225 Vs 235 Tires: The Difference Between 225 And 235 Tires
Good tires are not just for trucks, SUVs, and RVs. Everyone who owns a car, no matter its size, needs to have good tires on their vehicles. Then they need to take care of them once they are on. Finding good tires for smaller cars is not that hard. The tire brands are the same.
There is only a 10 mm difference between these two tire models. But that 10 mm can make a big difference in performance as well as mileage. Another difference will be the tread warranty with the 225 warranty outlasting the 235 by 15,000 miles.
To learn more about these two tire models, and their differences, just continue to read our article. It explores the comparison so you have the information you need to make the right tire-buying decision for your vehicle.
225 Vs 235 Tires Difference
What's The Difference Between 225 And 235 Tires?
There are several noticeable differences between these two tires other than their width. As you know 235 is 10 mm wider than 225 but this is not the only difference you can expect
1. Warranty- always an important topic. The 225 tire comes with a 75,000-mile warranty while the 235 only comes with a 60,000-mile coverage. This warranty coverage will depend on the manufacturer as well.
2. Load- the 225 tire is made for lighter loads. That difference helps the tread last longer over the 235’s tread
3. MPG- being the smaller and narrower tire, there is less road resistance for the 225 model. It will get better mpg, depending on driving habits and conditions, than the 235 tire will.
4. Width- the 235 tire width measures about 8.85 inches while the 235 measures were roughly 9 inches wide. We have to say roughly or about because each tire maker has their own molds and there is no universal standard for them to follow.
The 235 will have a better grip and handling over the 225 but not better mpg. It will also carry a heavier load than the 225.
5. Weight & speed- the 235 may be both lighter and slower than the 225 but it performs okay. The problem with the 225 is that it is going to be weaker than its opponent in this comparison and be more vulnerable to sharp objects on the road.
The 235 will be better for off-road driving due to its wider and stronger size.
225 vs 235 Tire Width
The width of these tires is not going to be huge in physical terms. You have the 225/40/R20 about 8.9 inches wide. The 235/40/R20 will only be 9.3 inches wide. That is not even a 1/2-inch difference between the two tires.
That half-inch though makes a big difference ins stability, traction, and mpg. The first two are won by the 235 model while the 225 wins in the mpg competition of this comparison.
Plus, this almost 1/2-inch difference shows itself in the strength of the tire. The 235 should be more resistant to punctures and sharp objects than the 225 will be. The diameter of the tire is only a .3-inch difference and the sidewall height is only a 0.02-inch difference.
Keep in mind that these differences are not industry-wide and may fluctuate a little between tire brands. You won’t get a 1 mph difference between the actual speed and the speedometer rate until you reach 90 mph.
225 vs 235 Gas Mileage
Most tire websites are not providing specific numbers as those numbers change. They will be different for every driver, their driving habits and road conditions, etc.
What they measure the mileage by is called rolling resistance. The 235 being a wider tire will have more rolling resistance than the thinner 225. This rolling resistance difference means that the 225 should get better mpg than the 235.
That is the way it will be with all sizes of tires. The 235 tires will get better gas mileage than the 245 and 255 tire and on it goes. If you want top fuel efficiency, then you have to watch where you drive, when you drive, and how you drive.
Not to mention how well you load your vehicle when you are on the go. Weight distribution will help increase your fuel mileage as well as towing a lighter trailer and carrying a lighter load. The key is to not overload the tire and go past its weight rating.
225 vs 235 Performance
This will depend a lot on your road conditions as well as the weather at the time. The 235 tire option will outperform the 225 in the rain, snow, sleet, and other bad weather conditions because it is a wider tire and has more traction.
It will also be the better tire when you go off-road for the same reason. The wider the tire, the better your stability and traction when you drive over soft soil or mud.
The 225 will get better gas mileage under great weather and road conditions and that is due to the lower rolling resistance rate. But expect to get better overall performance from the 235 option.
It is a stronger tire and can resist sharp objects, holes, sharp edges, and so on, a lot better than the 225 tire can. Where it does not beat the 225 is in wear and tear. The wider rubber should wear out a little faster than the narrower rubber on the 225.
That is the reason for the better warranty for the 225 over the 235. Part of the performance is longevity and the 225 should beat the 235 in this category.
225 vs 235 Winter Tires
The advantages and disadvantages of both tires will apply here. It is just the road conditions that will be different. When you are driving over wet, snowy roads, then it is better to have the 235 tires on your vehicle over the 225 tires.
The wider tire will provide better traction because there is more rubber on the road. Plus, you should get better handling with the 235 over the 225 tires. There may only be less than a 1/2 inch difference but that is still enough to make a big impact on your driving under winter conditions.
If you went with the smaller 225 option, then you may lose about 1 mph in speed when compared to your speedometer. Some people say that narrower is better in snow but if it is, there is not much of a difference.
It is better to stick with the wider tires so you get the stability and traction you need all the time.
225 Or 235 On The 8-Inch Rim
Both tires are said to work on 8-inch rims. They do have many rim similarities and only a couple of rim differences. For example, the suitable rim size for the 225 starts at 7 inches and goes up to 7.5, 8, and 8.5 inches.
The suitable rims for the 235 start at 7.5 inches and go up to 9 inches. So if your vehicle has 8-inch rims then you are good to go. You can interchange these two tire models with no problem.
But make sure when you go up a size, that you check your gear ratio and for rubbing. Wider tires present those two problems and you should be aware of this fact. Just make sure your wheel well has the space as there is a height size difference and not just a width size difference.
