Hi Lou,
I bought a new Audi A3 six months ago. I have had to replace two tires punctured by nails so far. I’ve noticed the Audi chat forums are full of similar experiences, especially for Audi EVs. One person said they had 16 flat tires in a year and a half. Audi is making out like this is normal but I’ve been driving for 40 years and never had a flat until I got an Audi. - Beth
Similar to most other European luxury vehicles, Audis feature tires that are considered low profile. Depending on the trim level of your new vehicle, the tire size could be P225/45R17, P225/40R18 or P235/35R19. The first three numbers 225 or 235 is the width of the tire in millimetres. The last two digits 17,18 or 19 is the rim size in inches. Finally, the middle two numbers 45, 40 and 35 represent the height of the tire referred to as either the tire profile or aspect ratio. This profile/aspect ratio is what is important for this discussion.
Using P225/40R18 as a common A3 tire size example, the width of this tire is 225 millimeters, and the height of the tire is 90 millimeters which is 40 per cent of 225.
Compare that to a tire on a regular trim 2025 Honda Civic, which sports a P215/55R16. Do the math and we see this tire has a height of 118.25 millimeters.
While some Honda Civic versions have low-profile tires, most Civics and other compact sized vehicles on the road don’t whereas most European luxury compacts do.
Because low profile tires have reduced sidewall rubber, they have less flex and are stiffer over all. This is likely why you bought an Audi in the first place as the low-profile tires make for a sportier drive.
The downside is that stiffer sidewall tires have reduced cushioning and are more susceptible to all manners of road hazard damage. Experts agree low profile tires are more easily damaged by potholes and curbs. Experts, however, disagree that low-profile tires are more suspectable to punctures than standard sized tires.
I can tell you that my experiences over the past 35 years places me firmly in the camp that believes low-profile tires do suffer from increased puncture frequency. That being said, two punctures in six months is bad luck and not typical.
Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. Have a question about maintenance and repair? E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing “Lou’s Garage” in the subject line.
Shopping for a new car? Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price.