Comparison

225/55 R18 vs 285/30 R20

285/30 R20 is a plus-2 alternative to 225/55 R18 — the bigger wheel shows through a thinner sidewall. This tire combination swings rolling diameter far enough to feel on the road.

Indicated speed will drift far enough that recalibration is worth considering. The shorter sidewall gives the tire a firmer, more responsive feel and sharpens steering input. More tread on the ground tends to improve dry grip and stance, with a small fuel-economy and clearance tradeoff. The larger wheel shows more of the brake hardware and tightens up the wheel-gap look. 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.

Quick math: 285/30 R20 is 25.7 mm shorter than 225/55 R18, shifting the speedometer by -3.65%.

Current Tire

225/55R18

New Tire

285/30R20
225/55 R18
285/30 R20

Ground line · scaled comparison

Slight Difference

Within ±5% — usable, recalibration recommended

Diameter change

-25.7 mm

-3.65%

Speedometer at 100

96.4 km/h

-3.65% error

Ground clearance

-12.9 mm

ride height delta

Sidewall change

-38.3 mm

revs/km: 468.8

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Detailed comparison

Metric225/55 R18285/30 R20Difference
Overall diameter704.7 mm679.0 mm-25.7 mm (-3.65%)
Sidewall height123.8 mm85.5 mm-38.3 mm
Circumference2.214 m2.133 m-80.7 mm
Revs / km451.7468.8+17.1
Ground clearancereference-12.9 mm-12.9 mm
Speedometer @ 100 km/h100.0 km/h96.4 km/h-3.65 km/h

Verdict: warning

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

Speedometer impact

At a true 100 km/h, your dashboard will read 96.4 km/h after switching to 285/30 R20 — a -3.65% 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 -12.9 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

225/55 R18

Back to

285/30 R20

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