Stevedud

My 2014 RX450h has standard P235/55R19 tires and I’m looking at new ones for it. The speed rating for the current ones is 101V but I found a nice set but they are 101H.

Can I use the 101H?

salimshah

With H you can go as high as 130 and with V you can go up to 149 MPH. I don't think you will even get close to max of H. So it should be fine. btw there are several other things to consider while not exceeding the speed ratings.

Salim

RX in NC

No common SUV crossover truly needs V-rated tires. H-rated tires will be just fine.

Stevedud

Thanks all. I found this from a Tirerack rep while looking around, I think I’m good:

Quote:
Originally Posted by AJ@TireRack.com
Speed ratings are somewhat a sticky subject. I hope to curb some things...

Lets start by saying that tires are a global product. The same tire you drive on in small town USA is also used in Stuttgart, Germany or Nagoya, Japan. In North America, we will likely never see the actual rating that tire is speed rated for. In other parts of the world, they do.

Of course you will never see 130mph, but why does your vehicle require a tire that is rated for such? As weird as it may seem, and for North America, it really isn't about the speed the tire will see on your vehicle. It is more about the stability of the tire at speed. If the vehicle requires at least a V rated tire, and you install a T rated tire, the tire can feel very lazy when driving at highway speed. The best way to describe it is that once you make a steering input, you need to wait for the tire to catch up as the vehicle makes its move. Making a lane change at 70mph can be quite uncomfortable feeling with a lesser speed rated tire.

Maybe I should try to describe this a different way. Think that a V rated tire needs to have a certain level of construction to maintain a 149mph/240kph speed so it doesn't destroy itself at that speed. The construction in a T speed rated tire (118mph/190kph) will be significantly lower because it is not rated to move that fast. If you use a lesser rated tire than the vehicle calls for, this difference will be felt in the vehicle. Also don't forget that the tire is the first part of a vehicles suspension system and the original equipment tire speed rating was taken into account when the vehicle was designed.

All of that said, speed rating variances will be different for every vehicle and sometimes some sub-models within the same model. Generally speaking, you can drop 1 speed rating without issue.

Here is some more information about speed ratings on our website

I hope that helps!

-AJ

eusoeu

Hi,
Did you use the 101H tires? I am also with the same dilema to get 235/55/19 101H winter tires so I can go on the snow and I wanted to now your experience on the subject in case you did use the 101H.
Mine is a RX 450H 2011.
Thanks

carguy75

Yes, The H rating means that your RX350 can be safely driven up to 130 mph vs. 149 mph for the 101V tires. I will only not recommend the 101H tires if you can somehow get your RX350 to accelerate faster than 149mph on a regular basis or at all since the 2014 RX350 top speed is governed to 115 mph

RX in NC

I run a set of Continental CrossContact LX25 101H all-season tires on my wife's 2015 RX350. They should outlast any V-rated tire and considering that she has never driven over 85 mph in her life, she has nothing to worry about regarding her tires. And neither do you.

Stevedud

Yes I have used them and I have not had any problems.