The fuel efficiency rating on a tyre label shows how much the tyre adds to a car's running costs through its rolling resistance. Graded from A to E, it is the rating that affects the money spent at the pump, or the miles available from a charge.
What rolling resistance is
As a tyre rolls, it constantly flexes where it meets the road, and that flexing turns a little energy into heat. The energy lost this way is rolling resistance, and overcoming it takes fuel. The lower a tyre's rolling resistance, the less energy is wasted and the further the car goes on the same fuel or charge.
The label captures this as a grade from A, the most efficient, to E, the least (the older scale ran to G). It is reported using a standard test, so grades can be compared fairly between tyres.
How much it is worth
Tyres matter more to fuel use than most drivers expect: they account for up to around a fifth of a car's fuel consumption, almost entirely through rolling resistance. The grade therefore has real money behind it.
Manufacturers put the difference between the best and worst grades at several percent of fuel use, figures of up to around 7.5% between the top and bottom of the old scale are commonly quoted. Over high annual mileage, that difference adds up in fuel saved and CO2 avoided. For an electric car, the same effect shows up as range: lower rolling resistance means more miles per charge.
Reading it in context
A good fuel grade is worth having, but it should not be read alone. Some tyres built for strong grip, sports tyres, or winter tyres designed for cold and snow, may carry a lower fuel grade because their compounds prioritise grip over economy, and that can be a sensible trade for the job they do.
The sensible approach is to weigh the fuel grade against the wet grip grade and the car's use. For a high-mileage motorway car, fuel efficiency earns its place near the top of the list; for a car that mostly faces wet British roads, wet grip may deserve priority. Both grades are worth weighing up when choosing a set, and online sellers such as Tyres.co.uk show the fuel and wet-grip figures beside each tyre, so the two can be compared side by side.
From the workshop: the fuel grade quietly pays for itself on a car that does big miles, and it is the one EV drivers ask about most now, since it feeds straight into range. We just remind people not to chase it at the expense of wet grip on an everyday car.
Sources and accuracy. The fuel efficiency scale and the savings figures here reflect manufacturer estimates and the published labelling standards at the time of writing. Actual savings depend heavily on the car, tyre pressures and driving style. If anything here looks wrong, get in touch and we will check it and put it right.
Common questions
What does the fuel efficiency rating on a tyre mean?+
It rates the tyre's rolling resistance, the energy lost as the tyre rolls, graded from A, the most fuel-efficient, to E, the least. Lower rolling resistance means the car uses less fuel to cover the same distance.
How much fuel can a better-rated tyre save?+
Tyres account for up to about a fifth of a car's fuel use, so the grade matters. Manufacturers estimate the difference between the best and worst grades at several percent of fuel consumption, which adds up over high mileage.
Do fuel-efficient tyres grip less?+
Not necessarily, but there can be a trade-off. Some tyres tuned for very low rolling resistance prioritise economy, while sports and winter tyres may rate lower on fuel because they are built for grip. The wet grip grade should be read alongside it.
Does the fuel rating matter for electric cars?+
Yes. Rolling resistance affects an electric car's range in the same way it affects a petrol car's fuel use, so a good fuel efficiency grade can mean more miles per charge as well as lower running costs.