Best Tires For BMW 5 Series - Complete Guide

‍What Kind of Tires Does the BMW 5 Series Use?

You’ll find several kinds of tires on new BMW 5 Series vehicles, and it varies based on location, vehicle type, and trim. The most common kind of tire found on 5 Series vehicles is the all-season or A/S tire. All-season tires are a great balance, as they perform well in most weather conditions and they have an exceptionally long service life.

Depending on your location and the type of vehicle, you may also find high-performance summer tires on your 5 Series. Summer tires have superior handling characteristics in hot and dry climates, and they’re close to the ideal tire and tread type for high-performance vehicles.

Summer tires have better cornering, high-speed performance, and stability than most all-season tires. However, there are some important downsides to consider. Due to their softer rubber compounds, summer tires don’t usually last as long as all-season tires. Additionally, summer tires perform dismally on snow and aren’t the best for wet pavement either.

Different tires are ideal for different situations, and you’ll always have to make a tradeoff. One thing is consistent across the board—BMW 5 Series tires are always high-quality and designed for performance vehicles.

BMW 5 Series Tire Sizes

BMW tire sizes vary between years, models, and trims. Many used BMWs have aftermarket wheels (or wheels from different BMW models), so you’ll have to be sure before you buy tires.

Late-model BMW wheel and tire sizes are pretty consistent, but BMWs usually have different tire sizes in the front and rear. Here are some examples to give you an idea of what tires to purchase.

The 2022 BMW 5 Series tire size is P245/40R19 on the 530e, 530e xDrive, 540i, and the 540i xDrive. The 530i and the 530i xDrive use P245/45R18 tires, as it has 18” wheels.

How to Find Your BMW’s Tire Size

Finding your tire size is easy, assuming your BMW still has its factory wheels. Simply open the driver’s side door and look for the tire and wheel information decal. It should be on the door or in the door well. This decal will include your factory tire sizes, wheel size, and proper tire pressures.

The numbers and letters used to denote a tire size are also easy to decode. Let’s use P245/45R18 as an example. The first part of the code, P245, is the width of the tire in millimeters. The next part, 45, is the aspect ratio. This means that the height of the tire is 45% of the width—about 110mm, in this case. The letter R stands for radial, which means there’s a steel band in the tire. And the number after R, 18, is the size of the wheel in inches.

Best BMW 5 Series Tires

How do you choose the best tires for a luxury car like the BMW 5 Series? First, we look for quality and customer satisfaction. We also consider performance, safety, and ride comfort—which is especially important on BMWs. With that in mind, here are the five best tires for 5 Series.

1. Michelin Defender LTX M/S Tires

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The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is perhaps one of the best all-around tires for BMW 5 Series vehicles. It’s an all-season and high-performance tire designed for fast luxury cars, and it has one of the longest warranties in its class. This tire is safe for use in hot weather, wet weather, cold weather, and snow—and it handles exceptionally well on dry pavement.

The Michelin Defender LTX comes with a 50,000 to 70,000-mile warranty, and customers find that it does indeed last that long. This is due to its tough rubber compound, which the company calls “Evertread.” This Evertread compound resists wear and loads and also has 10% better traction in foul weather. Evertread has a treadwear rating of around 800, depending on the speed rating you choose.

This Michelin Defender tire is also a great fit for luxury BMWs, thanks to its MaxTouch technology. MaxTouch reduces fuel use and increases efficiency but also significantly reduces road noise for a quieter and more comfortable ride. These tires are basically made for your 5 Series—and also surprisingly affordable.

You can purchase Michelin Defender LTX all-season tires from Discount Tire for between $152 and $413 each, depending on size and speed rating.

Best Uses:

Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires are the best all-season tire for BMW vehicles, thanks to their long life, all-weather handling, and quiet ride.

2. Yokohama YK740 GTX Tires

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Are you looking for an affordable all-season tire that boasts excellent dry and wet-road performance? For the price, it’s tough to beat the excellent Yokohama YK740 GTX tire. This all-season tire is rated for use in most weather conditions and features an asymmetrical tread pattern for safety and high-speed performance.

