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205/70 R16 Tyres

Everything we know about the 205/70 R16 tyre size: 4 owner reviews covering 40,700 miles of driving, and EU label data for the tyres you can actually buy in it.

  • 4owner reviews
  • 40,700 milescovered on them
  • 49tyres made in this size
205/70 R16 To scale, mm
Ø 693 205 144 16" 144

205/70 R16 EU tyre label data

EU label values are declared for each individual size, so the figures here are exact for 205/70 R16 rather than a range across a model. 22 tyres carry label data in this size. The most common load index is 97 (up to 730 kg per tyre). Speed ratings on offer: H (210 km/h), T (190 km/h), Q (160 km/h). 13 tyres in this size carry the 3PMSF severe snow marking.

A Best wet grip

3 tyres in this size hold the top EU wet grip rating, class A. The highest scoring on Tyre Reviews:

B Lowest rolling resistance

The most fuel efficient choice: 4 tyres in this size reach rolling resistance class B. The highest scoring on Tyre Reviews:

67dB Quietest tyres

The quietest 205/70 R16 tyres are labelled at 67 dB external noise:

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 R16 mean?

A 205/70 R16 tyre is 205 mm wide, its sidewall is 70% of that width (144 mm) tall, and it fits a 16 inch wheel. That gives an overall diameter of roughly 693 mm.

205/70 R16 nominal dimensions
Section width205 mm
Sidewall height144 mm
Rim diameter16" (406 mm)
Overall diameter≈ 693 mm
Circumference≈ 2,178 mm
Revolutions per km≈ 459
Revolutions per mile≈ 739

Also written as

205/70R16 205/70 ZR16 205-70-16 205 70 16

Figures are calculated from the nominal size. A loaded, rolling tyre runs a few percent smaller, and true widths vary slightly between makes.

Comparing two sizes? Use the tyre size calculator →

What cars use 205/70 R16 tyres?

The cars most often running this size in our owner reviews. Each links to the best rated tyres for that exact car.

What drivers say about their 205/70 R16 tyres

The most recent owner reviews fitted in this size, in their own words.

72%
Continental Premium Contact 2 205/70 R16 Jaguar 1,700 miles June 10, 2026
The Continental Premium Contact 2 tyres were fitted to the classic (1960) 3.8 ltr Jaguar I bought just five months ago. I've since driven 1700+ miles and although I'm still learning the feel of this car and find the grip really excellent (within normal, UK legal, road use parameters)... these tyres transmit more road noise than any I've ever known (..and I've driven some very powerful cars over the past four decades). I'm sure those with a better trained ear would be able to distinguish exactly what type of road surface was being driven on, and also its state of dry/dam/wetness. The noise transmitted into the car's interior is intrusive above 55-60mph, and it is pretty awful for 70mph driving. Within 50 miles of buying - I was looking to change them, but as they are as new ..that's too big a cost value to scrap. NB. I honestly cannot say how well the grip in the wet because I presently lack the confidence to push the car even to the speed limit when it's wet. I haven't yet worked out whether that's because of the tyres not inspiring confidence, or the car's handling being unfamiliar, or whether the road noise is having a psychological impact on my judgement. Perhaps I'm used to relying on sight, hearing as well as tactile senses to know when a tyre is loosing its grip, and so because of the all around noise level - I'm missing a chunk of that feedback ? I'm driving a powerful car and although she feels sure footed in the dry, overall these tyres just don't work for me. I've ended up driving 10mph slower than in my last classic car, which had just half the bhp. I will remove and sell them, while they still have a young manufacturing date, so as to fund buying tyres where I can hear what the fuck is going on.

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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.

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