Tyre tool
Tyre load index and speed rating chart
Full tables, what the letters and numbers mean, and a converter.
The two characters after the size on a sidewall, such as 91V, are the load index and the speed symbol. Look either one up below, or work backwards from a load in kilograms or a speed in km/h.
Load and speed converter
Worked example: 91V
- Load index 91
- 615 kg per tyre
- Speed rating V
- 240 km/h
Load index 91 means each tyre can carry up to 615 kg at the pressure its maker specifies for that load, so 2,460 kg on four tyres.
Speed rating V means the tyre is built for sustained speeds up to 240 km/h when correctly inflated and loaded.
Tyre speed rating chart
The speed symbol is the highest speed the tyre is built to sustain when it is correctly inflated and carrying no more than its rated load. Most car tyres sold in India are rated S, T, H or V.
The rating is earned on a test drum, where the tyre runs at stepped speeds up to its rating under a set load without failing. It says nothing about grip, braking or wear, and it assumes correct pressure: an under-inflated tyre heats up and loses the margin the rating describes.
| Symbol | km/h | mph |
|---|---|---|
| L | 120 | 75 |
| M | 130 | 81 |
| N | 140 | 87 |
| P | 150 | 93 |
| Q | 160 | 99 |
| R | 170 | 106 |
| S | 180 | 112 |
| T | 190 | 118 |
| U | 200 | 124 |
| H | 210 | 130 |
| V | 240 | 149 |
| W | 270 | 168 |
| Y | 300 | 186 |
| (Y) | above 300 | above 186 |
Shaded: the four ratings found on most car tyres in India. The letters are not alphabetical by speed: H (210 km/h) sits between U and V. A1 to A8 are for slow special-purpose tyres.
Tyre load index chart
The load index is a code for the most weight one tyre can carry at the pressure its maker specifies for that load. It is not a weight itself: index 91 means 615 kg, and each step up adds roughly 2.5 to 3%.
| Index | kg |
|---|---|
| 50 | 190 |
| 51 | 195 |
| 52 | 200 |
| 53 | 206 |
| 54 | 212 |
| 55 | 218 |
| 56 | 224 |
| 57 | 230 |
| 58 | 236 |
| 59 | 243 |
| 60 | 250 |
| 61 | 257 |
| 62 | 265 |
| 63 | 272 |
| 64 | 280 |
| 65 | 290 |
| 66 | 300 |
| Index | kg |
|---|---|
| 67 | 307 |
| 68 | 315 |
| 69 | 325 |
| 70 | 335 |
| 71 | 345 |
| 72 | 355 |
| 73 | 365 |
| 74 | 375 |
| 75 | 387 |
| 76 | 400 |
| 77 | 412 |
| 78 | 425 |
| 79 | 437 |
| 80 | 450 |
| 81 | 462 |
| 82 | 475 |
| 83 | 487 |
| Index | kg |
|---|---|
| 84 | 500 |
| 85 | 515 |
| 86 | 530 |
| 87 | 545 |
| 88 | 560 |
| 89 | 580 |
| 90 | 600 |
| 91 | 615 |
| 92 | 630 |
| 93 | 650 |
| 94 | 670 |
| 95 | 690 |
| 96 | 710 |
| 97 | 730 |
| 98 | 750 |
| 99 | 775 |
| 100 | 800 |
| Index | kg |
|---|---|
| 101 | 825 |
| 102 | 850 |
| 103 | 875 |
| 104 | 900 |
| 105 | 925 |
| 106 | 950 |
| 107 | 975 |
| 108 | 1000 |
| 109 | 1030 |
| 110 | 1060 |
| 111 | 1090 |
| 112 | 1120 |
| 113 | 1150 |
| 114 | 1180 |
| 115 | 1215 |
| 116 | 1250 |
| 117 | 1285 |
| Index | kg |
|---|---|
| 118 | 1320 |
| 119 | 1360 |
| 120 | 1400 |
| 121 | 1450 |
| 122 | 1500 |
| 123 | 1550 |
| 124 | 1600 |
| 125 | 1650 |
| 126 | 1700 |
| 127 | 1750 |
| 128 | 1800 |
| 129 | 1850 |
| 130 | 1900 |
Shaded: 80 to 104, the band passenger car and SUV tyres usually fall in. Load per tyre; four tyres carry four times as much.
Does my car need the same rating?
Yes, or higher. A replacement tyre should carry at least the load index and the speed symbol the carmaker specifies for your variant, which you will find on the tyre placard, in the owner's manual or on the tyres the car came with. A lower load index means a tyre built for less weight than your car can put on it once it is full of people and luggage. A lower speed symbol means a tyre whose structure is not designed for the speeds the car can reach.
A higher rating is not a problem in itself. A tyre rated V on a car specified for T is fine, though higher-rated tyres often have a firmer ride and cost more. The same goes for load: an XL (extra load) or reinforced tyre with a higher index is acceptable, but it carries that extra load only at a higher pressure; at your car's normal pressure it carries about what a standard tyre does.
When you compare tyres on price, compare like with like: the same size, load index and speed symbol. Two tyres in the same size can differ by several load-index steps, and the cheaper one is not always rated for your car.
Sources
- UNECE: UN Regulation No. 30, tyres for passenger cars and their trailers (addenda to the 1958 Agreement, Regulations 21 to 40) (checked 25 Oct 2026)
- European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO): tyre and rim standards (checked 25 Oct 2026)
- US eCFR 49 CFR 571.139: new pneumatic radial tyres for light vehicles (dimensions, load ratings and labelling) (checked 25 Oct 2026)
- NHTSA: tyre safety, sidewall markings, the tyre identification number and tyre ageing (checked 25 Oct 2026)