Its the second time im buying this tire.
Very happy with its handling generaly even if it passes the normal age of its life.
Very good braking on wet road and its handling good enough too on these conditions.
I will change them only for something more slicky.
205/50 R15 Tires
Everything we know about the 205/50 R15 tire size: 114 owner reviews covering 795,534 miles of driving, and EU label data for the tires you can actually buy in it.
- 114owner reviews
- 795,534 milescovered on them
- 147tires made in this size
The quick answer
| Season | Owners' pick | Owner rating | Latest test winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 8.3 Current version: Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 | 85% from 3 reviews | - |
Owner picks are the highest weighted owner score in 205/50 R15; test winners come from the most recent independent test conducted in this size. The full evidence is below.
The best rated 205/50 R15 tires
Rated only by drivers running this size. Each tire needs at least 3 reviews in 205/50 R15 to be ranked; the order weights a tire's score by how many reviews back it, so one glowing review cannot top a table.
Summer tires
The highest rated Summer tire in 205/50 R15 is the Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 - 85% from 3 owner reviews in this size. The current tire in that line is now the Yokohama Advan Neova AD09.
| # | Tire | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed | TR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Yokohama Advan Neova AD08
Replaced by Yokohama Advan Neova AD09
|
85% | 3 | 13,000 miles | 8.3 |
| 2 |
Federal 595RSR
Replaced by Federal 595RSRR
|
79% | 4 | 10,500 miles | 5.4 |
| 3 |
Nankang AR 1
|
80% | 3 | 1,500 miles | 6.5 |
| 4 |
Avon ZV5
Replaced by Avon ZV7
|
76% | 3 | 26,000 miles | 8.2 |
| 5 |
Toyo T1R
Replaced by Toyo Proxes T1 Sport+
|
74% | 7 | 176,500 miles | 7.6 |
| 6 |
Dunlop Direzza 03G
|
73% | 3 | 150 miles | 7.5 |
| 7 |
Vredestein Sportrac 5
|
58% | 3 | 19,000 miles | 8.1 |
| 8 |
Nankang NS2
Replaced by Nankang Noble Sport NS20
|
53% | 3 | 20,000 miles | 5.5 |
Want test data as well as owner opinion? Best Summer Tires →
TR Score is the tire's overall Tire Reviews rating out of 10, built from independent test results and every owner review of that tire - not just the reviews from this car. The owner rating column is this car only.
205/50 R15 EU tire label data
EU label values are declared for each individual size, so the figures here are exact for 205/50 R15 rather than a range across a model. 69 tires carry label data in this size. The most common load index is 86 (up to 530 kg per tire). Speed ratings on offer: Y (300 km/h), W (270 km/h), V (240 km/h), H (210 km/h). 6 tires in this size carry the 3PMSF severe snow marking.
A Best wet grip
7 tires in this size hold the top EU wet grip rating, class A. The highest scoring on Tire Reviews:
- Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 Summer 8.8
- Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun Summer 8.4
- Uniroyal RainSport 5 Summer 8
- Yokohama Advan Fleva V701 Summer 8
- Uniroyal RainSport 3 Summer 7.7
- Nexen N Blue HD Plus Summer 7.6
B Lowest rolling resistance
The most fuel efficient choice: 1 tires in this size reach rolling resistance class B. The highest scoring on Tire Reviews:
- Vitour Tempesta P1+ Summer 4.8
67dB Quietest tires
The quietest 205/50 R15 tires are labelled at 67 dB external noise:
- Yokohama Advan Fleva V701 Summer 8
- Nexen N Blue HD Plus Summer 7.6
- Federal 595RSPRO Summer 7.5
- Davanti DX390 Summer 4.1
- Arivo Premio Arzero Summer 3.7
- Federal Formoza AZ01 Summer
Label values come from the EU EPREL database and apply to the EU market versions of each tire. Wet grip and rolling resistance run from class A (best) to E; noise is the measured drive-by figure. A good label is a floor, not a verdict - the tests and owner ratings above tell you far more.
How long do 205/50 R15 tires last?
Across 11 end of life reviews in this size, a typical set of tires was worn out after 5,000 miles. Half of all worn-out sets lasted between 300 miles and 8,000 miles.
