How much do new tyres cost in the UK?
7 min readBy Wheel Fit
The short answer The same tyre size can vary by a factor of three between the cheapest and the most expensive option, and all of them are legal. Size and tier account for most of the difference. The number that actually matters is cost per mile, not the price on the label.
We have not put a price table on this page on purpose. Tyre prices move with size, stock and supply, and a table written once and left to rot would mislead more people than it helped. What follows is how the pricing works, so you can judge a quote rather than memorise a number that will be wrong by next year.
What drives the price
- Size. The single biggest factor. A 15-inch tyre for a small hatchback and a 20-inch tyre for an SUV are different products at different prices. Larger diameters and wider sections cost more, and low-profile sizes more again.
- Tier. Budget, mid-range and premium. See budget vs premium tyres for what the money actually buys.
- Load and speed rating. A higher load index or speed rating usually costs more, and you cannot go below what the manufacturer specified — load index and speed rating explains why.
- Construction. Run-flats cost more to buy and to fit. Reinforced and extra-load casings cost more than standard.
- Season. All-season and winter tyres typically cost more than an equivalent summer tyre — which makes sense in the UK.
- Vehicle type. Van tyres carry a C marking and higher load ratings; they are not interchangeable with car tyres. See van tyres vs car tyres.
The price is not the whole bill
Fitting a tyre involves more than the tyre. A complete quote should include:
| Item | Should it be included? |
|---|---|
| Balancing | Yes — a tyre fitted unbalanced will vibrate |
| New valve | Yes, on a conventional valve; the valve is a wear item |
| Disposal of the old tyre | Yes — used tyres are controlled waste |
| Call-out (mobile fitting) | Ask explicitly — see mobile fitting costs |
| TPMS sensor | Only if one has failed — a separate part |
| VAT | Confirm whether the quoted figure includes it |
Cost per mile beats sticker price
A tyre that costs half as much but lasts half as long has saved you nothing, and you have spent an extra fitting appointment to find that out. The useful comparison is price divided by the mileage you realistically get.
Tyre life varies enormously with driving style, car weight and alignment, so nobody can promise you a mileage. But the general pattern is consistent: premium tyres tend to wear more slowly, so the per-mile gap is narrower than the sticker gap. On a car doing high mileage, that often closes the difference entirely.
Where cheap genuinely wins A low-mileage car, an older vehicle nearing the end of its life, or a tyre likely to be replaced for age rather than wear. Buying a premium tyre that will time out with 6mm left is spending money on tread you will never use — how long tyres last covers age vs mileage.
Why part-worns are not the saving they look like
A new tyre starts with roughly 8mm of usable tread and is finished at the 1.6mm legal limit — about 6.4mm of life. A part-worn sold at the legal minimum of 2mm has 0.4mm left before it is illegal. Even a good one at 4mm gives you around a third of a new tyre's life, usually for considerably more than a third of the price.
That is before the question of what the tyre has been through, which nobody can tell you. Part-worn tyres: the UK rules and the risks covers the legal requirements and how often they are actually met.
Ways to spend less without buying worse
- Keep pressures right. Under-inflation wears shoulders and costs fuel — correct tyre pressure.
- Fix alignment before fitting. New tyres on a misaligned car wear out early — uneven tyre wear.
- Repair rather than replace where it is permitted. Can a puncture be repaired?
- Buy the size you need, not the size that looks good. Larger wheels mean pricier tyres for the life of the car.
- Do not automatically buy four. All four or just one?
Common questions
- Why is my size so much dearer than my neighbour's?
- Usually diameter and profile. Low-profile tyres for large alloys are a more expensive product than a tall 15-inch tyre.
- Are online prices cheaper than a fitter?
- Sometimes on the tyre alone, before fitting, balancing, valve and disposal are added. Compare complete fitted prices, not tyre-only against fitted.
- Is a mid-range tyre a reasonable compromise?
- For most ordinary cars and ordinary driving, yes — it is where the value usually sits. Budget vs premium covers when it is worth going further.
Getting a price for your car
Call 07989 606060 with the size from your sidewall and you will get the tyre, the fitting and any call-out as separate figures. See also the brands we carry.
