Tyrereviews asked me to post a review about these tyres at the end of the life. I still have the original 16 wheels with these tyres and they are still good even if they are old. I just don't used them that often because 17 OEM wheels are wider and looking much better. AD09 on 17 wheels seems wierd and not as agile as S02 even if they are very safe ,even in colder weather.
225/50 R16 Tyres
Everything we know about the 225/50 R16 tyre size: 111 owner reviews covering 1,279,965 miles of driving, and EU label data for the tyres you can actually buy in it.
- 111owner reviews
- 1,279,965 milescovered on them
- 295tyres made in this size
The quick answer
| Season | Owners' pick | Owner rating | Latest test winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Bridgestone Potenza s02 8 Current version: Bridgestone Potenza S04 Pole Position | 84% from 5 reviews | - |
Owner picks are the highest weighted owner score in 225/50 R16; test winners come from the most recent independent test conducted in this size. The full evidence is below.
The best rated 225/50 R16 tyres
Rated only by drivers running this size. Each tyre needs at least 3 reviews in 225/50 R16 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 225/50 R16 is the Bridgestone Potenza s02 - 84% from 5 owner reviews in this size. The current tyre in that line is now the Bridgestone Potenza S04 Pole Position.
| # | Tyre | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed | TR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Bridgestone Potenza s02
Replaced by Bridgestone Potenza S04 Pole Position
|
84% | 5 | 118,100 miles | 8 |
| 2 |
Federal Evoluzion ST 1
|
83% | 3 | 35,200 miles | 7.2 |
| 3 |
Continental Premium Contact 2
Replaced by Continental PremiumContact 7
|
81% | 3 | 168,000 miles | 7.5 |
| 4 |
Falken FK452
Replaced by Falken Azenis FK520
|
69% | 3 | 19,000 miles | 7.8 |
| 5 |
Uniroyal RainSport 3
Replaced by Uniroyal RainSport 5
|
66% | 3 | 12,900 miles | 7.7 |
Want test data as well as owner opinion? Best Summer Tyres →
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.
225/50 R16 EU tyre label data
EU label values are declared for each individual size, so the figures here are exact for 225/50 R16 rather than a range across a model. 141 tyres carry label data in this size. The most common load index is 92 (up to 630 kg per tyre). Speed ratings on offer: (Y) (301 km/h), Y (300 km/h), W (270 km/h), V (240 km/h), H (210 km/h), Q (160 km/h). 14 tyres in this size carry the 3PMSF severe snow marking.
A Best wet grip
31 tyres in this size hold the top EU wet grip rating, class A. The highest scoring on Tyre Reviews:
- Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Summer 9.4
- Falken ZIEX ZE320 Summer 9.4
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Summer 9.3
- Continental Premium Contact 6 Summer 9.1
- Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 Summer 9
- Nokian WetProof Summer 8.9
B Lowest rolling resistance
The most fuel efficient choice: 17 tyres in this size reach rolling resistance class B. The highest scoring on Tyre Reviews:
- Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 Summer 9
- Continental UltraContact Summer 8.5
- Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance Summer 8.3
- Nexen N Fera Primus Summer 8.2
- Landsail RapidDragon Summer 7.9
- Nexen N Blue HD Plus Summer 7.6
67dB Quietest tyres
The quietest 225/50 R16 tyres are labelled at 67 dB external noise:
- Falken ZIEX ZE320 Summer 9.4
- Nokian WetProof Summer 8.9
- Dunlop Blue Response TG Summer 8.5
- Kleber Dynaxer HP4 Summer 8.2
- Yokohama Advan Fleva V701 Summer 8
- Federal Formoza FD2 Summer 6.5
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 225/50 R16 mean?
A 225/50 R16 tyre is 225 mm wide, its sidewall is 50% of that width (113 mm) tall, and it fits a 16 inch wheel. That gives an overall diameter of roughly 631 mm.
| Section width | 225 mm |
|---|---|
| Sidewall height | 113 mm |
| Rim diameter | 16" (406 mm) |
| Overall diameter | ≈ 631 mm |
| Circumference | ≈ 1,984 mm |
| Revolutions per km | ≈ 504 |
| Revolutions per mile | ≈ 811 |
Also written as
225/50R16 225/50 ZR16 225-50-16 225 50 16
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 225/50 R16 tyres?
The cars most often running this size in our owner reviews. Each links to the best rated tyres for that exact car.
Honda S2000
11 reviews in this size
BMW 320D
6 reviews in this size
Honda Civic 1.4 100PS FK1
4 reviews in this size
Nissan 300ZX
4 reviews in this size
BMW Z3 roadster
4 reviews in this size
BMW 3 series
3 reviews in this size
Mercedes Benz SLK 230
3 reviews in this size
Toyota MK2 MR2 Turbo
2 reviews in this size
Mercedes Benz C230k
2 reviews in this size
Nissan 200sx
2 reviews in this size
Every tyre reviewed in 225/50 R16
The complete record, including discontinued tyres and tyres with too few reviews to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. A further 64 tyres have a single review each; they count toward the totals but are not listed.
