Tyre price shock as costs double

Tyre price shock

Replacement tyres for new cars are up to twice the price of those for their predecessors, we can exclusively reveal

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Mat Watson

04th June 2007

We compared the cost of rubber on both the entry-level and top-of-the-range versions of the UK's most popular models with that of the previous generations.

The biggest increase was on the top-spec Renault Mégane. A new tyre for the flagship version of the MkII is £76 more than for the MkI - a rise of 144 per cent!

The average hike for range-topping models worked out to 39 per cent, compared with 15 per cent for the standard versions. The reason for the rising cost is threefold, according to industry body Tyre Safe. "People want cars which are faster, handle better and look nicer," a spokesman said.

"As a result, tyres have become wider, larger in diameter and rated for higher speeds." The cost of making rubber has actually fallen over the years, but this has been offset by the fact that tyres are now bigger.