i need new tires for my rsx and one of these tires is cheaper than the other, im just wondering why and which would be better for my car.
Z tires have a higher speed rating than the H. they tend to hold their form at consistant high speeds 100mph plus for extended time periods
Your car requires P205/55ZR16 tires. The difference between the 'ZR' rating and the 'HR' rating is how long a tire can sustain a certain MPH without catastrophic failure. No one in their right mind would sell you a 'H' rated tire on a vehicle that requires a 'Z' rated tire. The potential for an accident or loss of life and the resulting lawsuit would not be worth the risk. You can also be sued if you later sell this car and the buyer has an accident due to the wrong tires being installed on vehicle. Not worth the risk in either case. My store actually sells 'ZR' rated tires in your size for $100.00 each. That includes mounting and balancing and disposal fees. $400.00 plus tax out the door price.
The XR and HR descriptions as you have written them refer to the speed capability of the tire and are a rather old-fashioned and out of date way of expressing tire size. Acura recommends a tire sized P205/55R16 89V for your vehicle. The last letter, the V is the tires speed rating which indicates the maximum speed the tire is rated for under test conditions. V 149mph. A tire with an H speed rating which could read as 205/55HR16 or the more common representations P205/55R16 89H or 205/55R16 91H has a speed capability of 130 mph. That is a lower speed capability than is recommended by Acura and it could effect stopping and handling performance. The ZR description you gave, while obsolete, is still sometimes encountered. That indicates the tire has a speed rating of V or higher so it would be fine. For your vehicle any tire with a speed rating of V, W, Y or Z is acceptable.
