Those are good tyres. They don’t excell but perform as an average driver can expect in cities and highways at average speeds from 90 to 130 km/h. They are quite durable and resist to rough terrain without any problem.
205/70 R15 Tyres
Everything we know about the 205/70 R15 tyre size: 1 independent tyre tests conducted in this exact size, 66 owner reviews covering 1,371,671 miles of driving, and EU label data for the tyres you can actually buy in it.
- 66owner reviews
- 1,371,671 milescovered on them
- 1tests in this size
- 432tyres made in this size
The quick answer
| Season | Owners' pick | Owner rating | Latest test winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Westlake Radial RP18 6.9 | 84% from 4 reviews | Pirelli Cinturato HS CN12 2024 Classic Car Tyre Test |
| All Season | Michelin Latitude Cross 8.4 | 97% from 3 reviews | - |
Owner picks are the highest weighted owner score in 205/70 R15; test winners come from the most recent independent test conducted in this size. The full evidence is below.
Independent tyre tests in 205/70 R15
Tyres behave differently as sizes change, so a test conducted in your exact size is the strongest evidence there is. Every test below was run in 205/70 R15 - 1 in total, newest first.
Summer tyre tests
| Year | Test | Winner | Tyres tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2024 Classic Car Tyre Test | Pirelli Cinturato HS CN12 | 7 |
The best rated 205/70 R15 tyres
Rated only by drivers running this size. Each tyre needs at least 3 reviews in 205/70 R15 to be ranked; the order weights a tyre's score by how many reviews back it, so one glowing review cannot top a table.
Summer tyres
The highest rated Summer tyre in 205/70 R15 is the Westlake Radial RP18 - 84% from 4 owner reviews in this size.
| # | Tyre | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed | TR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Westlake Radial RP18
|
84% | 4 | 35,067 miles | 6.9 |
Want test data as well as owner opinion? Best Summer Tyres →
All Season tyres
The highest rated All Season tyre in 205/70 R15 is the Michelin Latitude Cross - 97% from 3 owner reviews in this size.
| # | Tyre | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed | TR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Michelin Latitude Cross
|
97% | 3 | 7,200 miles | 8.4 |
Want test data as well as owner opinion? Best All Season Tyres → Test winner: Goodyear Vector All Season 4
TR Score is the tyre's overall Tyre Reviews rating out of 10, built from independent test results and every owner review of that tyre - not just the reviews from this car. The owner rating column is this car only.
205/70 R15 EU tyre label data
EU label values are declared for each individual size, so the figures here are exact for 205/70 R15 rather than a range across a model. 275 tyres carry label data in this size. The most common load index is 96 (up to 710 kg per tyre). Speed ratings on offer: W (270 km/h), H (210 km/h), T (190 km/h), S (180 km/h), R (170 km/h), Q (160 km/h). 129 tyres in this size carry the 3PMSF severe snow marking.
A Best wet grip
26 tyres in this size hold the top EU wet grip rating, class A. The highest scoring on Tyre Reviews:
- Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 Winter 8.9
- Continental VanContact 4Season All Season 8.7
- Michelin Agilis CrossClimate All Season 8.5
- Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 Summer 7.6
- General Grabber GT Plus Summer 7.3
- Uniroyal RainExpert 5 Summer 7.2
B Lowest rolling resistance
The most fuel efficient choice: 12 tyres in this size reach rolling resistance class B. The highest scoring on Tyre Reviews:
- Nexen N Blue S Summer 8.1
- Hankook Kinergy Eco 2 Summer 7.6
- Nexen N Blue HD Plus Summer 7.6
- Continental VanContact AS Ultra All Season
- Michelin AGILIS 3 Summer
- Pace PC20 Summer
68dB Quietest tyres
The quietest 205/70 R15 tyres are labelled at 68 dB external noise:
- Nokian WR Snowproof Winter 8.8
- Vredestein Quatrac 5 All Season 8.4
- Kormoran Suv Summer Summer 8.4
- Firestone RoadHawk Summer 8
- Nexen N Blue HD Plus Summer 7.6
- Nokian Nordman SX2 Summer 7.3
Label values come from the EU EPREL database and apply to the EU market versions of each tyre. Wet grip and rolling resistance run from class A (best) to E; noise is the measured drive-by figure. A good label is a floor, not a verdict - the tests and owner ratings above tell you far more.
What does 205/70 R15 mean?
A 205/70 R15 tyre is 205 mm wide, its sidewall is 70% of that width (144 mm) tall, and it fits a 15 inch wheel. That gives an overall diameter of roughly 668 mm.
| Section width | 205 mm |
|---|---|
| Sidewall height | 144 mm |
| Rim diameter | 15" (381 mm) |
| Overall diameter | ≈ 668 mm |
| Circumference | ≈ 2,099 mm |
| Revolutions per km | ≈ 477 |
| Revolutions per mile | ≈ 767 |
Also written as
205/70R15 205/70 ZR15 205-70-15 205 70 15
Figures are calculated from the nominal size. A loaded, rolling tyre runs a few percent smaller, and true widths vary slightly between makes.
What cars use 205/70 R15 tyres?
The cars most often running this size in our owner reviews. Each links to the best rated tyres for that exact car.
