Speed symbols,
in km/h and mph
The letter after the load index is a construction limit: the speed this tyre is built to sustain at its rated load. Nothing about it describes grip.
V = 240 km/h The most common rating on a modern performance fitment. H is 210 km/h, W is 270, Y is 300 — and the jump from H to V is the biggest single step in the table.
Fit higher than your car requires and nothing bad happens. Fit lower and you have changed a safety-relevant specification, whatever the tyre costs.
The full table
| Symbol | km/h | mph | Typically fitted to |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | 120 | 75 | Off-road and light-truck winter |
| M | 130 | 81 | Temporary spare |
| N | 140 | 87 | Temporary spare |
| P | 150 | 93 | Some light-truck |
| Q | 160 | 99 | Studless and studded winter |
| R | 170 | 106 | Heavy-duty light truck |
| S | 180 | 112 | Family saloons and vans |
| T | 190 | 118 | Family saloons and vans |
| U | 200 | 124 | Saloons and coupes |
| H | 210 | 130 | Sport saloons and coupes |
| V | 240 | 149 | Sports cars |
| W | 270 | 168 | Exotic sports cars |
| Y | 300 | 186 | Exotic sports cars |
| (Y) | 300 | 186 | Above 300 km/h — the brackets mean the rating is open-ended |
SOURCE·ETRTO / T&RA published speed-symbol table·REVIEWED ETRTO STANDARD
Two things the symbol is not
It is not a grip rating. A W-rated tyre is built to hold together at 270 km/h. That says a great deal about its casing and nothing at all about how it behaves in standing water at 80.
It is not a licence. The rating is a property of the tyre under its rated load and pressure, in good condition. A tyre at 1.8 bar carrying a full car is not delivering its rated anything.
Speed ratings — the questions that follow
What does a V speed rating mean?
240 km/h — the maximum speed the tyre is constructed to sustain, under its rated load and pressure. It is a construction limit, not a suggestion, and not a claim about grip.
Can I fit a lower speed rating than my car came with?
You should not. The vehicle's placard figure was chosen against the car's own capability, and in many markets fitting below it affects both compliance and insurance. Going higher is always permitted.
Do winter tyres have lower speed ratings?
Often, yes — Q, T and H are common on winter fitments, and that is a deliberate consequence of the softer compound and the tread block design. Some markets allow a lower winter rating with a sticker on the dashboard stating the new limit.
The number before the letter is on the load-index table. The geometry here is exact; whether a tyre fits YOUR car is not something geometry can answer. Arch clearance, suspension travel, offset, load rating and your vehicle's own placard all decide that, and none of them are in a size string. The ±3% rule quoted throughout is an industry convention, not a law. Confirm any change against the tyre placard on your door pillar and with a tyre fitter before you buy.