Comparison

245/45 R19 vs 265/40 R18

Switching from 245/45 R19 to 265/40 R18 steps down to a 18-inch wheel — a familiar move for winter and dedicated all-terrain sets. This wheel and tire pairing noticeably changes overall diameter compared to OEM. The shorter sidewall gives the tire a firmer, more responsive feel and sharpens steering input.

Indicated speed will drift far enough that recalibration is worth considering. Diameter delta falls in the cautious 3–5% range, where speedometer recalibration and a careful clearance check are worth doing.

TakeTypical choice for a dedicated winter or off-road setup where extra sidewall pays off.

Quick math: 265/40 R18 is 33.9 mm shorter than 245/45 R19, shifting the speedometer by -4.82%.

Current Tire

245/45R19

New Tire

265/40R18
245/45 R19
265/40 R18

Ground line · scaled comparison

Slight Difference

Within ±5% — usable, recalibration recommended

Diameter change

-33.9 mm

-4.82%

Speedometer at 100

95.2 km/h

-4.82% error

Ground clearance

-16.9 mm

ride height delta

Sidewall change

-4.3 mm

revs/km: 475.7

Permalink for this comparison:

/compare/245-45-r19-vs-265-40-r18

Detailed comparison

Metric245/45 R19265/40 R18Difference
Overall diameter703.1 mm669.2 mm-33.9 mm (-4.82%)
Sidewall height110.3 mm106.0 mm-4.3 mm
Circumference2.209 m2.102 m-106.5 mm
Revs / km452.7475.7+22.9
Ground clearancereference-16.9 mm-16.9 mm
Speedometer @ 100 km/h100.0 km/h95.2 km/h-4.82 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 95.2 km/h after switching to 265/40 R18 — a -4.82% 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 -16.9 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

245/45 R19

Back to

265/40 R18

Drivers also compare

Closely-related fitments and plus-size swaps for 245/45 R19 and 265/40 R18.

Related topics

Frequently asked questions