The code “94W” on your tyre tells you two key things — how much weight it can safely carry and the top speed it’s designed to handle. This guide breaks down exactly what 94W means, how to read tyre sidewall markings, and how to use them when buying new tyres.
When you take a close look at the sidewall of your tyre, there are all sorts of details you’ll see – all of which tell you something different about the tyre.
This information tends to be characterised under the heading ‘tyre specification’ and tells you the size, various ratings, whether the tyre is designed for a specific season or terrain, and what it’s made of. It can also let you know if the tyre has a particular design, for example if it’s a run flat tyre, and even lets you know when the tyre was first manufactured.
Suffice to say, this information can come in handy – especially when it comes to finding replacement tyres!
The Role of Tyre Codes
A great deal of the information you’ll find on that tyre sidewall is hidden behind codes, letters and numbers.
94W is one such code that communicates two different pieces of information.
The number, 94 in this case, refers to the load rating of the tyre. It’s worth noting here that the load rating of all four tyres on a car are added together to ensure that the weight of the vehicle is covered. So, you don’t need a single tyre to hold the full weight of the vehicle – rather, all four tyres together need to meet the vehicle’s total load.
The letter, W in this case, is the speed rating – i.e., the maximum distance that the tyre is designed to travel at.
This code lets you know, therefore, if a tyre is suitable for the vehicle’s weight and speed.
Interpreting 94W in Figures
With a basic table used across all tyre brands and manufacturers, it’s easy to find the data you need in order to quickly decipher exactly what 94W equates to.
94 as the load rating equates to 670kg in weight.
W is one of the fastest speeds, facilitating a maximum of 168mph.
It’s again worth noting that this doesn’t mean the vehicle will ever carry that amount of weight or travel at that speed – simply that the tyre has the capacity to support if, if it did.
Where to Find This Information
To make it easy for all drivers to identify their own speed and load rating, here is an example tyre size calculation to decipher.
215 \ 55 \ R16 97V
Each set of numbers relates to a different specification for that tyre. In this example, the 97V is the load and speed rating you need to identify and read from the table.
