These are the noisiest, harshest tires I have ever driven on. I know the stupid 255/35 R21 tire size on the Tiguan R is a large part of the problem but the constant whining of these tires on Australian roads is infuriating. Definitely will not buy them again.
255/35 R21 Tires
Everything we know about the 255/35 R21 tire size: 7 owner reviews covering 71,269 miles of driving, and EU label data for the tires you can actually buy in it.
- 7owner reviews
- 71,269 milescovered on them
- 105tires made in this size
255/35 R21 EU tire label data
EU label values are declared for each individual size, so the figures here are exact for 255/35 R21 rather than a range across a model. 96 tires carry label data in this size. The most common load index is 98 (up to 750 kg per tire). Speed ratings on offer: (Y) (301 km/h), Y (300 km/h), W (270 km/h), V (240 km/h), H (210 km/h), T (190 km/h). 44 tires in this size carry the 3PMSF severe snow marking.
A Best wet grip
44 tires in this size hold the top EU wet grip rating, class A. The highest scoring on Tire Reviews:
- Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 Winter 9.8
- Continental SportContact 7 Summer 9.7
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 Summer 9.7
- Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport All Season 9.6
- Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Summer 9.4
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S Summer 9.4
A Lowest rolling resistance
The most fuel efficient choice: 1 tires in this size reach rolling resistance class A. The highest scoring on Tire Reviews:
- Michelin Primacy 5 Energy Summer 7.9
68dB Quietest tires
The quietest 255/35 R21 tires are labelled at 68 dB external noise:
- Pirelli P Zero Summer 8.8
- Hankook iON evo SUV Summer 8.5
- Michelin X Ice Snow+ Winter 8.5
- Bridgestone Turanza 6 Summer 8.4
- Bridgestone Turanza LS100 All Season
- Hankook iON evo AS SUV All Season
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.
What does 255/35 R21 mean?
A 255/35 R21 tire is 255 mm wide, its sidewall is 35% of that width (89 mm) tall, and it fits a 21 inch wheel. That gives an overall diameter of roughly 712 mm.
| Section width | 255 mm |
|---|---|
| Sidewall height | 89 mm |
| Rim diameter | 21" (533 mm) |
| Overall diameter | ≈ 712 mm |
| Circumference | ≈ 2,236 mm |
| Revolutions per km | ≈ 447 |
| Revolutions per mile | ≈ 720 |
Also written as
255/35R21 255/35 ZR21 255-35-21 255 35 21
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 255/35 R21 tires?
The cars most often running this size in our owner reviews. Each links to the best rated tires for that exact car.
Every tire reviewed in 255/35 R21
The complete record, including discontinued tires and tires with too few reviews to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. A further 5 tires have a single review each; they count toward the totals but are not listed.
| Tire | Season | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV | Summer | 51% | 2 | 28,500 miles |
Reviews only cover part of the market: 105 tires are made in 255/35 R21. Browse every 255/35 R21 tire →
What drivers say about their 255/35 R21 tires
The most recent owner reviews fitted in this size, in their own words.
I might be one of the first people to buy Bridgestone winter tires and I've never regretted it. I used them for 2 years, and now I'm thinking of switching to all-season tires, so I'll be looking for other options. After 40,000 km, the insides of the rear tires wore out; I think it's related to the alignment and balance, so I'll be replacing them.
From Melbourne Australia. Bought a used car and dealership replaced all 4 tires of this model. My car isn't an EV but no complaint when they give me 4 brand new Handbook tires? Dry is pretty good in terms of grip, concerning when dry is good for an SUV. However when is wet or light rain, the tracking reduced especially when turning or driving through roundabout. Have them for a year with 6500 miles, I would say quite quiet and pretty comfy. Will use them till time to change and will go Michelin PS5 or similar price range.
An excellent tire! - Originally had CSC6 on the rear and Hankook ion EVO AS tires on the front. The car feels a lot more agile now. The grip in the dry is phenomenal and is just as good in the wet. They give you a lot of confidence on the road. Will definitely buy again.
I could not find any tires with this price range for my tire size 255/35R21. Radar Dimax R8 has a great size range. At this price they are unbeatable in value. This is my second purchase. Will continue with this brand.
Supplied with Tiguan R 2023. These tires drive well and brake well in the dry. Please disregard my ratings in the wet as I have not used them in the wet and I have not had them long enough to comment on wear. They are horribly noisy. Loud drone at low speeds depending on road surface. Absolute howl at highway speeds. I really dislike these tires and will get rid of them very soon. Would never buy them again.
Comparing to Pirelli PZero (it should be matched to 4S/5S I think but don`t have other expirience to share) I had, I can immediately notice the understeering with PS5 and increased noise, but still would prefer PS5 due to better dry grip and better performance/feeling during lower temperature.
Drive on 255/35 R21 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.