Tyre noise on the EU label

The noise field on the EU tyre label gives the tyre’s external rolling noise in decibels, plus a class A, B or C. It is the noise the tyre makes for people outside the car. It is related to, but not the same as, the noise you hear inside.

How it is measured

A car rolls past a microphone at 80 km/h with the engine switched off, on a standard road surface. The class compares the value with the EU noise limit for the tyre’s width: A is at least 3 dB below the limit, B is up to 3 dB below it, C is above it.

What the numbers mean

Decibels are logarithmic. Every 3 dB is about double the sound energy, and 10 dB is perceived as roughly twice as loud. A 68 dB tyre and a 71 dB tyre sound noticeably different by the roadside.

Almost all car tyres on sale (98%) lie between 67 dB and 75 dB, with a median of 71 dB. Only 11% are in noise class A. Wider tyres are usually louder, so compare noise within one size.

Outside versus inside

The label value is a pass-by measurement. Noise inside the car also depends on the car’s insulation, the road and the tyre’s structure, and some tyres with a foam layer are quieter inside than their label suggests. Still, a lower label value is a good first filter.

How to choose

On every size page we show the quietest and loudest tyres in that size and where the median lies, for example 205/55 R16. Each pattern page shows how often the tyre is at least as quiet as three quarters of same-size rivals.