Tire markings often get confusing since there’s so much stuff over-there, but one mostly common code you may come across is “ZR”, though worry not as that’s where I come in. Let me simply things for you.
The “ZR” is just a performance rating, and it “used” to mean a tire is suitable for vehicles that can exceed 149 mph, however this has now been updated to V, W and Y tires, making ZR mostly irrelevant. That’s why the R in ZR does not mean radial. Though the R on sizes like the 265/70/R16, there it means “Radial”, which tell you about the inner construction.
I’ve talked about radial construction here in detail, and you can check it out. but first, let’s see why ZR being a speed rating is not represented by a single letter like others.
Speed Ratings
Speed ratings simply tell, how fast you can safely drive a tire, (it’s not a recommendation for how fast the vehicle should be driven, just want to put it out there).
When ratings were developed nobody thought, a vehicle could go faster than 149 mph. That’s 240 km/h. So we had speed ratings going form Q to V.
But as technology evolved, faster cars were made, and so a new rating “ZR” got born.
That’s why, tires with a “ZR” rating are typically used on high-performance sports cars, sports coupes, and luxury cars that are designed for high-speed driving.
But now with the development of even more faster cars, we have the following ratings instead of ZR.
| Speed Ratings | Speed Limit |
| Z | 149+ mph |
| W | Up to 168 mph |
| Y | Up to 186 mph |
| (Y) | 186+ mph |
Check out all other speed ratings here.
Don’t Confuse ZR with R
If you see ZR, it means 149+ speed running capability on the tire.
And if you just see Z, that also means the same.
And if you see R like 265/65/R16 then this tells you that the tire has a radial construction.
See more on this in tire sizes reading.
And lastly if its just R followed by the number like for example there 91R, then the R only stands for speed rating again telling it can go up to 106 mph only.
Do you even need ZR tires?
If you drive a high-performance sports car or sports coupe and you plan to drive it at high speeds “safely and responsibly”, then “ZR” tires would be a good option for you. They will provide better handling and traction, and improve overall performance at high speeds.
However, if you drive a family car, sedan, or SUV, and you don’t plan to drive at high speeds, then “ZR” tires may not be necessary. They would be considered overkill for your vehicle and driving conditions, and regular radial tires would be sufficient.
It’s worth noting that “ZR” tires are typically more expensive than regular radial tires and they may not last as long. They are also optimized for high-performance driving, which means they may not provide the same level of comfort or fuel efficiency as regular radial tires.
It’s always recommended to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the tires and consult with a professional to ensure that you are using the right type of tires for your vehicle and driving conditions.
Tires having speed ratings of ZR and Above
These tires below are not ordinarily used on roads, they sure are well suited for tracks races as they offer high levels of grip and of course are rated for excellent speed ratings, of above 149 miles per hour.
- Michelin Pilot Super Sport
- Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 R
- Hankook Ventus R-S4
- Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R
- Toyo Proxes R888 R
Sum up
ZR is the old-school way to indicate speed rating, at that time, nobody though they would need such faster tires going above Z, but when high performance tires started coming in, the ZR was changed with Z.
R mean radial construction, and its talked about in contrast to the other one, which is bias ply construction.
R could also mean speed rating, depending on the position it is in the tire size (seen on the sidewalls).
