2005 Scion xA tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2005 Scion xA, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 185/60R15 OEM | R15 | 4x100 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2005 Scion xA wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 4x100 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M12x1.5 |
| Center bore | 54.1 mm |
| Source | adaptitusa-reference |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
Best all-season
Hankook
Kinergy PT
all-season touring, UTQG 800, 90,000-mi warranty
Best budget
Hankook
Kinergy PT
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 800
Best quiet
Hankook
Kinergy PT
70 dB cabin noise (EU label); quietest in this size
Best winter
Bridgestone
Blizzak WS90
Dedicated winter (premium compound); ice/snow grip
See the best tires for the Scion xA, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Scion xA →
Compatible alternative sizes for 185/60R15
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
165/75R14 |
0.02% | winter narrower | Safe |
195/70R13 |
0.03% | alternative | Safe |
155/80R14 |
0.10% | winter narrower | Safe |
155/55R17 |
-0.12% | plus 2 | Safe |
215/40R17 |
0.13% | plus 2 | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 185/60R15 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 185/60R15 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 165/60R16; one rim size up, 0.23% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 155/55R17; two rim sizes up, -0.12% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 2005 scion xA base-model
The 2005 Scion xA Base-Model ships from the factory on 185/60R15 tires mounted on R15 wheels. Only one approved fitment is documented for this model year, so replacement options should match the original size exactly unless a plus-size upgrade is being considered. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Scion xA comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 2005 Scion xA Base-Model owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 2005 Scion xA Base-Model, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 2005 scion xA
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (2) · Sidewall (1)
Reported across: 2005 – 2005 (1 year)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 25% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 8 reports covering every model year of the Scion xA that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 25% | 20% | 1.2× |
| Sidewall failure | 13% | 15% | 0.8× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 13% | 9% | 1.3× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 13% | 8% | 1.5× |
| Premature or uneven wear | 13% | 1% | 9.6× |
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Scion xA. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
DT: 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONSUMER STATES THE RUN FLAT TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FOUND ON OTHER WEB SITES. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT OF THE VEHICLE. ON ONE OF THE TIRES, THE CORE COULD BE SEEN. THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL TIRES FOR THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NOTHING TO INDICATE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. NONE OF THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THESE ARE DUNLOP TIRES, SP400TDSSCOTT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TODAY, FOR A LOUD NOISE SHE BELIEVED TO BE THE ROOF RACK.
DT: 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONSUMER STATED TWO OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE SPLIT. THE FRONT PASSENGER AND REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRES WERE THE ONES AFFECTED. HE WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND THE FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. AFTER TAKING IT OFF THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED A TWO INCH SPLIT BY THE SIDEWALL. THIS WAS ABOUT AN INCH IN THE TREAD DOWN TWO OR THREE INCHES ON THE SIDEWALL. THE REAR TIRE HAD THE SAME SPLIT. WHEN HE NOTICED IT HAD NOT GONE FLAT. TOYOTA MAINTAINED THAT THE CONSUMER RAN OVER SOMETHING. HE HAD TO ORDER AND REPLACE TWO NEW TIRES BY HIMSELF, HE REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE SECOND TIRE OCCURRED TWO WEEKS LATER. THESE ARE DUNLOP TIRES.
PREMATURE TIRE WEAR - FAILED ROAD INSPECTION ALL FOUR RUNFLAT TIRES AT 24,000 MILES COULDN'T BRING UP VEHICLE FOR A TOYOTA SIENNA 2005 ALL WHEEL DRIVE WITH DUNLOP RUNFLAT TIRES. ALL 4 TIRES NOT USABLE AT 24,000 MILES DUNLOP P225/60R17 DSST RUNFLAT TIRES.
TOYOTA MOTOR CORP MANUFACTURING OF THE 2004 SOLARA IS ABSURD. TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR OR WARRANTY ANYTHING ON THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 COMPLETE BRAKING SYSTEMS, REPLACED MULTIPLE SETS OF TIRES, THE INTERIOR IS ALREADY FALLING APART AS THE REAR TAILLIGHT IS OUT AND THE FRONT HEADLIGHT AS WELL. TOYOTA REFUSES TO WARRANTY ANY PARTS SAYS ITS STATED IN THE NEW WARRANTY TERMS WHICH I WAS NEVER SHOWED WHEN I PURCHASED THE VHL BRAND NEW? THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR IS ALL RUSTED OUT FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILINGS AS WELL ON A 2004 CAR? WORST CAR EVER AND WORST MANUFACTURER EVER DEALT WITH. GOING TO GO BACK TO GM CORP THEY STAND BEHIND CONSUMER COMPLAINTS.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 2005 Scion xA?
What is the bolt pattern of a 2005 Scion xA?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2005 Scion xA?
Where can I buy tires for my 2005 Scion xA?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2005 Scion xA?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2005 Scion xA?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2005 Scion xA?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Scion xA is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2005 Scion xA.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-09-02.