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Tyre Tread Depth Guide & Photo Gallery | Check Your Tyres | Tyre Dispatch NZ

Tyre Tread Depth Guide & Gallery

Everything you need to know about tyre tread: what it means, how to check it, and 340+ real photos showing every wear stage.

340+
Real Photos
1.5mm
Legal Minimum
0–15mm
Depth Range

What is Tyre Tread Depth?

The grooves that keep you safe

Tread depth is the measurement from the top of your tyre's rubber to the bottom of its deepest grooves. These grooves aren't just for looks – they're critical safety features that channel water, mud, and debris away from the contact patch.

New passenger tyres typically have 8–9mm of tread depth. 4WD and off-road tyres can have 10–15mm or more, with aggressive patterns designed for traction on loose surfaces.

As you drive, the rubber wears down and the grooves become shallower. Once tread reaches 1.5mm in New Zealand, your tyre is legally worn out and must be replaced.

New
8mm
Mid-life
4mm
Worn
1.5mm

Red dashed line = Tread wear indicator (TWI) at 1.6mm

Why Tread Depth Matters

Your tyre's tread directly affects stopping distance, wet grip, and overall safety

🌧️

Wet Braking Distance

+38%

At 1.6mm vs 3mm tread, your stopping distance from 80km/h increases by up to 38% on wet roads

💨

Aquaplaning Risk

3x Higher

Tyres at legal minimum are 3x more likely to aquaplane than tyres with 3mm+ tread depth

⚙️

Water Dispersal

15L/sec

A new tyre can disperse up to 15 litres of water per second at 80km/h. Worn tyres struggle with just 2-3L

See YOUR Stopping Distance

Calculate how your tread depth affects braking distance — the numbers might surprise you

Your Current Tread Depth
4.0 mm
0mm (Bald) 1.5mm (Legal) 4mm 8mm (New)
Replace Soon
🌧️ Wet Road
52.3 metres
vs new: +9.2m longer
☀️ Dry Road
38.1 metres
vs new: +1.7m longer
Where Will You Stop? (Wet Road)
🟢 New
57.5m
🔵 Yours
72.1m
🔴 Bald
94.2m
0m 25m 50m 75m 100m
🟢 New (8mm) 🔵 Your tyre (4.0mm) 🔴 Bald (0mm)
⚠️ The Tread Depth "Cliff Effect"
Grip holds steady until 4mm, then collapses. That's why we recommend replacing at 3mm, not 1.5mm.
0-1.5mm: Illegal
1.5-3mm: Danger
3-4mm: Replace Soon
4mm+: Safe
The formula: Braking distance d = v² ÷ (2 × μ × g), where μ is the grip coefficient. Tread depth affects μ based on Continental/ADAC test data: new tyres at 8mm have grip factor 1.0, while tyres at 1.6mm have grip factor 0.69 in wet — a 44% increase in stopping distance. The decline is gentle from 8→4mm, then steep from 4→1.5mm (the "cliff").

How to Check Your Tread Depth

Follow these steps to check your tyres in under 5 minutes

1

Find the Tread Wear Indicators (TWI)

Every tyre has small raised bars moulded into the main grooves. These sit at 1.6mm height. Look for the TWI marker on your sidewall (a small triangle or the letters "TWI") to locate them.

💡 If your tread is level with these bars, your tyre must be replaced immediately.
2

Grab a Coin

Any NZ coin works as a quick depth gauge. Different coins measure different depths – a 20c coin is ideal as it measures the 3mm recommended minimum. See our coin guide below.

3

Insert into the Groove

Place the coin into the main tread groove (the deep channels running around the tyre) with the design facing you. Push it down until it touches the bottom.

💡 Check the main grooves, not the small sipes (thin slits in the tread blocks).
4

Read the Reference Point

Check how much of the coin's design is visible above the tread surface. Each coin has specific reference points – for a 20c coin, if you can see the top of the kiwi's beak, your tread is 3mm or less.

5

Check Multiple Points

Don't just check one spot! Measure at least 3 points across the tread width (inside edge, centre, outside edge) and repeat at 2-3 locations around the tyre. Uneven wear is common.

