275 vs 285 tire: So when someone mentioned their tire size is 275/35 R19, what does this actually mean? 275 actually denotes the width of the tires in mm. For example a 275/35 R19 tire size, it means that the width of the tire is 275mm (~ 10.8 inch) wide. The picture below shows an illustration of the 275mm length tire width.
So when a consumer asks, what is the difference between 275 vs 285 tire? This question is a bit completed as the sidewall height is a function of the tire width & aspect ratio. (275/35 R19 –> 35 denotes the aspect ratio) This indirectly determines the diameter of your tire. This is the reason why when you are inching up, you tend to go up higher in width and lower in aspect ratio to keep the diameter roughly the same. We have written extensively about inching up and you can find more info here.
To get an idea what tire sizes we are comparing, below are some examples of the popular tire sizes which carry the 275 & 285 width.
| 275 | 285 |
| 275/30R20 | 285/30R19 |
| 275/35R19 | 285/30R20 |
| 275/35R20 | 285/35R18 |
| 275/35R21 | 285/35R20 |
| 275/40R18 | 285/35R21 |
| 275/40R19 | 285/40R20 |
| 275/40R20 | 285/45R19 |
| 275/40R22 | 285/45R20 |
| 275/45R20 | 285/45R21 |
| 275/45R21 | 285/70R17 |
| 275/50R20 | |
| 275/50R21 | |
| 275/50R22 |
Table of Contents
Footprint 275 vs 285 tire
So regardless of your aspect ratio, the main key differences comparing 275 vs 285 tire comes in the footprint shape. An important point to note here is that your total footprint area stays the same regardless of what tire width you use as pressure is a function of weight. (Pressure = Force[weight]/ Area ) So please do not get swayed by articles telling you otherwise.
However with a bigger width tire (285) you have a slightly wider footprint width compared to 275.
So how does this wider footprint actually improve the tire performance? From past studies, it is common knowledge that a wider footprint tire (285) performs better in wet braking compared to smaller width (275) one. The concept is relatively simple as the faster you are able to dissipate water to create a semi dry patch, the better your wet braking performance. So with a 285 tire width with a wider footprint, you have less contact area on a semi dry surface compared to a 275 tire width with a narrower footprint.
The same principle also holds in ice & snow braking, as a wider width tire is able to dissipate the thin liquid layer on ice & snow to create a higher friction surface to ensure a more effective way to transmit forces to the ground.
Noise 275 vs 285 tire
Having a long footprint width might enhance your braking performances however it does come with a noise drawback. As the exterior noise generated is correlated to your tire width, the 285 width tire will be much more noisier than the 275 width tire. To minimize noise, you would like the air flow hitting the tire contact patch as narrow as possible to reduce the air pumping effect. Like everything in tires, trade offs are a common theme 🙂
Segmentation 275 vs 285 tire
Based on the tire size table list, 275 tires are mainly used in the 30-50 aspect ratio range with the majority of the sizes in the low aspect ratio range. Notable sizes include the popular 275/40 R20 which was popularized by BMW X6 & X4 series. These tires are mostly segmented in the ultra high performance (UHP) area which has a keen interest in handling & braking performance for the sporty sedan vehicles. Notable products in the 275 range includes Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 & also Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus.
On the other hand 285 tires have a similar range like 285 with a big concentration of ultra ultra high performance segments. Popular sizes like the 285/30 R19 for Mercedes-Benz C-Class AMG are positioned in the UUHP segmentation. Notable products in the 285 range includes Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4s & Continental’s ExtremeContact Sport 02.
Summary
Overall in a comparison of 275 vs 285 tire, 285 tires come with a wider footprint which enables better wet/snow/ice braking performances compared to a 275 tire. However a 275 width tire having a narrow footprint has a better noise performance compared to a 285 width tire. I Hope this clarifies the pros and cons of 275 vs 285 tire.