245/40R18 tires

245/40R18 is a classic sport-sedan size. It is on the Subaru WRX STI from 2015 to 2021 and the WRX Limited and GT since 2022, the Audi A4 Prestige and Premium Plus, the Audi A5, and the front axle of the base Chevrolet Corvette C6 and C7; Mercedes-Benz uses it in the staggered C300 Sport Package fitment. Below are real prices for 215 tires in stock and three all-season picks with the specifications behind them.

What 245/40R18 tires cost

Prices are per tire, before mounting and balancing. A set of four in the mid range comes to roughly $452 to $848, and a brand rebate can take another $50 to $110 off, see this month's deals.

See every 245/40R18 tire in stock at SimpleTire

A wide tire on a mid-size wheel

At about 9.6 inches wide on an 18-inch wheel, 245/40R18 needs a rim of 8 to 9.5 inches, and the sidewall is under four inches tall. That is why it suits sporty sedans: the contact patch is wide, the sidewall stiff, and steering response quick. It also means more road noise and a firmer ride than the 17-inch options on an A4, and less protection for the wheel against potholes.

Most tires in this size are sold as 97 extra-load, and two of our picks are listed that way. The Continental premium pick is listed as 93H, a standard-load tire with a lower speed rating. A WRX or A4 placard may call for a higher rating than H; compare both the number and the letter with your door sticker before ordering it.

Staggered cars: front or rear?

On the C300 Sport Package and the Corvette this size is one end of a staggered set, with a different size on the other axle; on the base Corvette it is the front tire. Staggered tires cannot be rotated front to rear, so the rear tires on a rear-drive car often wear out well before the fronts. Replace in axle pairs with the same model as the other axle, so that grip stays balanced.

Owners of the 2015 to 2019 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T should check their placard: tiresize.com lists that car on 235/45R18.

What the numbers on the sidewall mean

A 245/40R18 tire is 245 millimeters wide, its sidewall is 40 percent of that (about 3.9 inches tall), and it mounts on a 18-inch wheel. That works out to an overall diameter of roughly 25.7 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 97W on the Kumho Ecsta PA51 and BFGoodrich Advantage Control (1,609 lb per tire, rated to 168 mph) and 93H on the Continental ContiProContact (1,433 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, $220.96. Kumho's ultra-high-performance all-season, with a 45,000-mile warranty on replacement tires. The stocked version is 97W. A WRX or A4 owner gets sharp handling at a lower price than the major brands.

BFGoodrich Advantage Control, $211.99. A touring all-season with Active Sipes for wet traction and a warranty of 75,000 miles on T and H ratings and 65,000 on V and W. It is listed as 97W here, so the 65,000-mile figure applies. The long-mileage pick for an A4 or A5 used daily.

Continental ContiProContact, $257.40. A quiet touring all-season whose warranty depends on speed rating: 60,000 miles for H and 40,000 for V and W. The version here is listed as 93H, so check that it meets your placard's load index and speed rating.

What 245/40R18 tires cost across the whole range

Of the 297 tires listed in this size, 215 are in stock today. The lowest price is the Lionhart LH-503 at $79.96, a 97W tire. The median is $174.96; a third of the tires cost $112.99 or less, and the top five percent start above $325.99. 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 $220.96, is also stocked in 225/45R18 ($108.96), 225/45R17 ($176.96), 215/45R18 ($119.96) and 235/40R18 ($129.86). The BFGoodrich Advantage Control, our mid-range pick here at $211.99, is also stocked in 235/50R19 ($239.99), 255/75R17 ($233.99) and 265/50R20 ($236.99). The Continental ContiProContact, our premium pick here at $257.40, is also stocked in 225/50R17 ($187.99), 225/60R18 ($174.96), 235/40R18 ($179.20) and 255/40R19 ($293.17). 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 ContiProContact, carries the 3PMSF symbol; for that, look at the all-weather and winter tires.

Vehicles that came with 245/40R18

• Subaru WRX STI (2015-2021)
• Subaru WRX (2022-2024, Limited/GT)
• Audi A4 (2009-2016, Prestige)
• Audi A4 (2017-2024, Premium Plus)
• Audi A5 (2018-2024)
• Chevrolet Corvette C7 (2014-2019, base front)
• Chevrolet Corvette C6 (2005-2013, base front)
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2015-2021, 18 in AMG Line rear)

Other years and wheel packages of the same models came on 285/35R19, 225/45R17 or 225/50R17 instead, so read the placard inside the driver's door before you order.

Which type of 245/40R18 tire?

Frequently asked questions

How much do 245/40R18 tires cost?

Expect $80–$113 per tire for a budget brand, $113–$212 for a mid-range tire like the BFGoodrich Advantage Control, and $212–$326 for a premium tire like the Continental ContiProContact. A set of four therefore starts at about $320. Add roughly $15 to $45 per tire for mounting and balancing.

What vehicles use 245/40R18 tires?

245/40R18 is original equipment on Subaru WRX STI (2015-2021), Subaru WRX (2022-2024, Limited/GT), Audi A4 (2009-2016, Prestige), Audi A4 (2017-2024, Premium Plus), Audi A5 (2018-2024), Chevrolet Corvette C7 (2014-2019, base front), Chevrolet Corvette C6 (2005-2013, base front) and Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2015-2021, 18 in AMG Line rear), 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 245/40R18 tire?

For most drivers our mid-range pick, the BFGoodrich Advantage Control, 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 Continental ContiProContact is worth the extra. On a tight budget the Kumho Ecsta PA51 is a sound choice.

Can I replace just one or two 245/40R18 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.