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Replacing your tires is one of the most critical elements in maintaining a car’s value and performance. Tires need to be replaced every three to four years, but this is something that is often overlooked by many. If you’re in the market for tires for Mazda 3, we have you covered. Ahead are 5 of the best tires for your Mazda 3 so you’ll know exactly what to buy.
Tires crack and lose tread when they age. If you don’t maintain and replace your tires often enough, you run the risk of blowing a tire and further damaging your vehicle. Then there’s the potential of experiencing a severe crash. On a less serious note, new tires will give your car better gas mileage, increased performance, and an overall better experience.
Comparison Table: Top 10 Tires
The tires in this table reflect the ones in our product roundup section below. We’ve got them in order of price ascending to make it easy for you to shop.
Here’s our top picks currently for sale from Amazon and Tire Rack. What we love about Tire Rack is that they will help you make sure the tire will fit your particular style of Mazda 3, and help you find a installing service near you.
Riken Raptor HR will deliver you a good tire on a budget. A more basic radial designed tread will deliver a decent grip year-round. Remember, you get what you pay for, and these tires aren’t covered by any sort of warranty. However, if you are looking for a lower-priced tire that won’t blow out or wear quickly these are a perfect option.
The Falken Pro G4 is an all-season selection of tires for Mazda 3, but shouldn’t be too favored for those who live in an area with long winters. Their traction is better than summer tires, but they lack a bit in winter traction when compared to other all-season tires. These tires can handle a bit of snow, but if you take them to the deeper stuff, you run the risk of getting stuck. That said, if snow isn’t a big problem, these tires offer exceptional value and durability.
Their tread life is outstanding, and the comfort of the ride is virtually unmatched. Unlike some of the other all-season options, these tires are relatively quiet on most surfaces. You may hear some noise on rougher roads, but this is to be expected for most tires.
If you’re using your Mazda 3 primarily as a family coupe/sedan, you need a tire that delivers all-season grip and a quiet ride. Sumitomo’s tire is made to last. A set will cost you well under $500 and is covered by one of the best treadwear warranties on the market. Looking at the radial design, you can see the tread differences that help you keep control on the road no matter what the weather is.
Backed by a 70,000-mile warranty, we couldn’t help ourselves and had to add this to our best Mazda 3 tires list. With a warranty like that, you’d expect a large price tag, but this tire is priced lower than many of its direct competitors. It is offered by Continental in both 16 and 17-inch original equipment sizes for the Mazda.
What’s that EcoPlus Technology all about? It’s a marketing term that basically means this tire has a low rolling resistance for a grand touring all-season tire. To achieve this, Continental incorporated their Tg-F Polymers and +Silane additives in their tire compound which is then molded into a digitally optimized asymmetric tread design.
If you live in a place where the weather frequently changes, you’ll want a tire that can handle icy roads that won’t slow you down in the summer months. If this is you, the Cinturato P7 All-Season Plus is an excellent choice of tires for Mazda 3. This touring grade tire is quiet and offers great performance all for the middle of the road price point that’s tough to beat. The tread compound of the Cinturato P7 All-Season Plus tires is composed of low oil and high-silica content, which serves to reduce rolling resistance and brake distance.
Inside the tires are twin, lightweight steel belts with variable-tension spirally wrapped polyamide for reinforcement. These features aid in increasing durability, handling, and overall wear to the tires. The tires are specifically made to be eco-friendly and aim to get the most fuel efficiency as possible out of your vehicle. It is the crowned king of the Grand Touring category and is well-liked by nearly all consumers who’ve reviewed it.
Ultra Grip Ice WRT- AKA Winter Reactive Technology – is a studless ice & snow tire that is perfect for commuters who experience more intense winters and still need to be able to drive even if the roads haven’t been cleared. Some people assume that sports-style cars like the Mazda 3 are best left in the garage when it snows. But with winter tires like Goodyear’s your car won’t be left behind in fresh powder or thick ice. The 2D sipes styled laterally through the center of the tire allow you to control when coming to a stop or start on the roads.
Another excellent all-season option of tires for Mazda 3 is the Goodyear Assurance TripleTred All-Season Tires. These tires provide superb handling and traction as well as a comfortable and smooth ride. One of the most significant advantages of these tires is the new-and-improved tread compound of the TripleTred.
The tread works to disperse energy and moisture appropriately, allowing for smooth, tight turns and more control in the rain and snow. For the price, these are some of the most durable tires, and offer a six-year, 80,000-mile warranty, guaranteeing they’ll last.
The eye-catching design of the CrossClimate is more than just looks. Michelin designed these tires to give you a superior grip on dry or damp roads. They are perfect for anyone who lives somewhere with 4 seasons but without intense winters. If you get a little snow and ice but don’t want to switch out your tires to a studable option, the CrossClimate design is for you.
The Michelin Defender T + H all-season tires were released this year to much praise from critics. The tread lasts far longer on these tires than in previous models, meaning they last longer and provide a more comfortable ride. The traction of these tires on wet roads and light snow is fantastic, but you’ll have trouble getting around in deeper stuff – much like the Falken Pro G4 A/S.
