245/45R17 tires

245/45R17 is a wide, low 17-inch size, about 25.7 inches tall. It was the tire on the 1993 to 1998 SVT Mustang Cobra and the 1999 to 2004 Mustang GT, and tiresize.com lists it on the 2010 to 2016 Mercedes-Benz E350 and the 2005 to 2011 Audi A6 3.2. Below are real prices for 121 tires in stock, three picks from budget all-season to grand touring, and what a 9.6-inch-wide tire asks of a 17-inch wheel.

What 245/45R17 tires cost

Prices are per tire, before mounting and balancing. A set of four in the mid range comes to roughly $392 to $660, and a brand rebate can take another $50 to $110 off, see this month's deals.

See every 245/45R17 tire in stock at SimpleTire

A sport size from the SN95 Mustang era

On the SN95 and New Edge Mustang Cobra and GT this size came on the 17-inch wheels, and it remains the default for owners who keep the original 17-inch wheels. It fits rims from 7.5 to 9 inches wide; on the narrower end the sidewall bulges a little and the steering feels softer, on the wider end the tread sits flat and the response is sharper. On the E350 and A6 the same size gives a quieter, longer-wearing fitment than the 18-inch options on those cars.

Rear-drive V8 cars wear their rear tires much faster than the fronts, and on these Mustangs the tires are the same size at both ends, so rotating front to rear keeps the set even.

Five cars often listed with this size that use other sizes

Several cars often listed with this size came on other sizes according to tiresize.com. The 2010 to 2014 Mustang V6 and GT used 215/60R17, 225/60R17, 235/50R18 or 245/45R19 depending on trim; the Infiniti G35 sedan used 215/55R17; the 2005 to 2010 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger used 215/65R17 or 225/60R18; and the 2003 to 2007 Cadillac CTS used 225/50R17. If you own one of those, search for the size on your door placard instead.

On the cars that do use 245/45R17, compare the load index: the picks here are listed at 95 and 99.

What the numbers on the sidewall mean

A 245/45R17 tire is 245 millimeters wide, its sidewall is 45 percent of that (about 4.3 inches tall), and it mounts on a 17-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 99V on the Milestar Weatherguard AS710 Sport (1,709 lb per tire, rated to 149 mph) and 95H on the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season (1,521 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.

Milestar Weatherguard AS710 Sport, $69.99. Milestar's touring all-season, listed here as 99V. Milestar gives 70,000 miles for H, V and W ratings on its own site. It is a comfortable, inexpensive choice for an E350 or A6; for a Mustang driven hard, the Continental is the better tire.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, $217.99. The performance all-season most Mustang owners end up on, with a 50,000-mile warranty on non-staggered fitments and good wet and light-snow grip. In this size it is listed as, an extra-load tire.

Pirelli Cinturato P7, $201.30. Pirelli's grand-touring tire, listed as 95H in this size. Tiresize.com lists the plain P7 in 245/45R17 as a summer tire, while all-season versions carry All Season in the name; read the full name on the listing and compare the load index with your placard.

What 245/45R17 tires cost across the whole range

Of the 191 tires listed in this size, 121 are in stock today. The median is $126.99; a third of the tires cost $97.99 or less, and the top five percent start above $290.99. 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 Milestar Weatherguard AS710 Sport, our budget pick here at $69.99, is also stocked in 215/50R17 ($122.99), 215/65R17 ($122.99), 225/50R17 ($119.99) and 225/65R17 ($118.65). The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, our mid-range pick here at $217.99, is also stocked in 245/45R18 ($197.99), 245/40R19 ($258.99), 205/50R17 ($182.99) and 215/45R17 ($176.99). 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 Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, carries the 3PMSF symbol; for that, look at the all-weather and winter tires.

Vehicles listed for 245/45R17

• Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2010-2016, base 17 in)
• Ford Mustang Cobra (1993, SVT)
• Ford Mustang Cobra (1994-1998)
• Ford Mustang GT (1999-2004)
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2010-2016, E350 17 in)
• Audi A6 (2005-2011, 17 in)

Other trims and years of these cars use other wheel sizes; the placard inside the driver's door is the size to buy.

Which type of 245/45R17 tire?

Frequently asked questions

How much do 245/45R17 tires cost?

Expect $76–$98 per tire for a budget brand, $98–$165 for a mid-range tire like the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, and $165–$291 for a premium tire like the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season. A set of four therefore starts at about $304. Add roughly $15 to $45 per tire for mounting and balancing.

What vehicles use 245/45R17 tires?

245/45R17 is original equipment on Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2010-2016, base 17 in), Ford Mustang Cobra (1993, SVT), Ford Mustang Cobra (1994-1998), Ford Mustang GT (1999-2004), Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2010-2016, E350 17 in) and Audi A6 (2005-2011, 17 in), 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 245/45R17 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 Milestar Weatherguard AS710 Sport is a sound choice.

Can I replace just one or two 245/45R17 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.