The 235 may be over 1 mph at 100 mph of the speedometer reading. That difference may start at 60 mph.
225/40 vs 235/40
If these tires measure to R18, then there is even a smaller difference between these two tires. The diameter will be 25.1” for the 225 and 25.4” for the 235. The width sizes will remain the same but the sidewall height goes from 3.5 to 3.7 for the 235 over the 225.
Then there is an inch difference between the circumference of the two tires with the 235 being larger. The 225 takes 804 revolutions per minute while the 235 only needs 794.
These differences may only slightly change the 235 advantage over the 225. The width is the most important aspect and even with those slight differences, the 235 should handle better, and have better stability and traction.
The biggest difference will be who made the tires. The brand does matter and even though you save a few bucks on your purchase price, the quality of the cheaper tires is not going to be that great. Unless you happen to get a sale, then you are fine.
235 65R17 vs 225 65R17
The differences grow with this comparison with the 235 being the bigger tire in almost every category. There is a 1/2 inch difference in favor of the 235 when it comes to diameter size.
Then while the width remains the same, no difference here from the other tire models, the side wall height is 5.8 for the 235 and 6 for the 235. The circumference is 89.5 inches for the 235 and 91.1 for the 235.
While you can use the same rim with these tires, those different sizes will change your performance somewhat. The revolutions per minute are 695 to 708 respectively.
Every tire size will have some oddities to them but the performance should not be that much different. It is if your car is geared to the size properly that helps your engine and transmission last longer and avoid damage.
If you haven’t thought of it, make sure your vehicle’s gear ratio is fine for both types of tires. If not, then you will have to re-gear the vehicle to get the best performance.
225 75R15 vs 235 75R15
Except for the width, the difference in size is greater than in the previous examples. For example, the diameter is 28.3 to 28.9 respectively and the side wall height is 6.6 to 6.9 inches also respectively.
With the circumference, you have an almost 2-inch difference with the 225 tire reaching 88.8 and the 235 tire reaching 90.7 inches. The revolutions per minute, also respectively, are 713 to 699.
How will these differences affect your mpg? It is hard to say as there are more factors involved than just tire size. One thing is for sure, the 225 will get better mpg than the 235 because of its narrower design.
Road conditions, weather situations, wind factors, as well as driving habits, and weight will all influence your gas mileage. Tire size and width are just one factor in a string of factors that help or hinder fuel efficiency.
225 50 R17 vs 235 45 R17
In this comparison, the tables are turned except for the width. That will remain static no matter which size of tire you get. The 235 will always be 9.3 inches wide and the 225 will always be 8.9 inches wide.
Except for that fact, the 235 is a smaller tire in this comparison. The diameter is 25.9 to 25.3 inches in favor of the 225. The sidewall height is 4.4 to 4.2 inches in favor of the 225 and the circumference is 81.2 vs. 79.5 inches, also in favor of the 225.
The only category the 235 comes out with a larger number is revolutions per minute. Then the figures are 797 to 780 in favor of the 235 tire. However, despite this size reversal, the stability and traction factors remain with the 235 due to the wideness of the tires.
The 225 should still get better gas mileage due to its narrower size.
Can I Use 225 Instead 235?
Yes, you can but you better make sure the rest of the code matches up. You can’t put an R15 on an R17 rim or vice versa. But you can put an R17 225 on a rim that was used for an R17 235 tire.
You just have to be careful of that middle number. Also, you have to decide if you want narrower tires on your vehicle or not. If you do, your only real gain would be greater fuel mileage.
The 225 tire does not supply as much stability and traction as the 235 even if their treads are the same depth. Tread depth is not a factor in tire performance.
The only other place you would gain would be the length of warranty coverage. The 225 has 15,000 more miles of coverage than the 235. That may be a good reason to make the switch. Just don’t go off-road with the 225s or you may not have the best off-road time.
Can You Replace 225 65R17 With 235 65R17?
Yes and no. You can if you replace all 4-235 tires on your vehicle. That is the only way it will work. The exception to this rule is when you are stuck in an emergency situation and the only tire available is the 225/65R17.
Then you can make the switch but only till you get to the closest tire dealer. The no part of the answer is to protect you. When you put a different single tire on a vehicle, you are risking tire and engine damage.
The engine will have to work harder to compensate for that difference and the difference in size will affect alignment, gas mileage, and wear and tear on the rubber. Not to mention you will lose stability and traction.
The caveat to all of this is that you may not see the damage done for some time. It is not like it will happen within the first 100 miles or so. But you may experience a vehicle that is slightly harder to handle.
What is a 235 Tire Equal To?
There is a long list of tire sizes that are compatible with this tire model. Some tire calculators will use percentages to help you get close to equal in tire models. If we remember right, you want to be under 3% in differences when you buy another tire.
There is one tire that is equal to this model and it is the 265/40R17. This tire is a 100% match with about 9 other tire sizes within 1.2% of the 235 model. The only difference between the 2235 and the 265 is that the latter model is 10.4 inches wide.
Check with your tire dealer in your location as you do not want to trust internet tire calculators that much.
Some Final Words
Finding the right tires for your vehicle is not going to be that difficult. You do have a wide range of tire models that will work on smaller cars and SUVs. The trick is to change all 4 tires at the same time to the same size.
Changing one or two tires or even three is not recommended and you could cause damage to the tires as well as the transmission and engine. Talk to your local tire dealer to make sure you get the right tires all the time.
