2011–2013 Toyota matrix tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2011–2013 Toyota Matrix, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly. Our catalog lists the same factory fitment for every model year from 2011 to 2013.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 205/55R16 OEM | R16 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 215/45R17 OEM | R17 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 205/55R16 OEM | 6.5x16 | N/A | 45mm | 89 | H |
| 215/45R17 | 7x17 | N/A | 39mm | 87 | W |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
Best all-season
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
all-season touring, UTQG 800, 80,000-mi warranty
Best budget
Goodyear
Assurance MaxLife
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 820
Best quiet
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
68 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 Toyota Matrix, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Toyota Matrix →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Toyota Matrix factory size →
Compatible alternative sizes for 205/55R16
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
175/50R18 |
0.05% | plus 2 | Safe |
225/50R16 |
-0.08% | wider | Safe |
195/45R18 |
0.13% | plus 2 | Safe |
185/75R14 |
0.19% | alternative | Safe |
175/65R16 |
0.32% | winter narrower | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 205/55R16 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 205/55R16 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 225/45R17; one rim size up, 0.38% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 175/50R18; two rim sizes up, 0.05% 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 2013 toyota matrix
The 2013 Toyota Matrix ships from the factory on 205/55R16 tires mounted on R16 wheels. 2 approved fitments are documented for this model year, allowing some flexibility between performance, comfort, and winter compounds. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Toyota Matrix 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 2013 Toyota Matrix 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 2013 Toyota Matrix, 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 2013 toyota matrix
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (58) · Tread / Belt (7) · TPMS (3) · Sidewall (2)
Reported across: 2003 – 2009 (7 years)
What owners described
Loss of control, rollover or collision appears in 15% of these reports; about 1.8× as often as across all tire complaints. Percentages are shares of the 53 reports covering every model year of the Toyota Matrix 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 15% | 8% | 1.8× |
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 13% | 20% | 0.7× |
| Sidewall failure | 9% | 15% | 0.6× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 4% | 9% | 0.4× |
| Premature or uneven wear | 4% | 1% | 2.9× |
| Tread or belt separation | 2% | 13% | 0.1× |
Mileage at failure
53 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 20,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 5,000 and 35,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Toyota Matrix. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
I BOUGHT A SET OF 4 "TIRE MINDER" BRAND 28-32 PSI TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING VALVE CAPS AT BROOKSTONE ON JUL 27, 2004. I INSTALLED THEM ON THE TIRES OF A NEW 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX ACCORDING TO THE PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS. (NO VALVE EXTENSTIONS AND MAKING SURE "O" RING WAS IN PLACE, PRESSURE MEASURED BY 2 GUAGES AT 30 PSI.) ALL THE CAPS HELD PRESSURE AND WORKED CORRECTLY FOR APPROX 24HRS. THEN THE FIRST CAP FAILED WHILE CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY RELEASING THE AIR WITHIN SECONDS. APPROX 12 HRS LATER THE 2ND CAP FAILED IN SIMILAR FASHION. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS NOT BENG DRIVEN AT THE TIME OR ELSE AN ACCIDENT MAY HAVE RECURRED. I REMOVED THE REMAINING 2 CAPS. I CONTACTED BROOKSTONE AND REPORTED THE ISSUE. THEY OFFERED TO REFUND MONEY BUT NO OTHER ACTION. I STILL HAVE THE CAPS. I WOULD BE WILLING TO SEND THEM TO A TESTING LAB FOR ANALYSIS.
2004 TOYOTA MATRIX RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. *TS THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL. THE ENTIRE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS SCRAPED AND DENTED INCLUDING THE FENDER, BOTH DOORS, REAR QUARTER AND BOTH BUMPER.
TODAY, THE ROADS ARE SLIGHTLY SLIPPERY, BUT WHILE EVERYONE AROUND US STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITHOUT PROBLEM, MY WIFE AND I WERE UNABLE TO STOP, CAREENING THROUGH A RED LIGHT. THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO ONCOMING CARS. THE PROBLEM IS, WE DISCOVERED, OUR TIRES. OUR TOYOTA MATRIX XR 2WD 2005, AND OUR OEM CONTINENTAL TIRES, HAS 29,078 MILES. YET OUR MEASUREMENTS INDICATE THAT ALL FOUR OEM TIRES HAVE A TREAD OF 2/16" (OUTER) AND 3/16" (INNER). THIS IS PREMATURE WEAR. OUR DEALERSHIPS SERVICE CENTER HAS SAID THAT THEY HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A PROBLEM, YET THEY OFFER US NO HELP OR SOLUTION.
HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA MATRIX--WAS LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD AND HAD APPROX 17000 MILES. NOTICE THE TIRE LOOKED LOW ON AIR ONE DAY--REMOVED THE TIRE TO CHECK FOR NAILS OR DAMAGE AND FOUND NO--SO TOOK THE TIRE TO A GARAGE AND THEY PUT THE TIRE IN A WATER BATH AND FOUND A LEAK ON THE SIDE WALL--I TOOL THE GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRE TO A GOOD YEAR DEALER--AS THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL TIRE ON THE CAR--THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRE--SO DECIDED TO BUY A NEW SET OF MICHELINS. WHEN THE GOODYEAR TIRE WAS REMOVED FROM THE RIM THE MECHANIC SHOWED IT TO ME AND THE BEAD ON THE SIDE WALL--ABOUT THAT IS IN THE VICINITY WHERE THE SIDEWALL AND TREAD ARE JOINED WAS SEVERELY CRACKED--HE SAID IT WAS A BLOW OUT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND DEFINITE DEFECTIVE TIRE FOR LESS THAN A YEAR OLD VEHICLE AND ONLY 17,000 MILES.
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 2013 Toyota Matrix?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2013 Toyota Matrix?
Where can I buy tires for my 2013 Toyota Matrix?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2013 Toyota Matrix?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2013 Toyota Matrix?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2013 Toyota Matrix?
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 Toyota Matrix is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2013 Toyota Matrix.
- 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 2026-10-07.