60000km out of a set and still have 3.5mm tread on them on a heavy EV SUV.
Great tire.
265/45 R21 Tyres
Everything we know about the 265/45 R21 tyre size: 6 owner reviews covering 111,000 miles of driving, and EU label data for the tyres you can actually buy in it.
- 6owner reviews
- 111,000 milescovered on them
- 173tyres made in this size
265/45 R21 EU tyre label data
EU label values are declared for each individual size, so the figures here are exact for 265/45 R21 rather than a range across a model. 148 tyres carry label data in this size. The most common load index is 108 (up to 1,000 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), T (190 km/h), R (170 km/h), Q (160 km/h). 71 tyres in this size carry the 3PMSF severe snow marking.
A Best wet grip
46 tyres in this size hold the top EU wet grip rating, class A. The highest scoring on Tyre Reviews:
- Continental SportContact 7 Summer 9.7
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 Summer 9.7
- Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2 Winter 9.3
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV Summer 9.3
- Kumho Ecsta Sport PS72 Summer 9.2
- Continental Premium Contact 6 Summer 9.1
A Lowest rolling resistance
The most fuel efficient choice: 23 tyres in this size reach rolling resistance class A. The highest scoring on Tyre Reviews:
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 Summer 9.7
- Continental SportContact 7 Summer 9.7
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV Summer 9.3
- Continental Premium Contact 6 Summer 9.1
- Pirelli Scorpion Summer 9
- Pirelli P Zero Summer 8.8
67dB Quietest tyres
The quietest 265/45 R21 tyres are labelled at 67 dB external noise:
- Pirelli P Zero Summer 8.8
- Hankook iON evo SUV Summer 8.5
- Dunlop Blue Response TG Summer 8.5
- Accelera Iota ST68 Summer 6.6
- Superia Bluewin UHP 3 Winter 3.3
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 265/45 R21 mean?
A 265/45 R21 tyre is 265 mm wide, its sidewall is 45% of that width (119 mm) tall, and it fits a 21 inch wheel. That gives an overall diameter of roughly 772 mm.
| Section width | 265 mm |
|---|---|
| Sidewall height | 119 mm |
| Rim diameter | 21" (533 mm) |
| Overall diameter | ≈ 772 mm |
| Circumference | ≈ 2,425 mm |
| Revolutions per km | ≈ 412 |
| Revolutions per mile | ≈ 664 |
Also written as
265/45R21 265/45 ZR21 265-45-21 265 45 21
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 265/45 R21 tyres?
The cars most often running this size in our owner reviews. Each links to the best rated tyres for that exact car.
Every tyre reviewed in 265/45 R21
The complete record, including discontinued tyres and tyres with too few reviews to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. A further 4 tyres have a single review each; they count toward the totals but are not listed.
| Tyre | Season | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgestone Alenza 001 | Summer | 81% | 2 | 63,000 miles |
Reviews only cover part of the market: 173 tyres are made in 265/45 R21. Browse every 265/45 R21 tyre →
What drivers say about their 265/45 R21 tyres
The most recent owner reviews fitted in this size, in their own words.
I prefer spirited driving (empty/mountain roads) while valuing city comfort.
Currently running used wheels with Alenza 001 (last 5,000 km / 3,100 miles).
Compare to Maxxis Bravo HP M3
Alenza 001 delivers superior dry, wet, and lateral cornering grip, providing higher confidence.
Identical road feel and pothole dampening; 001 has significantly less resonance above 80 km/h (50 mph).
Despite being near end-of-life, Alenza 001 will be the top priority for my next set.
Currently running used wheels with Alenza 001 (last 5,000 km / 3,100 miles).
Compare to Maxxis Bravo HP M3
Alenza 001 delivers superior dry, wet, and lateral cornering grip, providing higher confidence.
Identical road feel and pothole dampening; 001 has significantly less resonance above 80 km/h (50 mph).
Despite being near end-of-life, Alenza 001 will be the top priority for my next set.
I bought these tyres as I do alot of driving. I thought spending extra money would be a good idea but they're costing me more, my consumption is so bad since I got them.
These tyres were brand new on a 2 year old car we bought. Didn't expect much from them on a heavy suv with 300 horse power. They were outstanding. And lasted for 30k kilometres. And they say electric cars are hard on tyres. No road noise, as you would hear from the silence. Definitely worth a purchase and way cheaper than top brands
I just put these on and about 1000 miles on them. So far, I like them. They are louder than my factory installed Continentals, but they are more aggressive. They run smooth and handle well. They grip decent. I ran them on dry, wet, snowy, slushy and ice. They did really well. I didn't even notice the consistency change much under me. I lost about 2mpg so far. No changes other than the tires. Talking to the tire folks, rotations every 5k and alignments are CRITICAL to getting the life out of them. Don't be mad when your car wears them out because of a lack of maintenance. They do great for my AWD daily driver.
I wouldn't consider anything less, perfect tyre for such a great car.
Drive on 265/45 R21 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.