Comparison

225/40 R18 vs 265/40 R18

On the same 18-inch wheel, 265/40 R18 grows the section width by 40 mm versus 225/40 R18. This alternative fitment noticeably changes overall diameter compared to OEM. More tread on the ground tends to improve dry grip and stance, with a small fuel-economy and clearance tradeoff.

The dashboard speed will be significantly off — plan on recalibration before daily use. The diameter gap exceeds 5%, which can affect speedometer accuracy, ABS calibration and final gearing — review with a professional first.

TakeTreat as a serious modification — verify clearance, recalibrate the speedometer and reassess load capacity.

Quick math: 265/40 R18 is 32.0 mm taller than 225/40 R18, shifting the speedometer by +5.02%.

Current Tire

225/40R18

New Tire

265/40R18
225/40 R18
265/40 R18

Ground line · scaled comparison

Not Recommended

Over 5% — speedometer & ABS may misread

Diameter change

+32.0 mm

5.02%

Speedometer at 100

105.0 km/h

+5.02% error

Ground clearance

+16.0 mm

ride height delta

Sidewall change

+16.0 mm

revs/km: 475.7

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Detailed comparison

Metric225/40 R18265/40 R18Difference
Overall diameter637.2 mm669.2 mm+32.0 mm (+5.02%)
Sidewall height90.0 mm106.0 mm+16.0 mm
Circumference2.002 m2.102 m+100.5 mm
Revs / km499.5475.7-23.9
Ground clearancereference+16.0 mm+16.0 mm
Speedometer @ 100 km/h100.0 km/h105.0 km/h+5.02 km/h

Verdict: danger

Over 5% diameter difference — likely to affect speedometer accuracy, ABS calibration and gearing. Not recommended without professional review.

Speedometer impact

At a true 100 km/h, your dashboard will read 105.0 km/h after switching to 265/40 R18 — a +5.02% offset. Use the speedometer error calculator to recheck for other indicated speeds, and the speedometer error guide for the full background.

Ground clearance change

The new tire's half-diameter changes ride height by +16.0 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

225/40 R18

Back to

265/40 R18

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Frequently asked questions