Anchee · High performance
ANCHEE AC218
The 205/55R16, in the extra load rating rather than the standard one.
- UTQG 420 A A
- Extra load
- 5 year warranty
The AC218 is Anchee's 205/55R16 94V XL: one size, one of the most common on New Zealand roads, done properly. Graded 420 A A, B for wet grip, and 70 decibels.
- 94V XL. A higher load index than the 91 most cars in this size came on, and a V rating, so it meets or beats the placard.
- UTQG 420 A A. Right on the median of 400 for the tyres we inspect in our workshop.
- B for wet grip and C for fuel on the European label, and 70 decibels, as quiet as anything we sell.
- Asymmetric tread, with a fine inner half for the wet and a big blocked outer shoulder for the corners.
- Five year manufacturer warranty, backed by us as the sole New Zealand importer.
- Want the everyday 91? The AC808 comes in 205/55R16 too.
What the AC218 is built to do
A quiet, well mannered tyre for the sedans and hatches that run 205/55R16: Corolla, Mazda 3, Civic, Golf, Impreza and the rest.
205/55R16 is one of the most common sizes on New Zealand roads, and the AC218 is Anchee's answer to it. An asymmetric tread puts a finely cut inner half on the road for wet grip and a big blocked outer shoulder that holds its shape in a corner, four grooves with a wide drainage design clear the water, and the tread blocks are cut to give a little as they land, which is what keeps it to 70 decibels. It is built as a 94V XL, so it carries more than the standard tyre in this size.
Anchee AC218 at a glance
| Specification | Anchee AC218 |
|---|---|
| Tyre type | High performance passenger car tyre |
| Tread pattern | Asymmetric, not directional, marked outside |
| Size | 205/55R16 94V XL |
| UTQG grade | 420 A A |
| Speed rating | V (240 km/h) |
| Load index | 94, which is 670 kg per tyre. XL |
| Rim size | 16 inch |
| European label | Fuel C, wet grip B, 70 decibels |
| Warranty | Five year manufacturer warranty |
How the AC218 tread works
Every part of the AC218's tread has a job to do. Here is what each one does for you on the road.
Quiet on chip seal
Most tyre noise is the tread blocks meeting the road, thousands of times a minute, and New Zealand's coarse chip seal makes every tyre louder. The AC218's blocks are cut to give a little as they land, softening each impact before it reaches the cabin, and the pattern is laid out so the sound is spread across many notes instead of one drone. On the European label it measures 70 decibels, as quiet as anything we sell.
Grip in the wet
Four grooves run right around the AC218 and a wide drainage design gives the water under the tyre the shortest path out, while the finely cut inner half of the tread opens into hundreds of extra edges to bite on a wet road. That is what you feel as a car that stops straight and steers cleanly in the rain. It shows on the label too: a B for wet grip, one step off the very top grade.
Steady in the corners
The outer half of the AC218's tread is built from large blocks that hold their shape when the weight of the car rolls onto them in a corner, so the steering stays sharp and the car goes where you point it. Anchee shapes the tread face on a multi arc profile, which keeps the contact patch flat as the tyre leans, and that is what gives the AC218 its composed, predictable feel on a winding road.
Grip that lasts
The AC218's silica compound is built for road grip, and its cut resistant tread shrugs off the nicks and chips that turn into uneven wear on rough roads. The proof is in the grading: a treadwear rating of 420, right on the median of 400 for the tyres that come through our workshop, with a compound that grips first. Rotate the set every service and it wears out evenly, all four together.
How the AC218 is graded
The AC218 carries a UTQG grade of 420 for treadwear, A for traction and A for temperature. A is the highest temperature grade there is. On treadwear it sits right on the median of 400 for the tyres that come through our workshop, low profiles aside, which is where a grip first tyre in this size should be. The full numbers are in our low profile tyre guide.
On the European label it grades C for fuel, B for wet grip and 70 decibels. It is V rated (240 km/h) and XL, with a load index of 94, which is 670 kg per tyre.
Where the AC218 fits and where it does not
Good for
- Any car that runs 205/55R16, and there are a lot of them
- Cars whose placard asks for a 94 load index or a V speed rating
- Wet roads, with a B for wet grip
- Drivers who want a quiet tyre, at 70 decibels
- Simple rotation, because an asymmetric tyre can move to either side of the car
Better served by another tyre
- The everyday 91V in the same size, or any other 13 to 16 inch size. See the AC808
- Low profile performance sizes on 16 inch wheels and up. See the AC818
- Electric cars. See the EP Founder CE101
Which cars the AC218 fits
205/55R16 is a factory size on more cars than we could list. These are the ones we see most, and it is a starting point, not a promise. Always read the size, the load index and the speed letter off your own sidewall or door placard before you order, because wheels get changed.
| Size | Factory fitment on |
|---|---|
| 205/55R16 | Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 and Axela, Honda Civic, VW Golf, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Prius, Hyundai i30, Kia Cerato, Ford Focus, Peugeot 308, Toyota Camry (2002 to 2006) |
What AC218 owners say
The AC218 is a one size range, so it has a handful of reviews on Judge.me rather than dozens. Here is the one from a verified buyer that talks about the tyre, word for word.
great tyre for the price.will buy more
Every review sits on the page of the tyre it was written for, and you can read all of them on Judge.me.
The rest of the Anchee range
Anchee AC818
The performance tyre for cars on low profile sizes, 16 to 21 inch. Graded 480 A A.
Anchee EP Founder CE101
The tyre built for electric cars: instant torque, regenerative braking and a quiet cabin.
Is the Anchee AC218 any good?
AC218 or AC808 in 205/55R16?
How long will it last?
What do 94V and XL mean?
What pressure should I run?
Is it directional? Which way round does it go?
Can you fit them for me?
What warranty does it carry?
Who makes Anchee tyres?
- UTQG grades, European label grades, speed rating, XL and load index: our own listing for the AC218, and the AC808 listing in the same size, read 22 September 2026
- Median treadwear of 400 for the tyres we inspect that are not low profile: our own workshop inspection records, published in the low profile tyre guide
- Tread design and compound: Anchee's AC218 product sheet and catalogue, shown above
- Pressure advice: our tyre pressure guide
- Speed symbol value for V: the standard speed symbol table
- Warranty terms, the manufacturer and our importer status: our Anchee tyres page
- Customer review: Judge.me, read 22 September 2026
European labels apply to European market sizes. New Zealand has no tyre labelling scheme, so the grades above are context rather than a local standard.
Other ranges
Where this sits against everything else we stock.
All Tyres
The full range
Passenger Car
The everyday tyre
4WD
HT vs AT vs RT vs MT
All Terrain
Gravel, sand, light mud
Highway Terrain
Quiet, sealed roads
High Performance
Grip and speed rating
Keep reading
The guides behind buying a tyre, written in the workshop.