225/45R17 tires

225/45R17 sits on the sporty end of the compact market: the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta GLI, the Hyundai Elantra Limited and Kia Forte GT-Line, the Lexus IS, and the 17-inch versions of the 2006 to 2011 BMW 3 Series and 2008 to 2014 Mercedes C-Class. It is one of the highest-volume 17-inch sizes and the one where the choice between a summer tire, an ultra-high-performance all-season and a touring tire matters most. Below are real prices for 291 tires in stock, three picks with the specifications behind them, and how to choose between those three types.

What 225/45R17 tires cost

Prices are per tire, before mounting and balancing. A set of four in the mid range comes to roughly $408 to $657, and a brand rebate can take another $50 to $110 off, see this month's deals.

See every 225/45R17 tire in stock at SimpleTire

Summer, UHP all-season or touring: which one is this car?

Most tires sold in 225/45R17 are either summer performance tires or ultra-high-performance all-seasons, and they are built for different owners. A summer tire gives the sharpest steering and the shortest dry and wet stopping distances above about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, then hardens and loses grip in the cold; manufacturers advise against driving on them near freezing. A UHP all-season gives up a little of that edge for usable grip in light snow and a longer tread life. A plain touring tire in this size exists for the Elantra and Forte owner who simply wants quiet and long wear.

The speed rating on the placard is the first filter. A GLI or 3 Series placard asks for V or W; a Forte or Elantra for H or V. The load index is typically 91 or 94, and on the German cars it is worth checking whether the placard specifies extra load (XL) tires, which carry a 94 instead of a 91.

BMW and Mercedes owners: run-flats and staggered sets

The 2006 to 2011 BMW 3 Series came from the factory on run-flat tires and has no spare. A conventional tire in 225/45R17 fits and most owners who switch prefer the ride, but you then need a repair kit or a spare, and the car's tire-pressure monitor becomes your only warning of a slow leak. Some sport-package 3 Series cars are staggered, with wider rear tires; those must be replaced per axle, and mileage warranties are usually halved on a staggered car. The C-Class in this size is normally square, with the same tire at all four corners.

On all of these cars the rear tires tend to wear evenly while the fronts wear the shoulders. Keep the alignment checked and rotate front to rear where the sizes allow; it adds thousands of miles to a performance tire that costs real money to replace.

What the numbers on the sidewall mean

A 225/45R17 tire is 225 millimeters wide, its sidewall is 45 percent of that (about 4.0 inches tall), and it mounts on a 17-inch wheel. That works out to an overall diameter of roughly 25 inches. Every replacement has to match all three numbers, and the load index and speed rating on the placard inside the driver's door have to be met or exceeded.

In this size our picks are marked 91H on the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season (1,356 lb per tire, rated to 130 mph). The first number is the load index, the letter the speed rating; a tire with equal or higher values than your placard is fine, a lower one is not.

Our guide on reading a tire size walks through the markings, and this one lists every load index and speed code.

Our three picks, side by side

One tire at each price level from what the retailer stocks in this size, with the mileage warranty and UTQG grades as published by the manufacturers and their retailers. Treadwear is the number to compare: it is a relative wear rate, so 700 should last roughly twice as long as 350 on the same car.

Kumho Ecsta PA51, $176.96. Our budget pick: the lowest-priced tire in this size with a specification sheet we could actually check. An ultra-high-performance all-season tire with a 45,000-mile tread life warranty. The published UTQG grade is 500 AA A in a representative size: a treadwear number of 500 is typical for this type of tire. It does not carry the 3PMSF symbol; in the snow belt treat it as a three-season tire or look at the all-weather options. A set of four comes to $707.84 before mounting.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, $174.99. The mid-range pick, and the default for most drivers of the vehicles listed on this page. An ultra-high-performance all-season tire with a 50,000-mile tread life warranty (50,000 mi; 25,000 mi on staggered fitments). The published UTQG grade is 560 AA A in a representative size: a treadwear number of 560 is typical for this type of tire. It does not carry the 3PMSF symbol; in the snow belt treat it as a three-season tire or look at the all-weather options. Extras: SportPlus Technology. A set of four comes to $699.96 before mounting.

