Fitment comparison

155/80 R13versus175/70 R14

Δ Ø +22.4 mmSpeedo +3.87%Borderline

175/70 R14 stands taller than 155/80 R13 — bigger rolling diameter, slightly more clearance, calmer cruise revs.

175/70 R14 is a plus-1 alternative to 155/80 R13 — the bigger wheel shows through a thinner sidewall. This tire combination noticeably changes overall diameter compared to OEM. The speedometer error is noticeable and may warrant a recalibration if you rely on indicated speed. Expect a more planted steering feel, at the cost of some of the cushioning a taller sidewall provides. Diameter delta falls in the cautious 3–5% range, where speedometer recalibration and a careful clearance check are worth doing.

TakeCommon upgrade for sportier handling and a tighter wheel-gap look on the same vehicle.

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Quick fitment verdict

155/80 R13175/70 R14 at a glance

OEM Safe

Borderline

Noticeable drift from OEM — drivable, but recalibration is wise.

Fender Clearance

Likely rubs

Significantly wider/taller — rubbing risk on liners or fender lip is real.

Speedometer Impact

+3.87%

Dash reads 103.9 km/h at a true 100 km/h — visible drift.

Daily Driving

Aggressive

Geometry deviates enough to matter — confirm clearance before daily use.

Side-by-side telemetry

Dimensional read-out

Current

155/80 R13

Diameter
578.2 mm
Sidewall
124.0 mm
Wheel
13
Width
155 mm
NewNew

175/70 R14

Diameter
600.6 mm
Sidewall
122.5 mm
Wheel
14
Width
175 mm

Real-world effects

How this swap actually feels

  • Steering response
    62/100 · Sharper turn-in
  • Ride comfort
    58/100 · Firmer ride
  • Fuel economy
    39/100 · Slightly higher drag
  • Highway cruising
    73/100 · Lower cruise revs
  • Pothole resistance
    53/100 · Less wheel protection

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Ride height

Lifted stance

+11.2 mm

Chassis sits higher — slightly more clearance, wheel-gap visually grows.

CurrentNew289 mm300 mmRIDE HEIGHT Δ+11.2 mm

New tire lifts the chassis by ~11.2 mm — more clearance, slightly more wheel-gap.

Suspension travel · arch clearance

Wheel gap

Wheel gap visually increases

+11.2 mm

How the arch-to-tire gap reads from across the parking lot — the visual stance change everyone notices first.

18px

155/80 R13

22px

175/70 R14

Wheel-gap Δ+11.2 mm

Static · unloaded chassis

Fender relationship

Tucked · Flush · Poke

Stance language

The visual relationship between the tire's outer edge and the fender lip — the lens enthusiasts use to judge a fitment.

Tucked

Inside fender

Flush

Lip-aligned

Poke

Outside fender

Width & offset dependent

Speedometer reality

Dash reads 103.9 km/h

+3.87%

Taller rubber: at a true 100 km/h your dashboard reads optimistically high.

020406080100120140KM/H+3.87%DRIFTINDICATED100 km/hACTUAL103.9 km/h

ABS · ESP · cruise control

Setup telemetry

How this setup changes the car

Driver-perspective read-out of the 155/80 R13175/70 R14 swap — steering, comfort, stance and dash behavior in plain enthusiast language.

Steering feel

-1.5 mm sidewall

Steering response stays familiar

Sidewall delta is small; the wheel will feel like the OEM setup at the rim.

Ride firmness

80% → 70%

Ride quality essentially unchanged

Comfort delta is below the perceivable threshold for most drivers.

Fender relationship

+20 mm width

Wheel sits closer to the fender

Wider tire pushes the contact patch outboard — flusher stance, but verify fender lip clearance at full lock.

Speedometer behavior

+3.87%

Noticeable speedo drift

Drift is visible at highway speeds; ABS still works but loses a sliver of precision.

Daily drivability

Ø +22.4 mm

Aggressive setup — verify before daily use

Geometry deviates enough to matter — check clearance, recalibrate the dash, then re-evaluate.

Direct answer

Is 175/70 R14 OEM-safe?

Borderline. Overall diameter changes by +3.87% versus 155/80 R13. Borderline. Drivable, but speedometer drift becomes noticeable and ABS calibration is affected.

Direct answer

Will 175/70 R14 rub?

Possibly. Width changes by +20 mm and diameter by +22.4 mm. Possible rub at full lock or full suspension compression — verify fender lip and inner strut clearance before committing.

Direct answer

Does the speedometer change?

Yes — by +3.87%. Swapping 155/80 R13 for 175/70 R14 changes overall diameter, so at an indicated 100 km/h your true speed becomes 103.9 km/h. That's noticeable drift but usually safe.