Yokohama YK740 GTX tires come with a long 60,000-mile warranty. You’d be hard-pressed to find a performance summer tire with such a long warranty. This tire is also highly rated for handling, and many owners report a surprisingly quiet ride and good road comfort.

The Yokohama YK740 GTX tire handles corners like a champion, and its narrow tread voids help maximize road contact and shed water effectively. But how does such an affordable high-performance tire last so long? It’s thanks to Yokohama’s proprietary orange oil tread compound, called ELS. ELS increases traction in cold weather and increases tread life and durability.

The tire also features three-dimensional sipes, which increase traction on snow by biting down deep. The tire also features a nylon belt cover, which increases high-speed stability and handling. This is a true performance tire with all-season handling at a surprisingly affordable price point.

You can purchase a set of Yokohama YK740 GTX tires from Discount Tire for just $187 each.

Best Uses:

The Yokohama YK740 all-season tire is a highly affordable tire that offers great all-weather performance for luxury BMWs.

3. Continental EXTREMECONTACT DWS06 Tires

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The Continental EXTREMECONTACT DWS06 is an increasingly popular all-season tire for BMW owners, and owners of the 5 Series praise its long-wearing tread and excellent handling. This tire is highly rated and strikes a good balance between all-weather traction and fast car handling.

Continental EXTREMECONTACT DWS06 tires come with a 50,000-mile warranty, which is high compared to most equivalent summer tires. And thanks to its tread pattern and deep water-shedding voids, this tire is safe to use in most parts of the country during the winter.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Continental DWS06 is its asymmetrical tread pattern. This is an increasingly common design feature used by tire makers, as a car’s traction and power are more efficient when distributed unevenly across a well-designed tire.

DWS stands for Dry, Wet, and Snow. And thanks to Continental’s +Saline tread compound, this tire has the suppleness necessary for cold temperatures and the strength required for tens of thousands of dry weather highway miles. Additionally, Continental’s SportPlus technology increases performance for high-speed driving and tight steering.

The affordable Continental EXTREMECONTACT DWS06 tire is available from Discount Tire for $170 each.

Best Uses:

This is an affordable and attractive tire that strikes the perfect balance between all-season handling and dry comfort and performance.

4. Nitto NT555 G2 Summer Tires

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When performance is key, sometimes a summer tire is the only option that satisfies. Nitto NT555 G2 summer tires are designed specifically for handling, and they perform exceptionally well on 5 Series BMWs. These tires are designed only for summer weather and shouldn’t be used in cold temperatures or snow.

Nitto NT555 G2 tires are technically classified as “ultra-performance” tires thanks to their superior handling and design. If you look closely, you’ll notice minimal tread voids and directional pattern. This is designed to shed water when necessary but provide the most traction possible on the edges of the tread.

The benefits of this design are evident, especially when compared to traditional all-season tires. Nitto NT555 G2 Tires have more road contact, which provides faster response and minimizes spin. Additionally, better road contact means better traction and handling around corners.

You can purchase a set of Nitto NT555 G2 ultra-performance tires from Discount Tire for $197 each.

Best Uses:

Nitto NT555 G2 tires are an excellent and affordable choice for high-performance BMWs in warm climates.

5. BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp 2 Tires

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BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp 2 tires are one of the industry’s favorite high-performance tires. These top-quality radials deliver superior on-road traction and dry weather performance, along with an ultra-quiet and comfortable ride. When performance is what matters, these tires have your 5 Series covered.

Like the Nitto NT555, the BFG G-Force features directional tread for superior traction and stability. The tread void channels, which are necessary to shed water on rainy days, are located in the center of the tire. This helps the outer edges maintain good road contact and increase high-speed performance.

This is a summer tire, which means it's designed for warm weather use. But thanks to a silica-infused tread compound, these tires grip asphalt confidently for faster acceleration and better braking. These tires also give you better cornering abilities than all-season tires.

You can purchase a set of BFG G-Force Sport Comp 2 tires from Discount Tire for $210 each.

Best Uses:

These BFG G-Force tires are the best option if performance, acceleration, and cornering is your primary concern.