If you’re a 5 Series owner, you’re probably here to find out which tires are best for your car. There are plenty of options out there, and it can be tricky to find the best tires for every situation, but we’ve tried our best to cover everything you need below.
In the sections below I’ll talk you through my top picks for 5 Series tires – whether it’s the tire with the best performance & handling or the best tire for winter driving. All the info you’ll need is in this article. We’ll compare the costs, the pros and cons, and why I think these are the best tires in each class.
Fortunately, when it comes to wheel sizes, BMW has kept things fairly simple, with a few 19-inch and 20-inch options. If you don’t see your tire specs listed, just let me know, and I’ll work on updating this to help out – but for now, I hope this helps you find your next set of 5 Series tires!
What tires are available on the BMW 5 Series?
The 5 Series range covers two-wheel sizes, 19-inch and 20-inch options. 19-inch wheels come in two varieties, and you have one option for 20-inch tires. The specs for each tire are in the table below:
| Model | Front Tire | Rear Tire |
| 530e / 530i | 245 / 40 / R19 | 245 / 40 / R19 |
| 530e / 530i | 245 / 40 / R19 | 275 / 35 / R19 |
| 530e / 530i | 245 / 35 / R20 | 275 / 30 / R20 |
How Do I Check My Tire Specs?
Along the edge of every tire, you will find the specs. They are usually shown like in the image below, with three numbers and a letter:
- Width (the larger number, usually between 200-400)
- Profile (often between 30-100)
- Tire Construction (a single letter)
- Rim Size (the size of your wheel, often between 15-25)
There may be extra details after the rim size, which can include:
- Load Rating (a number between 90-120)
- Speed Rating (a single letter)
What Do My Tire Specs Mean?
Tire specs provide information on your tire dimensions and performance:
- Width: measured in millimeters, this is the width of the tire from side to side
- Profile: this is the height of the tire’s sidewall, as a ratio against the width. In simple terms, the larger this value, the ‘thicker’ the tire
- Construction: The structure of the tire. Most modern tires are radial (shown with an R), but some run-flat tires will have a different designation.
- Rim Size: the diameter of your wheel, measured in inches
- Load Rating: How much weight the tire can support. This number is from a load index chart, and the higher the number, the more weight a tire can cope with
- Speed Rating: A letter designating the maximum safe speed a tire can handle. Common speed ratings are H (130mph), V (149 mph), W (168 mph), and Y (186 mph)
What tires are best for your BMW 5 Series?
In the next few sections we’ve covered our favorite tires for every 5 Series model. These include the best performance tires, great budget options, and many more. If you’re not sure which tires you need, it’s always best to check the specs on your car to find the perfect match below!
19 Inch Tires
The BMW 5 Series range comes with two options for 19-inch tires. These are available on both the 530i and 530e models, and the only difference is a change in the rear tire profile. The two options are:
- Front: 245 / 40 / R19
- Rear: 245 / 40 / R19
- Front: 245 / 40 / R19
- Rear: 275 / 35 / R19
Performance Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
Our performance tire of choice won’t be a surprise to some of you – it’s the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. This is the gold standard for performance tires, and if you want the best performance from your 5 Series, you can’t do much better than a set of these tires.
As you’d expect, the premium performance comes with a matching price tag here. These aren’t cheap tires, but they are designed to be the ultimate high-performance road tire, and that’s hard to argue with. My current 4 Series BMW has a set of these, and control & grip in the wet are leagues above other tires I’ve used.
All Season Tires: Continental ExtremeContact
If you want an all-season tire, the best choice here is the Continental ExtremeContact 2. An all-season tire doesn’t give you the high performance of a tire like the Pilot Sport 4S, but it’s far better for year-round use. These are tires you can use in all four seasons and handle well in almost every condition.
All-season tires tend to last longer than performance options, so you’re getting value here too. If you want to push your 5 Series, then you’re better off going for the performance tires we’ve already covered, but if you want a reliable tire to use year-round, these are the best options for your BMW.