Distances are self-reported by drivers whose review marked the set as worn out; figures are medians, so a single unusual report cannot move them. Driving style and the car matter more than the size itself.
What does 205/50 R15 mean?
A 205/50 R15 tire is 205 mm wide, its sidewall is 50% of that width (103 mm) tall, and it fits a 15 inch wheel. That gives an overall diameter of roughly 586 mm.
| Section width | 205 mm |
|---|---|
| Sidewall height | 103 mm |
| Rim diameter | 15" (381 mm) |
| Overall diameter | ≈ 586 mm |
| Circumference | ≈ 1,841 mm |
| Revolutions per km | ≈ 543 |
| Revolutions per mile | ≈ 874 |
Also written as
205/50R15 205/50 ZR15 205-50-15 205 50 15
Figures are calculated from the nominal size. A loaded, rolling tire runs a few percent smaller, and true widths vary slightly between makes.
What cars use 205/50 R15 tires?
The cars most often running this size in our owner reviews. Each links to the best rated tires for that exact car.
Mazda MX5
11 reviews in this size
Lotus Elan M100
6 reviews in this size
Toyota MR2 mk3 Roadster
6 reviews in this size
Toyota MK3 MR2 Roaster
6 reviews in this size
Nissan Primera
3 reviews in this size
Suzuki Swift sport
3 reviews in this size
MG MGTF
3 reviews in this size
Alfa Romeo 155
3 reviews in this size
Volkswagen Golf MK3 GTi 16v
3 reviews in this size
Toyota Corolla
2 reviews in this size
Every tire reviewed in 205/50 R15
The complete record, including discontinued tires and tires with too few reviews to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. A further 55 tires have a single review each; they count toward the totals but are not listed.
| Tire | Season | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyo T1R Replaced by Toyo Proxes T1 Sport+ | Summer | 74% | 7 | 176,500 miles |
| Federal 595RSR Replaced by Federal 595RSRR | Summer | 79% | 4 | 10,500 miles |
| Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 Replaced by Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 | Summer | 85% | 3 | 13,000 miles |
| Nankang AR 1 | Summer | 80% | 3 | 1,500 miles |
| Avon ZV5 Replaced by Avon ZV7 | Summer | 76% | 3 | 26,000 miles |
| Dunlop Direzza 03G | Summer | 73% | 3 | 150 miles |
| Vredestein Sportrac 5 | Summer | 58% | 3 | 19,000 miles |
| Nankang NS2 Replaced by Nankang Noble Sport NS20 | Summer | 53% | 3 | 20,000 miles |
| Michelin Pilot Exalto Replaced by Michelin Pilot Sport 5 | Summer | 92% | 2 | 14,000 miles |
| Bridgestone Adrenalin RE002 Replaced by Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE005 | Summer | 89% | 2 | 26,000 miles |
| Hankook Ventus V12 evo k110 Replaced by Hankook Ventus V12 evo2 | Summer | 86% | 2 | 9,500 miles |
| Nexen N Blue HD Plus | Summer | 85% | 2 | 1,100 miles |
| Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD08R Replaced by Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 | Summer | 82% | 2 | 7,000 miles |
| Marangoni Zetalinea | Summer | 81% | 2 | 9,000 miles |
| Federal SS535 | Summer | 81% | 2 | 41,000 miles |
| Toyo R1R | Summer | 80% | 2 | 18,065 miles |
| Avon ZZR | Summer | 78% | 2 | 2,400 miles |
| Sailun Atrezzo Elite Replaced by Sailun Atrezzo Elite 2 | Summer | 76% | 2 | 8,000 miles |
| Uniroyal RainSport 3 Replaced by Uniroyal RainSport 5 | Summer | 66% | 2 | 2,400 miles |
| Toyo Proxes TR1 | Summer | 66% | 2 | 4,040 miles |
| Kumho Ecsta KU31 | Summer | 61% | 2 | 15,000 miles |
| Nankang NS2R | Summer | 60% | 2 | 1,400 miles |
| Tigar Prima | Summer | 28% | 2 | 10,000 miles |
Reviews only cover part of the market: 147 tires are made in 205/50 R15. Browse every 205/50 R15 tire →
What drivers say about their 205/50 R15 tires
The most recent owner reviews fitted in this size, in their own words.
