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Comprehensive Guides

Tyre Guides NZ — Everything Kiwi Drivers Need to Know

In-depth buying guides, care tips, technical references, and NZ-specific driving advice. Written by tyre professionals, built for New Zealand roads and conditions.

30+Free Guides
27Blog Articles
100%NZ Focused
✔ Written by tyre professionals
✔ NZ roads, WOF & conditions
✔ Updated for 2025
✔ 5.0★ Google · 254 reviews
🛠️ Looking for interactive tools? Our calculators, simulators, and search tools are on the Tyre Tools Hub.
BUYING GUIDES BY TYRE TYPE 9

Choose the right tyre for your vehicle and driving style. Each guide covers what to look for, what to avoid, and which options suit New Zealand conditions.

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All-Terrain Tyres NZ — Complete Buying Guide
The most popular upgrade for NZ utes and SUVs. Covers tread design, noise trade-offs, highway vs off-road performance, and our top picks.
Popular4WDSUV
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Mud Terrain Tyres NZ — When You Need Maximum Grip
Aggressive tread, self-cleaning lugs, and sidewall protection. When all-terrains aren't enough for your off-road conditions.
Off-Road4WD
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Highway Terrain Tyres Guide
Quiet, comfortable, and fuel-efficient. The best choice for utes and SUVs that spend most of their time on sealed roads.
SUVUte
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4WD Tyres Hub — Complete Guide for NZ
Everything about 4WD tyres in one place. Terrain comparisons, size guides, load ratings, and which brands perform in NZ conditions.
Popular4WD
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Passenger Car Tyres Guide
Choosing everyday tyres for sedans, hatchbacks, and small SUVs. Covers wet grip, tread life, noise, and how to read tyre labels.
SedanHatchback
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High Performance Tyres Guide
UHP and performance tyres for sports cars and hot hatches. Speed ratings, grip levels, and the trade-off between performance and tread life.
UHPSports
EV Tyres NZ — What Electric Vehicle Owners Need to Know
Why EVs need different tyres. Covers weight, instant torque wear, range impact, noise, and which tyres suit NZ's growing EV fleet.
GrowingEV
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Light Truck & Commercial Tyres NZ Guide
LT-rated tyres for loaded work vehicles. Ply ratings, load capacity, RUC requirements, and how to choose between LT and P-metric.
LTCommercial
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Low Profile Tyres Guide
The pros and cons of low-profile tyres on NZ roads. Covers pothole damage, ride comfort, handling benefits, and rim protection options.
StylePerformance

Ready to Find Your Tyres?

Use our guides to learn what matters, then get the best price delivered to your door or fitted at our Te Puke workshop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Highway-terrain (HT) tyres prioritise road comfort, low noise, and fuel efficiency — ideal for utes and SUVs that stay mostly on sealed roads. All-terrain (AT) tyres balance on-road manners with off-road grip, making them the most versatile choice for Kiwi drivers who occasionally hit gravel or light tracks. Mud-terrain (MT) tyres have aggressive, self-cleaning lugs for serious off-road conditions but are noisier on the highway. Our 4WD Hub has detailed comparisons.
At least once a month, and always when tyres are cold (before driving or within the first few kilometres). Pressure changes roughly 1 PSI for every 5°C temperature shift, so seasonal checks are important in NZ. Your correct pressure is on the door jamb sticker, not on the tyre sidewall. Our Tyre Pressure Calculator can help you find the right pressure for your vehicle.
The NZ legal minimum is 1.5mm across the full width of the tread. However, we recommend replacing tyres at 3mm — wet braking performance drops significantly below this point. You can check tread depth using a tread depth gauge, the built-in wear indicators on your tyres, or our AI Tyre Scanner which estimates tread condition from a photo. Our Tread Depth Gallery shows visual examples.
Budget tyres that carry proper certifications (DOT, ECE) are legal and safe for average driving. The difference between budget and premium is usually in wet grip performance, tread life, and noise — not basic safety. Our 19-Brand Comparison shows exactly which budget brands meet international standards and which fall short. Avoid unknown brands with no certifications.
The quickest way is to check the tyre placard on your driver's door jamb — it shows the manufacturer-recommended size. You can also read the size from your current tyre sidewall (e.g. 205/55R16). Our Find Your Tyre Size Guide walks through every method, and the Tyre Kicker search tool lets you search by vehicle make and model.
Yes — we have 15+ free interactive tools on our Tyre Tools Hub, including a braking distance simulator, AI tyre scanner, tyre size calculator, DOT age decoder, load rating charts, and more. All built in-house for NZ conditions.
Written by Taylor Houghton — Tyre Dispatch, Te Puke

Every guide on this page is written in-house by our team, based on hands-on experience fitting and selling tyres for NZ drivers. We don't copy manufacturer marketing — we write what we've learned from doing the work. Questions? Get in touch.

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HELPFUL TOOLS

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Not sure what size? Our guide helps you find the perfect tyre for your vehicle.

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Compare up to 4 tyre sizes side-by-side with our visual calculator.

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WOF Tyre Guide

Learn the 1.5mm minimum and what fails a WOF inspection.

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Summer Camping Tyres: Which Type Do You Need & What PSI Should You Run?

Taylor Houghton

Not sure whether you need all-terrain, highway or mud-terrain tyres for your camping trip? Here's how to choose the right...

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Beach Driving NZ: Complete Guide to Tyre Pressure, Permits & 15 Driveable Beaches (2025/2026)

Taylor Houghton

The complete New Zealand beach driving guide for 2025/2026. Features vehicle-specific tyre pressure charts covering Suzuki Swift, Toyota Corolla, Mazda...

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12% of 'Cheap' Facebook Marketplace Tyres Failed NZTA Tests: How to Avoid Fakes

Taylor Houghton

In 2024, NZTA audited tyres sold on Facebook Marketplace, Trade Me, and Gumtree. The results were alarming: 1 in 8...

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Smart Tyres NZ 2025: The Complete Guide to Connected Tyre Technology

Taylor Houghton

Your tyres are about to become the smartest safety feature on your car. Sensors, real-time monitoring, predictive alerts, and vehicle...

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