205/45R16 tire size

A 205/45R16 tire is 23.26 inches (590.9 mm) tall, 8.07 in (205 mm) wide and fits a 16-inch wheel. In inch notation it is roughly a 23.3x8.1R16.

205/45R16 dimensions
Overall diameter	23.26 in	590.9 mm
Section width	8.07 in	205 mm
Sidewall height	3.63 in	92.3 mm
Circumference	73.09 in	1,856 mm
Revolutions	866.9 per mile	538.7 per km
Rim diameter	16 in	406.4 mm

Compare 205/45R16 with another size

Current size

New size

Speed in mphkm/h

Overall diameter difference

+0.08%

60 mph on the speedometer = 60.1 mph actual

Within the ±3 % diameter range most tire fitters accept.

Ground clearance: +0.3 mm (+0.01 in)
Revolutions: 867 → 866 per mile

205/45R16 185/50R16

Side-by-side dimensions

	Current	New	Difference	%
Diameter	23.26 in	23.28 in	+0.02 in	+0.08%
Diameter	590.9 mm	591.4 mm	+0.5 mm	+0.08%
Width	8.07 in	7.28 in	−0.79 in	−9.76%
Width	205.0 mm	185.0 mm	−20.0 mm	−9.76%
Sidewall	3.63 in	3.64 in	+0.01 in	+0.27%
Sidewall	92.3 mm	92.5 mm	+0.3 mm	+0.27%
Circumference	73.09 in	73.15 in	+0.06 in	+0.08%
Revs per mile	866.9	866.2	−0.7	−0.08%

Speedometer error

Speedometer shows	Actual speed	Difference
20 mph	20.0 mph	0.0 mph
30 mph	30.0 mph	0.0 mph
40 mph	40.0 mph	0.0 mph
50 mph	50.0 mph	0.0 mph
60 mph	60.1 mph	+0.1 mph
70 mph	70.1 mph	+0.1 mph
80 mph	80.1 mph	+0.1 mph

Alternative sizes on the same 16-inch wheel

Sizes in use within ±3 % of the overall diameter of 205/45R16:

Plus and minus sizes for 205/45R16

Size	Wheel	Diameter	Difference
195/60R14	Minus 2 (14 in)	23.21 in	−0.22%
185/65R14	Minus 2 (14 in)	23.47 in	+0.88%
175/65R14	Minus 2 (14 in)	22.96 in	−1.32%
175/70R14	Minus 2 (14 in)	23.65 in	+1.64%
175/60R15	Minus 1 (15 in)	23.27 in	+0.02%
195/55R15	Minus 1 (15 in)	23.44 in	+0.78%
205/50R15	Minus 1 (15 in)	23.07 in	−0.83%
215/50R15	Minus 1 (15 in)	23.46 in	+0.86%
225/35R17	Plus 1 (17 in)	23.20 in	−0.27%
195/40R17	Plus 1 (17 in)	23.14 in	−0.52%
205/40R17	Plus 1 (17 in)	23.46 in	+0.83%
185/45R17	Plus 1 (17 in)	23.56 in	+1.25%
215/35R18	Plus 2 (18 in)	23.93 in	+2.84%

Vehicles approved with 205/45R16 tires

Models whose Swiss type approval lists 205/45R16 as a standard or optional size (645 approvals in total). Always check your own vehicle's placard or papers.

Source: Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO/ASTRA), open government data. Original data (downloaded 2026-09-29). Data processed by us; errors in processing are ours, not the publisher's.

Nearby 16-inch sizes

Reading the 205/45R16 size

205 — section width in millimetres (8.07 in).
45 — aspect ratio: the sidewall is 45 % of the width, 92.3 mm.
R — radial construction (ZR on the sidewall means a high-speed rated radial; the dimensions are the same).
16 — fits a 16-inch diameter wheel.

The load index and speed rating (for example 91V) follow the size on the sidewall. They must meet at least the values on your vehicle's tire placard.