1997 tercel with full poly bushed suspension, these tires have soft sidewalls so steering felt very vague, on the rain it understeered if i pushed it, after they went out i got some petlas pt525 progreen and even those had way better steering response than the acceleras, but for the budget you cannot ask more
The Potenza RE-71RS perfected suits my NA Miata autocross car and has several advantages over the previous RE-71R. I did not expect such a significant improvement in comfort and noise compared the RE-71R, but the result is a very pleasant on road driving experience. Wet grip is excellent, it feels comparable to Conti ECS now and very confident. Heat tolerance also seems better based on a few autocross event - the Miata is too light to give stress these tires but I feel they are faster with each run whereas with 2 drivers the RE-71R could become slightly greasy feeling on a hot day. Dry grip is incredibly strong although it feels like more slip angle is required than the RE-71R. Steering has traded some of the instant response of the RE-71R for a more progressive limit behavior and improved on-center tracking. I prefer the slightly more relaxed steering response and stiffer effort buildup for street driving. For autocross I preferred the immediate response of the RE-71R, but have been able to quickly adjust to the RE-71RS. Overall this is a solid improvement on the RE-71R. I have only done 3 autocross events so it is too early to rate wear, but so far this is looking like a longer wearing tire than the RE-71R.
Ran these tires as daily tires for my 1985 MR2 and had a fantastic time with them. My previous set were ecs02's and they were just a bit ahead of those on grip, very good feel through the car and translated well. When sliding, they are great on feedback and I really liked them on the edge. The wear was good, great even for a 200tw. I think this tire is definitely best as a track tire, usable as dual duty for autocross or daily or track. When cold, they are quite skittery and will not have the same level of grip as when they are warm, very behind the ecs02. On a cold day or wet day at autocross, the tires would not warm up and were much slower than other tires. The tires do fall off a little with so many heat cycles in them but still hold very well and grip fine at the track.
Ran these tires on my race car as they are the new control tire. I previously ran dunlop direzza z3. The difference in lap time under the same conditions were noticeable. The Dunlops were 1.49.3 a lap where as the nankangs were 1.52.8 a lap. The handled worse and I noticed down the straight my car struggled to reach 180km where as it easily reached 200km with the Dunlops. I have used the nankangs for several race meetings and after the first initial scrub ins they haven’t improved. I have tried varying the pressures over several test days to try and see if that would help. It doesn’t. They look like they don’t wear down too fast but that is the only good side of them. I haven’t tried them in the rain yet.
Running these tires in autocross events in Swift Sport, they need an effort to be driven to the limit, glues to the track, runs happy with modified suspension and negative camber, tire presssure plays vital role on how they perform, day and night difference in performance at different psi’s
test on sunny afternoon at Sepang Circuit, track surface temperature over 40 °C. Dry grip is very good; the tire was progressive during the limit and can endure 3–4 hot laps before starting to lose grip due to overheating. Wear is just okay. Tires pricing are quite good, at least 30–40% cheaper than the competitors like the AD09 or RS4 or Z3. Loud tire rolling noise on rough road surfaces. I have no idea about its wet grip, never drive it in the rain. But from what I saw on the tire tread, it focused on dry only, not wet, damp maybe ok.
Used on a clio 182
These tires gripped from cold, way better than any tire I’d tried before in the 1b tire list, but I could see the tire wearing after the first session!
Worth every penny if your looking for outright grip on the track.
These tires gripped from cold, way better than any tire I’d tried before in the 1b tire list, but I could see the tire wearing after the first session!
Worth every penny if your looking for outright grip on the track.
Drive on 205/50 R15 tires?
Review your tires and help the next driver choose. It takes about five minutes, and every review on this page came from a driver who took them.
Where this data comes from
Owner ratings are submitted through the review form on this site, naming the tire, the size and the distance covered, and are checked by hand before publication. Test results come from independent published tire tests indexed by size, and label values from the EU EPREL database.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 using independent test results and the full body of owner reviews, so you can check a car-specific ranking against the wider evidence.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.