What Are Tire Speed Ratings?

If you’ve been a licensed driver for a couple years, you’ve likely experienced many things involving the tires on your vehicle, or any vehicles in the Avon, Plainfield, and Indianapolis areas. At this point, you may have experienced a flat, you’ve probably replaced some tires, and more than likely you understand the importance of your tires. But do you know what the speed rating is?

If you don’t, you’re not alone. A tire’s speed rating is one of those things that many people don’t know off the top of their head, similar to tire size and the tire pressure to which their tires need to be inflated. However, at Andy Mohr Kia, we want to help you become a tire aficionado, so we’ve drawn up a helpful guide about your tires’ speed rating.

Tire Shop Order Tires

What Is the Speed Rating? 

A speed rating is exactly what it sounds like, the maximum speed a tire can go before it has the potential to fail or not perform as it’s supposed to. When traveling with ideal road conditions, it’s not recommended that you travel the maximum speed allowed by your tires as it will be well above the legal limits, but should you do so, your tires will continue to perform in the manner to which they are expected.

The speed rating is determined by the manufacturer as a result of testing and research. Researchers run the tires at certain speeds and carrying different loads to figure out how safe your tires are at those speeds. However, these numbers are not an exact science. Researchers’ simulations can only calculate what the tires will do in ideal conditions.

Popular Speed Ratings

In most tires, there are several speed ratings that you’ll see more often than others. These are some of the most common speed ratings for tires:

• M and N – The maximum speeds for these two ratings are 81 and 87 MPH, respectively. This is typical of your average spare tire.
• Q – The max speed for this type of tire is about 99 miles per hour and these are usually the standard winter tires for a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
• R – These tires are usually found on a heavy-duty truck and their maximum allowable speed is 106 MPH.
• S and T – Each of these tires are most commonly found on family vehicles like sedans and minivans and the max recommended speed is 112 and 118 MPH.
• U – With this speed rating, your sedan or coupe can reach maximum speeds of 124 miles per hour.
• H – Typically found on sports sedans, this speed rating allows for a max speed of 130 MPH.
• V and Z – If you take a look at your typical sports car, you’ll likely find either one of these ratings which allots 149+ miles for your maximum speed.
• W, Y, and (Y) – Only found on your exotic models, these tires are built for speeds from 168 miles per hour to 186+.

Your Tire Maintenance Needs 

In order to perform to their speed rating, your tires need to be in great condition and in order to maintain said condition, you’ll need to keep up with tire maintenance. Basic tire maintenance includes routine checks of the tire pressure (which many new cars will track for you), and inflating them when they get too low. How long do tires last? This depends on the particular tire you have, so be sure to keep up with preventive maintenance to prolong your vehicle’s life.

Tires also require routine balancing, rotations, and alignment to keep things running smoothly. At our on-site service center, we have a team of highly trained and certified professionals who are available to perform all your routine tire maintenance, as well as additional routine service your vehicle may require such as oil changes, fluid checks, and more.

Schedule Your Maintenance Today

Manufacturers recommend tire rotation every 7,500 miles or whenever you change the oil. If your car is getting close to that number, then it’s time to schedule your service. In the Avon, Indianapolis, and Plainfield areas, we want your tires to perform the way they should at all times, so come see us at Andy Mohr Kia. We offer convenient online scheduling for busy professionals, so schedule from the comfort of your own home.