175/65R13 vs 175/60R14: Tyre Size Comparison, Diameter Difference & Speedometer Effect

175/65R13 and 175/60R14 look like near neighbours on paper, but the numbers tell a more precise story. 175/60R14 is the taller tyre: its diameter is 565.6 mm against 557.7 mm, +7.9 mm (+1.4%) larger. Width moves +0 mm, sidewall height moves -8.8 mm, and the circumference changes by +24.8 mm, which is what the speedometer feels. This comparison works through the side-by-side measurements, the speedometer error at 30, 50 and 70 mph in both directions, and the practical effects on ride comfort, grip and wheel-arch clearance.

Taking 175/65r13 vs 175/60r14 as the case in point: Before the tables, keep the context straight. These are nominal new-tyre dimensions, computed from the size codes: real tyres vary slightly by brand, model, wear and inflation pressure. A +1.4% difference is within the plus-or-minus 3% guideline that is commonly used for speedometer accuracy, and the speedometer tables below show exactly what that percentage means at real road speeds. The rest of the page covers sidewall, grip, gearing and the clearance checks that decide whether the larger size can physically fit.

This is a calculation, not a safety approval. Always check your vehicle's door-jamb placard, load index and speed rating, and confirm fitment with a tyre professional before fitting a different tyre size.

175/65R13 vs 175/60R14 side by side

Measurement 175/65R13 175/60R14 Difference
Overall diameter 557.7 mm (22.0 in) 565.6 mm (22.3 in) +7.9 mm (+1.4%)
Sidewall height 113.8 mm 105.0 mm -8.8 mm
Circumference 1752.1 mm 1776.9 mm +24.8 mm
Revolutions per mile 918.5 905.7 -12.8
Section width 175 mm 175 mm +0 mm
Rim diameter 13 in 14 in +1 in

Diameter difference between 175/65R13 and 175/60R14: +7.9 mm (+1.4%)

A +1.4% diameter change is small enough to sit inside the commonly used plus-or-minus 3% guideline, so the speedometer error it introduces stays modest. The circumference changes by +24.8 mm per revolution, and the revs per mile change by -12.8, which is the same story told from the car's point of view: the instruments count revolutions, so fewer revs per mile means the car travels further per revolution than the instruments assume. That drift also affects the odometer, so recorded mileage moves by the same percentage over time.

Speedometer error: 175/65R13 to 175/60R14 and back

Here is what the speedometer does in practice. Fit 175/60R14 where 175/65R13 was, and the dial understates or overstates speed by 1.4%: indicated 30 mph is really 30.4 mph, indicated 50 mph is really 50.7 mph, and indicated 70 mph is really 71.0 mph. Swap back from 175/60R14 to 175/65R13 and the error flips sign — 70 mph indicated becomes 69.0 mph. The odometer drifts by the same percentage in each direction, so recorded mileage and any service intervals based on it shift too.

Indicated speed Actual speed fitting 175/60R14 (from 175/65R13) Actual speed fitting 175/65R13 (from 175/60R14)
30 mph 30.4 mph 29.6 mph
50 mph 50.7 mph 49.3 mph
70 mph 71.0 mph 69.0 mph

Sidewall height and ride comfort: 175/65R13 vs 175/60R14

Look at the sidewalls next. 113.8 mm on 175/65R13, 105.0 mm on 175/60R14: a difference of -8.8 mm. That is the flexible part of the tyre, and it is the first thing that absorbs a bump. A shorter sidewall transmits more of the road to the driver, which feels more direct but less forgiving on rough surfaces. Aspect ratio (65% vs 60%) is simply the sidewall expressed as a share of the width.

Width, grip and fuel use: 175/65R13 vs 175/60R14

Taking 175/65r13 vs 175/60r14 as the case in point: Width changes by +0 mm, from 175 mm to 175 mm. With the same width, the contact patch is essentially unchanged, so the grip difference between these two sizes comes from the construction and compound rather than the dimensions. Fuel use moves with rolling resistance, so a wider tyre can cost a small amount of fuel over time — the effect is real but modest for a change of this size, and it is not something this page can put a precise number on without knowing the exact tyre models involved.

Revolutions per mile and gearing: 175/65R13 vs 175/60R14

Gearing follows the circumference. 175/60R14 covers 1776.9 mm per revolution against 1752.1 mm for 175/65R13, so it needs -12.8 fewer revolutions per mile. At a fixed road speed the engine speed drops or rises by the same 1.4% as the diameter change. With the taller size the engine sits slightly lower in the rev range at cruising speed, which some drivers like and which can help fuel use a little. Either way the effect is proportional to the diameter difference, not larger than it.

Will 175/60R14 clear after 175/65R13? What to check before fitting

Whether 175/60R14 physically fits is a question for your car, not for this table. The numbers say it is taller by 7.9 mm and 0 mm the same width, and those are the dimensions that decide clearance — but the actual gaps depend on your arches, suspension and steering geometry. Check at full lock both ways, check with the suspension compressed, and check with the car loaded. Check the placard for the load index and speed rating, and check the rim width for a 175 mm tyre. A tyre professional can confirm all of it in one visit, and that confirmation is the step that turns a comparison into a fitment.

Which size suits which priority: 175/65R13 or 175/60R14

Weigh the four effects separately. Sidewall (-8.8 mm) for comfort. Width (+0 mm) for grip and rolling resistance. Diameter (+1.4%) for the speedometer, odometer and gearing. And clearance for whether the swap is physically possible at all. If the diameter is inside the plus-or-minus 3% guideline and the clearance check passes, the remaining differences are small enough to be a matter of taste; if either of those fails, the comparison is academic until it is resolved.

Related 175/65R13 vs 175/60R14 comparisons and tools

Frequently asked questions

What is the diameter difference between 175/65R13 and 175/60R14?

175/60R14 is +7.9 mm (+1.4%) larger in diameter than 175/65R13: 565.6 mm against 557.7 mm. That is inside the commonly used plus-or-minus 3% guideline for keeping speedometer error small.

How much will my speedometer be out if I fit 175/60R14 instead of 175/65R13?

The error follows the diameter ratio, +1.4%. At an indicated 30 mph the true speed would be 30.4 mph, at 50 mph indicated it would be 50.7 mph, and at 70 mph indicated it would be 71.0 mph. The full table in both directions is in the speedometer section above. That is the point this page works through for 175/65r13 vs 175/60r14.

Is 175/60R14 wider than 175/65R13, and does that matter?

Neither — 175/60R14 is 175 mm wide against 175 mm for 175/65R13, a difference of +0 mm. With the same width, grip differences come from the specific tyre rather than the size. Width also affects clearance, so check the arches and suspension at full lock.

Will 175/60R14 fit my car if 175/65R13 fits?

Not necessarily. 175/60R14 is taller by 7.9 mm and 0 mm the same width, and it needs a 14-inch rim. Check the wheel arches, suspension and steering lock at full lock in both directions, with the car loaded, and confirm the load index and speed rating against your door-jamb placard. A tyre professional can confirm fitment on your vehicle.

Which size is better, 175/65R13 or 175/60R14?

Neither is better in general — it depends on what you want. 175/60R14 has a -8.8 mm sidewall difference, a +0 mm width difference and a +1.4% diameter difference, so the trade-offs are comfort, grip and instrument accuracy respectively. If the diameter is within the plus-or-minus 3% guideline and the clearance check passes, the choice is a matter of preference; if not, resolve those two points first.