Pirelli Cinturato P7, $192.99. The premium pick, for the owner who keeps the vehicle a long time and drives it a lot. An all-season grand touring tire. The manufacturer does not publish a UTQG grade for this model, so compare on warranty and tread depth instead. A set of four comes to $771.96 before mounting.

What 225/45R17 tires cost across the whole range

Of the 391 tires listed in this size, 291 are in stock today. The median is $136.09; a third of the tires cost $101.96 or less, and the top five percent start above $236.50. Those are per-tire prices before mounting and balancing, which adds $15 to $45 per tire at most shops, read from the retailer's feed Nov 13, 2026.

The same tires in neighboring sizes

The Kumho Ecsta PA51, our budget pick here at $176.96, is also stocked in 225/45R18 ($108.96), 205/50R16 ($101.96), 245/40R18 ($220.96) and 205/45R17 ($115.99). The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, our mid-range pick here at $174.99, is also stocked in 225/45R18 ($196.99), 205/50R17 ($182.99), 215/45R17 ($176.99) and 245/45R17 ($217.99). Useful if your vehicle came with a different wheel package, or if you are comparing an upsize: the same tire usually costs more per inch of wheel, not per inch of rubber. Prices per tire, from the retailer's feed Nov 13, 2026.

Winter and this size: summer tires are not winter tires

Many tires sold in this size are summer tires, and the manufacturers advise against driving them in near-freezing temperatures: the compound hardens, grip drops sharply and the tread can crack. They also carry no M+S or 3PMSF marking, so a car on summer tires fails Colorado's Passenger Vehicle Traction Law outright on the 126 miles of I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison, in force from September 1 to May 31, unless it is all-wheel drive with at least 3/16 inch of tread; fines start at $130. If the car is driven year-round in a state with real winters, either run an all-season or all-weather tire in this size or keep a second set of winter tires, often on a smaller, narrower wheel that is also less expensive.

None of our picks in this size, the Kumho Ecsta PA51 and Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, carries the 3PMSF symbol; for that, look at the all-weather and winter tires.

Vehicles that came with 225/45R17

• Hyundai Elantra (2017-2024, Limited)
• Volkswagen Golf (2015-2021, SE/SEL)
• Volkswagen Jetta GLI (2012-2018)
• Kia Forte (2019-2024, EX/GT-Line)
• Lexus IS (2014-2020, base)
• BMW 3 Series (2006-2011, 17 in)
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2008-2014, base)

Other years and wheel packages of the same models came on 225/45R18, 205/55R16 or 195/65R14 instead, so read the placard inside the driver's door before you order.

Which type of 225/45R17 tire?

Frequently asked questions

How much do 225/45R17 tires cost?

Expect $69–$102 per tire for a budget brand, $102–$164 for a mid-range tire like the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, and $164–$237 for a premium tire like the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season. A set of four therefore starts at about $276. Add roughly $15 to $45 per tire for mounting and balancing.

What vehicles use 225/45R17 tires?

225/45R17 is original equipment on Hyundai Elantra (2017-2024, Limited), Volkswagen Golf (2015-2021, SE/SEL), Volkswagen Jetta GLI (2012-2018), Kia Forte (2019-2024, EX/GT-Line), Lexus IS (2014-2020, base), BMW 3 Series (2006-2011, 17 in) and Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2008-2014, base), among others. Always confirm with the sticker inside your driver's door, because trim levels and wheel packages can change the size.

What is the best 225/45R17 tire?

For most drivers our mid-range pick, the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, is the sweet spot of price and tread life. If you keep the vehicle a long time or drive in heavy rain and snow, the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season is worth the extra. On a tight budget the Kumho Ecsta PA51 is a sound choice.

Can I replace just one or two 225/45R17 tires?

On a front- or rear-wheel-drive car, yes: replace in pairs on the same axle and put the newer pair on the rear. On all-wheel-drive vehicles most makers want all four replaced together, or a new tire shaved to match, because a difference in circumference strains the drivetrain.