Suzuki Jimny
18 reviews in this size
Honda CRV
16 reviews in this size
Subaru 04 WRX
2 reviews in this size
Toyota Corolla
2 reviews in this size
Honda 2009 CRV
2 reviews in this size
Jaguar 1973 XJ 12 with limited slip RWD
2 reviews in this size
Subaru Forester
2 reviews in this size
Subaru Legacy
2 reviews in this size
Honda HRV
1 reviews in this size
Honda Accord
1 reviews in this size
Every tyre reviewed in 205/70 R15
The complete record, including discontinued tyres and tyres with too few reviews to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. A further 47 tyres have a single review each; they count toward the totals but are not listed.
| Tyre | Season | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westlake Radial RP18 | Summer | 84% | 4 | 35,067 miles |
| Michelin Latitude Cross | All Season | 97% | 3 | 7,200 miles |
| General Grabber UHP | Summer | 97% | 2 | 26,000 miles |
| Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 SUV Replaced by Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV | Winter | 93% | 2 | 50,000 miles |
| Barum Polaris3 4x4 | Winter | 84% | 2 | 36,000 miles |
| Yokohama Geolandar AT S | All Season | 81% | 2 | 90,020 miles |
| Wanli S1023 | Summer | 70% | 2 | 26,000 miles |
| Kumho Road Venture 798 | All Season | 63% | 2 | 53,000 miles |
Reviews only cover part of the market: 432 tyres are made in 205/70 R15. Browse every 205/70 R15 tyre →
What drivers say about their 205/70 R15 tyres
The most recent owner reviews fitted in this size, in their own words.
Had them on my Suzuki Jimny with 75% on road and 25% off road driving. On road was quiet, comfortabele and predictable with great snow performance.
Off road it felt stable with good grip on sand but lacked mud performance compared to KO2's. Sidewalls always felt fragile when driving over tree stumps
Off road it felt stable with good grip on sand but lacked mud performance compared to KO2's. Sidewalls always felt fragile when driving over tree stumps
It's very noisy, and the tread pattern isn't symmetrical when examined on the left and right tires, making it unreliable for braking. There's a high probability of pulling to one side.
Absolutely awful tires. They were fitted as the two rear tires on my car when I first got it and are the first thing I am replacing for sure. Dry conditions are okay as long as there is no gravel or sand under your wheels whatsoever, Wet conditions however, I can honestly say I have been lucky that nothing serious has happened. Barely any grip, I have to taking off super gradually in first or else my tires just spin. Barely any grip for breaking, I have slid multiple times when going around corners even whilst going slow and consistent in second gear. This is a deal breaker for sure. Would not recommend any day.
I am old enough to have driven on these tyres when they were the supercar tyre of choice back in the 70’s! Clearly although looking the same they have been upgraded with modern technology as they are grippier and more precise than the originals. They do sacrifice a little grip to a modern tyre but as compensation they seem to give more feedback and a more progressive breakaway then is now customary. On a powerful classic car that is a good thing. Just like the originals they emit a slight whine that increases in pitch with speed - I don’t find this annoying, it adds to their authentic classic character. On wet and slippery roads they are remarkably effective with strong grip, excellent feedback and smooth breakaway. If you like driving your classic car fast you will enjoy these tyres. Happily they
ride softly and quietly over bumps and best of all they have worn extremely slowly on a powerful car driven with enthusiasm. Yes they are expensive, but I really feel they offer good value for money and they look right too.
ride softly and quietly over bumps and best of all they have worn extremely slowly on a powerful car driven with enthusiasm. Yes they are expensive, but I really feel they offer good value for money and they look right too.
Great tire when it had rubber only drove 11,000 miles before my front tires got below 2/32 of tread I admit I didn't rotate them at 7,000 but still 11,000 and only 5 months of use is terrible. If you go to there website you will see similar reviews
These came fitted on a used 2005 Subaru Forester 2.0X I purchased a couple of years ago, they were just over a year old when fitted and were still relatively fresh (approx 6K Miles on them). I've not particulary noticed any issues with dry or wet grip, though this is probably more down to my average driving style and the Forester's AWD system. I've taken them on gravel tracks and a couple of pretty muddy forestry tracks and found their performance to be satisfactory. I've also driven them across Europe and Turkey as part of a 3 month road trip and had no issue with them. They are characteristically mundane, if you have have the turbo version of the Forester, I would look at other tyres.
I forgot to rotate my wheels since I've owned the car, but after 2 years and about 40,000 Miles into my ownership, the fronts were worn down to 3mm (rears still had decent tread), which given the mileage and the cross continent road trip I'd been on was quite impressive!
While I still have some life left on the tyres, I'll probably replace them with the All Season Hankook Kinergy 4S² H750 205/70 R15, which are currently £20 cheaper per corner and from what I can tell, perform better in overall UK conditions (including the rare possiblity of snow....).
I forgot to rotate my wheels since I've owned the car, but after 2 years and about 40,000 Miles into my ownership, the fronts were worn down to 3mm (rears still had decent tread), which given the mileage and the cross continent road trip I'd been on was quite impressive!
While I still have some life left on the tyres, I'll probably replace them with the All Season Hankook Kinergy 4S² H750 205/70 R15, which are currently £20 cheaper per corner and from what I can tell, perform better in overall UK conditions (including the rare possiblity of snow....).
I agree with the comment saying that “cheap tyre” is somewhat unfair because this word passes a perception of poor quality product. I’ve driven 20 thousand miles with my westlakes in all kinds of roads and terrain and they are quite good in any aspect, specially wear. They still look like new. Will buy again. Definitely.
Drive on 205/70 R15 tyres?
Review your tyres and help the next driver choose. It takes about five minutes, and every review on this page came from a driver who took them.
Where this data comes from
Owner ratings are submitted through the review form on this site, naming the tyre, the size and the distance covered, and are checked by hand before publication. Test results come from independent published tyre tests indexed by size, and label values from the EU EPREL database.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 using independent test results and the full body of owner reviews, so you can check a car-specific ranking against the wider evidence.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.