The code 205/55 R16 describes a tyre’s dimensions and construction. It is a useful example for learning to read a sidewall, but it does not by itself identify a MATTE product size.
Read the numbers in order
In this example, 205 is the nominal section width in millimetres. The 55 is the aspect ratio: the sidewall height expressed as a percentage of that width. It is not a second measurement in millimetres, so recording “205 by 55 millimetres” changes the meaning.
Keep the letter and diameter together
R identifies radial construction. The 16 identifies the wheel diameter in inches. A sixteen-inch wheel description therefore leaves out the width and aspect ratio needed to describe this tyre size fully. Another R16 tyre can have different dimensions.
Use the example correctly
Copy the actual code from your own tyres and search the current compatibility information for the exact snow-sock series. Do not substitute this example because it appears in a guide or because the vehicle looks similar to the one in a product photograph.
- 205: nominal section width, in millimetres.
- 55: sidewall-height ratio, as a percentage.
- R16: radial construction and sixteen-inch wheel diameter.
Once the code is clear, keep it intact through the purchase and fitting process. If a chart or written reply omits one of the values, ask for a complete compatibility confirmation rather than assuming the missing detail.
