UTQG Ratings Explained: Tyre (Tire) Grades Guide 2026

UTQG tyre (tire) ratings at a glance

UTQG (Uniform Tire Quality Grading) is a US federal rating moulded onto the sidewall of passenger car tyres. It is made up of three grades: a treadwear number, a traction letter for wet stopping, and a temperature letter for heat resistance. The grades compare tyres with each other. They do not tell you how many miles or kilometres a tyre will last.

Where the rule comes from and where to find the grades

UTQG is set out in US regulation 49 CFR 575.104. It requires tyre manufacturers and brand owners to grade passenger car tyres on treadwear, traction and temperature resistance, and its stated purpose is to help buyers make an informed choice. Every tyre has to be able to reach the performance level shown by each of its grades.

The grades must be permanently moulded into the sidewall, between the tyre’s widest point (maximum section width) and the tread shoulder. The three words can run across or down the sidewall, but always in this order: TREADWEAR, TRACTION, TEMPERATURE. The one exception is a brand-new tyre line: during its first six months of production the grades do not have to be moulded on yet.

To read the rest of the sidewall, such as size, load and speed symbols, see the load index guide and tyre speed ratings explained. UTQG grades are not linked to either of those markings.

Treadwear: a relative number, not a mileage

Under the regulation, the treadwear grade is the word TREADWEAR followed by a two- or three-digit number. That number is the tyre’s wear performance as a percentage of the NHTSA nominal treadwear value. Testing takes place on a public-road course that NHTSA establishes for its own compliance tests and for manufacturers. Because the grade is a percentage, a higher number means slower wear on that course.

NHTSA calls treadwear grades an indication of a tyre’s relative wear rate. How long your tyres actually last depends on how you drive, what roads you use, your tyre pressures and your wheel alignment. The grade only ranks tyres under the same test conditions.

Traction: wet stopping only

NHTSA defines the traction grade as a measure of a tyre’s ability to stop on wet pavement. From highest to lowest the grades are AA, A, B and C. The grade does not measure grip on snow, ice or dry roads. If you drive in winter conditions, the traction letter will not help you compare tyres for those conditions.

Temperature: resistance to heat

The temperature grade shows how well a tyre resists heat, on a scale of A, B or C. NHTSA warns that sustained high temperatures, such as long drives in hot weather, can make a tyre deteriorate and lead to blowouts and tread separation. The grade assumes the tyre is properly inflated. A tyre that is underinflated or overloaded can overheat whatever its letter. The tyre pressure calculator gives the right pressure for your load.

Tyres that carry no UTQG grades

The regulation covers new pneumatic tyres for passenger cars. It does not apply to:

• deep-tread, winter-type snow tyres
• space-saver and temporary-use spare tyres
• tyres for small rims, as defined in 49 CFR 575.104
• limited-production tyres, as defined in 49 CFR 575.104 by annual volume per design and size, plus further conditions

A winter tyre with no UTQG marking is therefore normal, not a warning sign. Compare winter tyres on their winter markings instead. The winter tyre laws guide covers where those markings are required.

UTQG outside the US: UK, Canada and Australia

49 CFR 575.104 is a US federal rule for tyres sold in the United States. If a tyre made for several markets is sold in the UK, Canada or Australia, it may still have the grades on its sidewall. But the US regulation does not control how those tyres are labelled or sold in those countries.

UK and EU buyers will mainly see the EU tyre label. That label rates fuel efficiency, wet grip and external noise using a different method, so a UTQG traction letter cannot be converted into an EU wet-grip class. The EU tyre label guide explains how to read it. In Canada and Australia, check what is moulded on the sidewall itself rather than assuming the grades will be there.

What to do when comparing tyres

1. Start with the handbook. Match the size, load index and speed rating your vehicle needs. UTQG grades never override these.
2. Compare treadwear between similar tyres. A higher number suggests slower wear on the government course. Don’t turn it into a mileage promise.
3. Pick by traction letter if you often drive in rain. AA and A are the top two grades for wet stopping.
4. Use the temperature grade for hot-climate or long motorway (highway) trips. Higher is better, but it only counts if pressures are correct.
5. Don’t read too much into a missing grade. Winter tyres, temporary spares and small-rim tyres are exempt.
6. Measure real wear. Whatever the treadwear number, check the tread depth itself. The tyre wear calculator shows how fast your tyres are actually wearing.

Sources

• US eCFR, 49 CFR 575.104 Uniform tire quality grading standards: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-V/part-575/subpart-B/section-575.104
• 49 CFR § 575.104 (Legal Information Institute text): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/575.104
• NHTSA, Tires / TireWise: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/tires