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What do XL and Reinforced mean on a tyre?

Explaining the terms Reinforced and XL Tyres

Reinforced and XL are interchangeable terms. They both refer to a tyre that has had its internal construction strengthened to allow for heavier loads and higher inflations. Different tyre manufacturers label their tyres differently, but the specification is essentially the same.

How are they different to regular tyres?

Feature	Regular tyre	XL or Reinforced tyre
Sidewall construction	Standard	Reinforced with additional material
Maximum load capacity	Lower	Higher for the same size
Required inflation pressure	Standard	Higher, check your vehicle handbook
Ride comfort	Softer	Slightly firmer due to stiffer sidewalls

Important

If your vehicle was fitted with XL or Reinforced tyres from the factory, you must replace them with the same type. If standard tyres are fitted to a vehicle designed for XL, tyre failure could occur even under normal loads. Our registration search handles this automatically and will only show the correct specification for your vehicle.

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