One of the biggest knocks on the earlier model of the Defender T + H was that the tread didn’t last as long as the driver expected. Michelin fixed this problem with their 2017 release and matched their value with the expected durability of some of the top options.
If you live in a warmer climate and don’t need the benefits of an all-season option, summer tires are probably your best bet. Just because they’re summer tires doesn’t mean they can’t handle some rain. These tires maintain traction in wet conditions, but you won’t want to take these on any snow-covered roads.
Unlike many of the all-season options, these tires are incredibly quiet. They hug the road for a smooth ride with a composition that makes tight turns a breeze. As far as value is concerned, these tires are some of the best on the market. You may find a better option at a higher price-point, but you’d be hard-pressed to find something better for a similar cost.
Top 5 Things to Consider Before Buying Mazda 3 Tires
Choosing the right tires may seem easy. Matching the size is simple, but there are more elements than size and aesthetic you need to consider. Everything from how much you drive to the climate in which you live is critical to think about before you buy. A driver in Arizona won’t have the same needs as a driver in New England. Someone who commutes 30 miles to work will need different tires than someone who works from home.
When you make a decision to buy new tires for your Mazda 3, it is very important to consider several things:
1. Price
The first thing you need to consider before you buy any tires is the price you are willing to pay. Knowing your budget will quickly narrow down your search. One of the biggest debates in tire preferences is whether to go with expensive, high-quality tires that last a very long time or cheaper tires that are rated for lower mileage (less average treadwear).
Which saves the most money? Replacing cheap $50 tires more frequently or purchasing $100 tires and getting them rotated more often as they wear down over time? If you are someone that has it down to a science, go for the model where the numbers make sense. For most drivers, we recommend landing somewhere in the middle. There are many different brands that make some of the best tires for Mazda 3’s and it’s hard to go wrong as long as you do your due diligence properly.
2. Size
How to Read Tire Specs
The other thing you should look for before you buy any tires for your vehicle is the sizes in which the tires come in. A good place to start is your vehicle owner’s manual or the placard on the driver’s side door jamb. You’ll find a bunch of letters and numbers which denote which kinds of tires will fit your vehicle.
The label will look something like P205/55R16 91S where the “P205/55R16” part refers to the tire’s size measurements such as diameter and width. The “91 S” part refers to a 91 load index (how much weight the tires can support) and the S is the speed rating which in this case means the tires are capable of handling speeds up to 112 mph.
Tire Size Diagram
Newcomers to the tire buying game often get tire size and wheel size confused. That’s okay! The diagram pictured above helps visualize tire dimensions and wheel dimensions. Remember, most tires are sold standalone (tires + wheels are much more expensive) and must be mounted by a properly trained technician.
3. Weather
Nearly all car tires fall into three broad categories: all-season, winter, and summer. Most folks go with all-season but if you experience one extreme temperature or the other it may make sense to go with winter or summer tires. Some individuals will opt to get one set of tires for summer and another for winter but cost-wise that strategy can be quite prohibitive.
Winter tires will have excellent traction in snow but mediocre braking ability on normal road conditions whereas summer tires feature top performance and handling on clear roads but poor traction in snow. All-season tires don’t shine in any one area but do a decent job in all of them.
4. Noise
Tire Noise
One thing that can really ruin a driver’s experience especially when driving for a long distance is noise. Most people assume that it is only the poor quality tires that make a lot of noise when one is driving. The truth is, even the best tires tend to have this problem. Studded and other types of winter tires create a lot more noise than all-season tires. It is therefore very important to do your research before you buy tires for your Mazda. One thing that can help you know what to expect is reading user reviews. From the reviews, you can be able to tell what to expect with a set of tires.
5.Treads
The treads on tires say a lot about how the tires will perform in different weather conditions. For instance, studded tires tend to offer great performance in the wet and cold seasons since they can move easily in mud and snow. When it comes to summer, however, you will experience a lot of difficulty with such tires since the treads do not provide the required cushioning in such weather conditions. This is something that can really ruin your driving experience. It is therefore advisable to research the right treads for your weather conditions. For an all-around tire, These will not only work well in the summer but also in the wet and cold seasons of the year.
Choosing the Right Tires For Your Needs
Car owners tend to focus more on what’s under the hood of their car rather than the tires, but this element is equally important.
Driving on old tires can be incredibly dangerous. The United States Department of Transportation reports that worn tires account for 11,000 accidents every year. Pick the right ones to avoid being part of this statistic.
Without the right tires, you put yourself at a higher risk of accidents. On top of that, you’re lowering the overall performance of your vehicle.
Keep in mind how many miles you put on your car, what climate you live in, and any other variables that may affect your driving. Out of these five options, you’re sure to find one that will be the best tires for Mazda 3.
Take a look at our blog for more tips on maintaining your car and making sure you have the right parts to fit your vehicle’s specific needs.