| Tyre | Season | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgestone Potenza s02 Replaced by Bridgestone Potenza S04 Pole Position | Summer | 84% | 5 | 118,100 miles |
| Federal Evoluzion ST 1 | Summer | 83% | 3 | 35,200 miles |
| Continental Premium Contact 2 Replaced by Continental PremiumContact 7 | Summer | 81% | 3 | 168,000 miles |
| Falken FK452 Replaced by Falken Azenis FK520 | Summer | 69% | 3 | 19,000 miles |
| Uniroyal RainSport 3 Replaced by Uniroyal RainSport 5 | Summer | 66% | 3 | 12,900 miles |
| Nokian zLine Replaced by Nokian Powerproof 1 | Summer | 99% | 2 | 21,000 miles |
| Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3 Replaced by Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 | Summer | 94% | 2 | 3,600 miles |
| Toyo T1R Replaced by Toyo Proxes T1 Sport+ | Summer | 94% | 2 | 12,524 miles |
| Bridgestone Adrenalin RE002 Replaced by Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE005 | Summer | 90% | 2 | 1,000 miles |
| Avon ZV5 Replaced by Avon ZV7 | Summer | 89% | 2 | 9,700 miles |
| Nankang Noble Sport NS20 | Summer | 85% | 2 | 33,500 miles |
| Yokohama Advan Sport V105 Replaced by Yokohama Advan Sport V107 | Summer | 84% | 2 | 12,000 miles |
| Avon ZZ3 Replaced by Avon ZZ5 | Summer | 84% | 2 | 62 miles |
| Maxxis Premitra All Season AP3 | All Season | 83% | 2 | 6,500 miles |
| Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 | All Season | 77% | 2 | 55,000 miles |
| Barum Bravuris 2 Replaced by Barum Bravuris 3 | Summer | 77% | 2 | 1,000 miles |
| Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 | All Season | 64% | 2 | 22,000 miles |
| Accelera Alpha | Summer | 61% | 2 | 3,000 miles |
| Pirelli P6000 | Summer | 53% | 2 | 20,000 miles |
| Goodyear EfficientGrip Replaced by Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 | Summer | 52% | 2 | 49,000 miles |
Reviews only cover part of the market: 295 tyres are made in 225/50 R16. Browse every 225/50 R16 tyre →
What drivers say about their 225/50 R16 tyres
The most recent owner reviews fitted in this size, in their own words.
I had a track day comparing these with Ad09 and Potenza Race. They weren't new but looking like new. On S2000 they are slow, no feeling in the steering wheel. A lot of undestee ring when the pressure increase. Didn't like them on this car
These tires cost half as much as premium brands without lagging significantly in performance on both dry and wet roads. Good braking and grip—while not a sports tire, it is completely predictable at the limit. Trouble-free in daily use, with excellent longevity even on poor road surfaces. In fact, I had to drive about 500 meters with a flat rear tire, but after being repaired, it went right back to normal. I should emphasize that they take a fair amount of mileage to break in and reach peak performance.
Put a sript on my vt commodore s pac. extermely hard ride even with the pressures dropped right down. Had them checked at Bridgestone for balance and out of roundness. All came back good.You feel every imperfection on the road and get a vibrating feeling through the car. Not a wheel wobble .Road noise isincredible. Have had the complete car checked from transmission to tail shafts to brakes replaced but the problem still persists. Changed wheels from my other vt and problem gone. I run Bridgestones on my other 4 vehicles and never had an issue. These tyres just dont seem to marry with the car. Had the car since new and only has 13500klm on the speedo. I would never buy these again or recommend them.
I have been driving the tires on my e36 tracktool for around 12,000km including 8 track days, 10 leisurely laps of the Nordschleife and I have to say that my expectations were absolutely met. I deliberately chose these tires and not direzzas/a052/ar1 because I drove the vehicle to the race track under its own power. Tires are only suitable for rain to a limited extent but in contrast to the alternatives mentioned above they are certainly the best.
The limit is announced nicely, but the tires make you aware of it too early. The transition to the loss of grip is smooth and predictable. However, they are quite sensitive if they exceed their operating temperature.
Pace is below the usual, full-fledged semi-slicks but above a ps4s or ns2r.
Durability is great, I think you could still drive about 7k km in mixed use with it.
The limit is announced nicely, but the tires make you aware of it too early. The transition to the loss of grip is smooth and predictable. However, they are quite sensitive if they exceed their operating temperature.
Pace is below the usual, full-fledged semi-slicks but above a ps4s or ns2r.
Durability is great, I think you could still drive about 7k km in mixed use with it.
All is well until it rains and then I loose the back end of my Honda S2000 on a roundabout at 25mph. I wasn't even pushing it and it sacred me to death. It then did it again in the same trip. Not heavy rain. I've immediately replaced them for a much better rated tyre.
My previous tyres were Federal Evoluzion ST-1 which were excellent sporty tyres at a discount price. Unfortunately, the same tyres were not in stock and the only tyres at the same price point (almost 50% lower than premium brands) were the Nankangs. From previous reviews, these tyres seemed to have improve their overall performance in recent years, and thus, I decided to take the risk and try them. After 5K km, I realize that these tyres are excellent everyday tyres with good dry and wet breaking, above average wet performance and top comfort. But when it comes to sporty performance, these tyres have not enough stiff sidewall (even the extra load XL version I have) for hard cornering. Especially in my civic's stock setup, oversteer happens easily when cornering at high speeds which requires above average experience in handling. After testing different tyre pressures trying to fix this problem, I think that with 40 psi in front and 36 psi in back tyres, handling is much better and oversteer seems to be more fun than problem. In general, these Nankangs are 80% everyday - 20% sporty tyres, focusing more on everyday comfort and safety and less on sporty performance.
My used 2003 clk came with 17" wheels and 40 profile old tyres. I put kormoran new tyres on 16" assymetric mercedes wheels 205/55/16 and 225/50/16. For my relaxed driving style it's a 10 rating for me and combined with the good price it's a good deal all four 280 euro today 27/1/24. The comfort is night and day, very good, compared with the previous set up. I did national road and mountain road driving. On a dirt wash in a turn didn't slip. I drove 200km to the destination and gave the car to the co driver to return. Good in both hands. I put those just to see if a like the rims but it was a good surprise.
Drive on 225/50 R16 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.