Direct answer

Does lower sidewall affect comfort?

Yes — firmer ride. Sidewall changes by -1.5 mm (80% → 70%). Ride becomes firmer and steering sharper, but potholes and expansion joints hit harder and wheel damage risk rises.

Current Tire

155/80R13

New Tire

175/70R14

Slight Difference

Within ±5% — usable, recalibration recommended

Diameter change

+22.4 mm

3.87%

Speedometer at 100

103.9 km/h

+3.87% error

Ground clearance

+11.2 mm

ride height delta

Sidewall change

-1.5 mm

revs/km: 530.0

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Detailed comparison

Metric155/80 R13175/70 R14Difference
Overall diameter578.2 mm600.6 mm+22.4 mm (+3.87%)
Sidewall height124.0 mm122.5 mm-1.5 mm
Circumference1.816 m1.887 m+70.4 mm
Revs / km550.5530.0-20.5
Ground clearancereference+11.2 mm+11.2 mm
Speedometer @ 100 km/h100.0 km/h103.9 km/h+3.87 km/h

Verdict: warning

Between 3% and 5% — noticeable speedometer drift; recalibration may be advisable.

Dimensional comparison

Side-by-side

Scaled engineering side-profile of both tires. Width, sidewall and overall diameter are dimensioned so you can see the change at a glance — without parsing the numbers.

Current

155/80 R13
Width 155 mmSW 124Ø 578mmR13
Profile
80%
Circumference
1.816 m

New

175/70 R14
Width 175 mmSW 123Ø 601mmR14
Profile
70%
Circumference
1.887 m

Side-by-side fitment

Geometry

Current

155/80 R13
Section width
155 mm
Aspect ratio
80%
Sidewall
124.0 mm
Wheel diameter
13″(330 mm)
Overall diameter
578.2 mm(22.76″)
Circumference
1.816 m
Revs / km
550.5

New

175/70 R14
Section width
175 mm
Aspect ratio
70%
Sidewall
122.5 mm
Wheel diameter
14″(356 mm)
Overall diameter
600.6 mm(23.65″)
Circumference
1.887 m
Revs / km
530.0

Real-world consequences

Pros / cons

Wider tire (+20 mm)

Section width
  • More dry grip and cornering bite
  • Sharper steering response on initial turn-in
  • Bigger contact patch under braking
  • More road noise on coarse asphalt
  • Worse aquaplaning resistance in standing water
  • Higher rolling resistance, small MPG hit
  • Possible fender or strut contact at full lock

Lower profile (-10% aspect)

Sidewall
  • Sharper turn-in and less sidewall roll
  • More planted on smooth tarmac
  • Bigger brake / caliper visual real estate
  • Harsher ride over expansion joints and potholes
  • Higher wheel-damage risk on impacts
  • Less curb protection for the rim lip
  • More sensitive to correct tire pressure

Taller overall (+22.4 mm)

Rolling diameter
  • Higher ground clearance and approach angle
  • Longer effective gearing — calmer highway revs
  • Bigger contact patch lengthwise
  • Speedometer reads low by ~3.9%
  • Reduced fender, strut and bumpstop clearance
  • Slower 0-60, more downshifts under load

+1″ rim upsize

Wheel diameter
  • OEM+ look, fills the arch better
  • Sharper response with matching low-profile rubber
  • Bigger brake clearance for upgrades
  • Heavier wheel, more unsprung mass
  • Harsher ride, more wheel-damage risk
  • Tire and wheel cost both go up

How it changes driving feel

Seat-of-the-pants

Steering response

Sharper turn-in

Ride comfort

Harsher impacts

Road noise

Louder on coarse asphalt

Wet / aquaplaning

Reduced standing-water margin

Fuel economy

Small MPG penalty likely

Curb / pothole protection

Higher wheel-damage risk

Fitment risk check

Verify before install
Fender rubbing

Width jump >20 mm — verify fender lip and inner liner clearance at full lock.

Suspension clearance

Wider tire may contact strut or control arm on full compression.

Speedometer drift

~3.9% — borderline; recalibration recommended.

Cluster preview

Borderline
020406080100120140KM/H+3.87%DRIFTINDICATED100 km/hACTUAL103.9 km/h

Speedometer impact

At a true 100 km/h, your dashboard will read 103.9 km/h after switching to 175/70 R14 — a +3.87% offset. Use the speedometer error calculator for any indicated speed, and the speedometer error guide for the full background.

Ground clearance change

The new tire's half-diameter changes ride height by +11.2 mm. Small differences are absorbed by suspension travel, but anything beyond ±10 mm can affect headlight aim, fender clearance and bump-stop margin. See the plus-sizing guide before committing.

Back to

155/80 R13

Back to

175/70 R14

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