Winter Tires: Vredestein Wintrac Pro
Next up, we’ve got the best of the best if you need a winter tire on your 5 Series. If you’re in a warmer climate,, you can skip this section, but if you need a tire to handle snow and ice, you’re in the right place. The BMW 5 Series isn’t a great car for colder conditions, but having the right tires to handle snow can make a huge difference.
Our pick is the Vredestein Wintrac Pro. It’s one of our favorite winter tires across the BMW range, and you’re getting a high-performing winter tire without paying the premium brand prices. Unfortunately the Wintrac Pro only comes in 245/40 & 275/35 profiles, but this should fit most 5 Series models.
Budget Tires: Vredestein Quatrac Pro / Vredestein Hypertrac
Finally, we have our budget tire options. Chances are, if you’re looking for tires for your 5 Series, then you’ll probably start with the bigger brands, your Pirelli or Michelin options. For most drivers, they don’t bother to look at other brands, and we’ve found some great value in the past from Vredestein as a budget option.
Both of these Vredestein tires offer great savings compared to their equivalents from the top-tier brands. Sure, the performance can’t compare to a Pilot Sport 4S, but if you’re on a budget and need to find the best option for your 5 Series, either of the tires below will serve you well.
20 Inch Tires
Now that we’ve covered the best tires for 19-inch wheels, let’s look at the choices you have for your 20-inch 5 Series’. The BMW 5 Series range comes with one option for 20-inch tires:
- Front: 245 / 35 / R20
- Rear: 275 / 30 / R20
Performance Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
Like the 19-inch tires, our choice for the best performance tires must be the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. This tire is as good as you can find for a cost/performance balance, and it’s one of our favorite tires from any manufacturer.
If you’re driving a higher spec 5 Series, these are the tires to go for in those warmer months. Moving from the BMW-supplied tires on your car to these, you’ll notice a major difference, and in wet conditions, there aren’t many tires that grip the road better. Pilot Sport tires don’t come cheap though, but you’re paying for some of the best tires on the market here.
All-Season Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season
For our all-season option, we’ve gone with another Michelin tire, the AS4. Due to the 20-inch tire profiles on 5 Series models, All-Season tires are harder to find, but we’ve used the AS4 on other BMWs and been impressed with the results.
All-season tires won’t give you the performance of a tire like the Pilot Sport 4S, but they’ll usually last longer and work better for everyday driving throughout the year. The Michelin AS4 also comes in cheaper than its performance counterpart, so you can save some money here, too.
Winter Tires: Vredestein Wintrac Pro
The 5 Series might have a sophisticated xDrive system, but if you’re in a colder climate, there’s no substitute for the right tires in winter. 20-inch winter tires aren’t easy to find, but our long-term favorite option, the Wintrac Pro from Vredestein, is available. You’re getting everything you need in a winter tire for a fraction of the price of a Pirelli or a Continental tire.
Winter tires, as the name suggests, are there to manage snow and ice, and that’s it. They don’t grip well in the summer, and they don’t have the best tire life – but when the roads are covered in snow, you will need a set of these. As I said, if you’re living in a warmer part of the world then you probably won’t need winter tires, but if there’s a chance you’ll be using your BMW in the snow, get a set of these and keep yourself safe.
Budget Tires: Vredestein Quatrac Pro
Finally, if you’re looking to save some money on your next set of 5 Series tires, the Quatrac Pro is our budget tire pick. At 20 inches, there aren’t many ‘budget’ tires available, but our pick of those available options has to be the Quatrac Pro. As a budget tire, you’re not going to get the same level of performance as other tires, but these are some of the best value-for-money tires on the market.
Budget tires are suitable in most weather conditions, although we’d recommend you get a set of winter tires for snow. If you’re not planning on pushing your 5 Series, then budget tires like this will be more than enough to handle everyday driving.
