215/70R16 · SUV / crossover · Overview
215/70R16 tyre pressure
- Size
- 215/70R16
- Class
- SUV / crossover
- Planning PSI
- 33
- Planning bar
- 2.28
215/70R16
33 psi / 2.28 bar
228 kPa · estimates for this size class
215/70R16 · 33 psi · 2.28 bar · 228 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
Searches for “215/70R16 pressure” usually want a number. Use 33 psi (2.28 bar) only as a sketch; the door-pillar placard on the car that wears this size still wins. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a 215/70R16; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye.
What 215/70R16 means
215/70R16 means a 215 millimetre section width, a sidewall that is 70 percent of that width, on a 16-inch rim. The R is radial construction.
Taller compact SUV. Rim diameter 16 in; section 215 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the SUV / crossover class.
Estimated 215/70R16 pressure by load
Load moves the rear first on a SUV / crossover. If the factory placard already has a laden column, use that — not this sketch for 215/70R16.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 33 psi / 2.28 bar / 228 kPa | 33 psi / 2.28 bar / 228 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 34 psi / 2.34 bar / 234 kPa | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa |
| Motorway + luggage (sketch) | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa |
PSI, bar and kPa
Convert around the 215/70R16 band. 2.28 bar is about 33 psi — not 23, not 33 unless the maths says so.
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | 2.00 | 200 |
| 30 | 2.07 | 207 |
| 31 | 2.14 | 214 |
| 32 | 2.21 | 221 |
| 33 | 2.28 | 228 |
| 34 | 2.34 | 234 |
| 35 | 2.41 | 241 |
| 36 | 2.48 | 248 |
| 37 | 2.55 | 255 |
| 38 | 2.62 | 262 |
| 39 | 2.69 | 269 |
| 40 | 2.76 | 276 |
| 41 | 2.83 | 283 |
| 42 | 2.90 | 290 |
| 43 | 2.96 | 296 |
| 44 | 3.03 | 303 |
| 45 | 3.10 | 310 |
Placard versus sidewall
The sidewall of a 215/70R16 may say 51 psi or 350 kPa. That is a carcass maximum. Operating pressure is the tyre-information placard on the driver’s door pillar.
Cars often seen on 215/70R16
These catalogue models are often seen on 215/70R16 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set 215/70R16
- Park so the 215/70R16 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
- Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 215/70R16 sidewall maximum.
- If the sticker is missing, 33 psi / 2.28 bar is only a SUV / crossover planning figure for this size.
- Set all four with a calibrated gauge. A 3 psi miss on one corner shows up as a wander.
- Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.
Temperature drift
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 33 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 215/70R16.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 30 psi | 2.07 bar | 207 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 31 psi | 2.14 bar | 214 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 32 psi | 2.21 bar | 221 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 35 psi | 2.41 bar | 241 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 215/70R16 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 36 psi | 2.48 bar | 248 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 215/70R16 |
If the door sticker and this 215/70R16 page disagree, the sticker wins.
Questions about 215/70R16
Can I run 215/70R16 at a lower pressure for comfort?
Not as a habit. A soft 215/70R16 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.
When does TPMS warn on 215/70R16?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 25 psi if you were aiming at 33. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Should I bleed pressure after a motorway run?
No. Heat raises the gauge. Set cold only. Bleeding a hot tyre leaves it low the next morning.
What PSI should 215/70R16 tyres be?
A SUV / crossover planning figure is about 33 psi cold (2.28 bar / 228 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 215/70R16 and not share a sticker.
What is 215/70R16 in kPa?
228 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 234 kPa is one PSI higher.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes