.01	+0.75″	+3.2%
205/50R16	24.07	+0.81″	+3.5%

How to read 205/45R16

How to read any tire size

How 205/45R16 87W is printed on the sidewall. It's the most common code among the 5 tires here (2 of them); tires in this size come in other load and speed ratings too.

1205Section width

205 mm across the widest point, or 8.07 inches. Every 205 size

245Aspect ratio

A percentage, not a measurement: the sidewall is 45% as tall as the tire is wide, which is 92.3 mm or 3.63 inches.

3RConstruction

Radial construction.

416Wheel diameter

Mounts on a 16-inch wheel. Approved wheel widths run 6.5″ to 7.5″.

587Load index

Each tire carries up to 1,201 lb (545 kg) at its maximum pressure.

6WSpeed rating

Rated for up to 168 mph sustained.

XLExtra load

Printed after the size. In this size the XL tires carry up to 1,201 lb each and the standard-load tires up to 1,074 lb, as published.

Specification	Inches	Metric
Overall diameter	23.26	591 mm
Section width	8.07	205 mm
Sidewall height	3.63	92.3 mm
Circumference	73.1	1,856 mm
Revolutions per mile (calculated, unloaded)	866.9	539 per km
Revolutions per mile (published by manufacturers)	893–895	555–556 per km
Approved wheel width	6.5–7.5	165–191 mm

Speedometer error after switching to 205/45R16

Your actual speed– mph

Questions about 205/45R16

What is 205/45R16 in inches?

23.26 inches tall, 8.07 inches wide, on a 16-inch wheel. Written in inches, that is roughly 23.3×8.1R16.

How much does a 205/45R16 tire weigh?

Between 17.6 lb and 23.0 lb for the 5 tires listed here. The lightest is the Toyo Extensa HP II (XL); the heaviest is the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS (XL).

What wheel width do I need for 205/45R16?

Manufacturers approve 6.5–7.5″ wide wheels for this size.

How many revolutions per mile does a 205/45R16 make?

Published figures run 893–895 revolutions per mile. The calculated figure is 866.9, but manufacturers measure the tire under load, where it rolls on a smaller radius.

How much taller is 205/45R16 than 195/45R16?

0.35 inches taller on paper (23.26″ vs 22.91″), which raises the axle about 0.18″. Your speedometer will read about 1.5% slow.