EU tyre labels: what do A–E, wet grip and noise in dB mean?

The same size does not mean the same characteristics. The EU tyre label compares three specific measures; it is not a single overall rating of a “good” or “bad” tyre.

Efficiency and wet grip are separate scales

The A–E fuel-efficiency class reflects rolling resistance. A separate A–E scale indicates wet grip. A is the highest class on each scale. A good efficiency class does not automatically mean the same wet-grip class.

Noise: why both dB and A, B or C?

The label states the external rolling-noise class and measured level in decibels. This is not a promise about noise inside your car. When comparing tyres, look at both the class and the dB figure.

What is EPREL for?

The label's QR code leads to the specific tyre's entry in the EU product database EPREL. Check the exact model and size you are choosing: different variants of one model can have different ratings. Where a product page includes an EPREL link, it opens that official entry.

What does the label not replace?

It does not replace the vehicle manufacturer's requirements for size, load index and speed rating. A speed rating is not an EU wet-grip class. These figures alone also cannot determine whether a tyre suits all your driving conditions.

Choosing in the TAMIS catalogue

Start with the correct size and season for your vehicle, then compare the available label ratings. A blank field does not mean class A: that rating is not stated in the catalogue. Before ordering, ask us about suitability and fitting in Riga, at Cesvaines iela 10.

Source: European Commission — tyre labels and EPREL. Checked on 1 November 2026.