01 xc tire size

[davew]

What is the correct size tire for this car? Ther gas door says 215-65-R16
but it has 215-55-R16 on it. Which is best ? Also what brand is best on this car?[happy]

[JRL]

216/65/16 is the correct OEM size
They come with Pirelli Scorpions, POS tire IMO.
You can run any tire you wish (check your load rating if you carry a lot of people and things)

[wiz]

215/65-16 is a tough size to find a decent tire in, so a lot of people figure out alternative size combinations (not difficult). Having a different size is not a big deal if all the tires are the same, but your wheels are a bit on the small size. The outside diameter of a 215/65-16 is 27in and so your spare will be 27in too. When replacing it's important to get as close to 27in OD as possible so you can use that spare if you need to. 235/60-16 as an alternative size is popular on this board and I am thinking about it myself. A small number of brands in this size have been fitted by members and I can find no reports of rubbing on full lock. The OD of a 235/60-16 is 27.1in.

[JRL]

I ran 225/60/16's on my 01 when there were no replacements whatsoever for the AWFUL Scorpions back then, worked just fine