💡 Different readings across the tread indicate alignment, inflation, or suspension issues.

The NZ Coin Test

Use any NZ coin to quickly estimate your tread depth

New Zealand coins for tread depth testing
10c
≈ 1.5mm
Outer band visible = Legal min
20c
≈ 3mm
Hei-tiki chin visible
50c
≈ 4mm
Ship hull visible
$1
≈ 5mm
Kiwi back visible
$2
≈ 6mm
Kōtuku wing visible
0 photos

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about tyre tread depth and safety

The legal minimum tread depth in New Zealand is 1.5mm across the full width of the tread pattern that normally contacts the road. This applies to all passenger vehicles. Tyres below this depth will fail a Warrant of Fitness (WOF) inspection and are illegal to drive on public roads. However, for safety reasons, we recommend replacing tyres at 3mm, as wet weather performance drops significantly below this point.
While the legal minimum is 1.5mm, we recommend replacing tyres at 3mm for safety. At 3mm, wet braking distances are already significantly longer than new tyres. For winter driving or frequent motorway use, consider replacing at 4mm. Also replace tyres if they're over 5-6 years old (check the DOT date code on the sidewall), show signs of cracking, bulging, or uneven wear, regardless of remaining tread depth.
Uneven wear patterns indicate different issues: Centre wear (middle wearing faster) = over-inflation. Edge wear (both shoulders wearing) = under-inflation. One-sided wear = wheel alignment problems (camber/toe). Cupping/scalloping (patchy wear) = worn suspension components. Diagonal wear = may indicate a bent wheel or suspension damage. Regular rotation (every 10,000km) helps even out wear patterns.
Look for small raised bars (about 1.6mm high) moulded into the main grooves of your tyre. To locate them easily, look for markers on the sidewall – usually a small triangle, the letters "TWI", or the brand's logo (like Michelin's Bibendum mascot). These indicators are positioned at multiple points around the tyre. When your tread surface is level with these bars, your tyre has reached the legal minimum and must be replaced.
Tyre lifespan varies greatly: 40,000–80,000km is typical for quality passenger tyres with normal driving. Factors affecting lifespan include driving style (aggressive = faster wear), road conditions, vehicle weight, tyre quality, and correct inflation. High-performance tyres wear faster (20,000-40,000km), while touring tyres last longer. Regardless of remaining tread, replace tyres if they're over 5-6 years old – rubber degrades even when not in use.
You should minimise tread depth differences, especially on the same axle. For WOF requirements, tyres on the same axle should have matching tread patterns and similar wear levels. Large differences (e.g., new tyre paired with worn one) can cause handling imbalance and uneven braking. For 4WD/AWD vehicles, it's critical to keep all four tyres within 2-3mm of each other to avoid differential damage. Ideally, replace tyres in pairs (same axle) or sets of four.
Yes, but the relationship is complex. New tyres with deep tread have more rolling resistance, which can slightly increase fuel consumption. As tyres wear, rolling resistance decreases and fuel economy may improve marginally. However, the safety tradeoff is significant – the small fuel saving from worn tyres is not worth the increased stopping distances and aquaplaning risk. Proper inflation has a much bigger impact on fuel economy than tread depth.
Passenger/sedan tyres typically start with 7-9mm of tread and have a shallower, smoother pattern optimised for road comfort and fuel economy. SUV highway tyres have 8-10mm. All-terrain (AT) tyres have 10-12mm with more aggressive patterns. Mud-terrain (MT) tyres can have 12-18mm with very deep, chunky lugs. The deeper tread on off-road tyres is designed to clear mud and provide traction on loose surfaces, but wears faster on sealed roads.

Help Grow This Database

I've personally taken every photo in this gallery and will continue to add more as tyres come through our workshop. But I'd love your help!

If you have a tyre that's not on my list – at any tread depth – I'd love a photo taken in a similar style. Together we can build the most comprehensive tyre wear reference in New Zealand.

  • 📸 Your photo gets added to the gallery
  • 🏷️ You'll get credit for your contribution
  • 🚗 Help other Kiwi drivers stay safe
  • 🔍 Your tyre size may help future customers

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