How much tread is on a new tyre?

New tyre tread depth

New car tyres have about 7 to 8mm of tread depth. This can be more for some premium or SUV tyres.

Usable tread life

The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm, and it's commonly accepted that tyres should be replaced when they reach 3mm. This gives you about 4 to 5mm of effective usable tread. In practical terms:

• Down to the legal minimum (1.6mm): you have about 5.4 to 6.4mm of usable tread
• Down to the recommended 3mm replacement point: you have about 4 to 5mm of usable tread

The amount of tread depth diminishes with mileage which is affected by tyre quality, driving style, tyre pressure, and wheel alignment. Monitor your tread depth to stay on top of the wear on your tyres.