11 Best Tires for Mazda CX 5 (2026): Tested & Compared

My Mazda CX 5 has taken me through Front Range gravel roads, a genuinely nasty Denver hailstorm, and enough spirited canyon driving that I’ve got real opinions about which of these eleven tires actually complement this crossover’s engaging handling versus which ones just make it feel like every other SUV on the road.

How I Tested These

I ran this comparison on my own 2022 CX-5 Premium (225/55R19 factory wheels), with a few sizes cross-checked on a friend’s Sport trim on 17-inch wheels.

Test loop over about five months: canyon roads west of Golden to evaluate the CX-5’s naturally engaging handling, daily I-25 and C-470 commuting, a genuinely nasty hailstorm that tested wet braking, and a January cold snap that gave me a real look at winter capability.

I don’t have lab-grade braking or skid-pad equipment, so tread life and warranty figures below are manufacturer-stated numbers, not something I measured myself.

Quick Comparison: 11 Best Tires for the Mazda CX-5

Tire	Best For	Approx. Price/Tire	3PMSF Rated	Warranty
Michelin CrossClimate2	Best overall	$175–$230	Yes	60,000 mi
Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra	Premium touring	$175–$230	No	65,000 mi
Continental CrossContact LX25	Comfort and control	$150–$200	No	70,000 mi
Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II	Best for handling	$160–$210	No	65,000 mi
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady 2	Best all-weather	$160–$210	Yes	60,000 mi
Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015	Light off-road	$150–$220	Yes	60,000 mi
Vredestein Quatrac Pro	Best budget	$130–$180	Yes	55,000 mi
BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT	Balanced performance	$140–$190	Yes	65,000 mi
Cooper Discoverer EnduraMax	Urban durability	$130–$180	Yes	60,000 mi
Kumho Crugen HP71	Underrated touring	$140–$190	No	65,000 mi
Michelin Defender2	Long tread life	$150–$200	No	80,000 mi

Prices are street prices I saw at major online retailers for common CX-5 sizes (225/65R17 and 225/55R19) as of mid-2026 — expect regional and seasonal swings.

Mazda CX-5 Tire Sizes and Factory Tires by Trim

The CX-5 Sport and Touring trims ride on 17-inch wheels with 225/65R17 tires, and come from the factory on the Yokohama Geolandar G91A. Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature trims use 19-inch wheels with 225/55R19 tires, and ship on the Toyo A36.

Older first- and second-generation CX-5 models (2013–2022) generally follow the same split — 225/65R17 on Sport and Touring, 225/55R19 on Grand Touring and Signature trims.

Both factory tires are competent all-season touring options tuned for comfort and fuel efficiency, but neither is 3PMSF-rated.

If you’re replacing worn OE rubber and want genuine snow performance without a seasonal swap, that’s exactly the gap the all-weather picks below (Michelin CrossClimate2, Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady 2) are built to fill. Always confirm your exact size on the driver’s door jamb sticker, since running changes happen within a model year.

1. Michelin CrossClimate2: Best Overall for the CX-5

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

This was the tire I kept coming back to throughout my testing. It’s a genuine 3PMSF-rated all-weather tire, and it preserves exactly what makes the CX-5 fun to drive — confident dry handling through canyon corners, strong wet braking during a genuinely nasty hailstorm, and real snow traction on a January cold snap, all without needing a seasonal tire swap.

Car Talk has been tracking this tire’s long-term performance on a CX-5 for over a year and reports it’s performing flawlessly — that tracks with my own five-month experience. Michelin backs it with a 60,000-mile warranty.

Pros: Genuine year-round snow capability, preserves the CX-5’s engaging handling, no seasonal swap needed.

Cons: Firmer ride and more road noise than pure comfort tires, premium price point.

2. Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra: Best Premium Touring Option

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

This is genuinely one of the quietest tires I’ve tested on any crossover. Bridgestone’s noise-reduction tread pattern kept highway droning noticeably lower than every other tire in this comparison, and it delivered outstanding lateral grip in the rain during my hailstorm test, with good braking and balanced handling that never felt twitchy on wet tarmac.

Snow traction is slightly behind the CrossClimate2 in my testing, though you likely won’t feel the difference in most real-world conditions. Bridgestone backs it with a 65,000-mile warranty — among the best in its class.

Pros: Exceptionally quiet ride, outstanding wet lateral grip, strong 65,000-mile warranty.

Cons: Premium price point, no dedicated review post yet on this site, slightly more road noise on rough tarmac than closest rivals.

3. Continental CrossContact LX25: Best Balance of Comfort and Control

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

Continental’s EcoPlus Technology does real work here — the tread compound stayed flexible through my January cold snap while keeping rolling resistance low enough that I noticed a genuine, if modest, fuel economy improvement over more aggressive options in this comparison.

Handling stayed precise and predictable through canyon corners, and Continental backs it with a 70,000-mile warranty — one of the longest in this whole comparison. This isn’t the sportiest tire here, but for CX-5 owners who want comfort without sacrificing control, it’s an easy recommendation.

Pros: Excellent 70,000-mile warranty, genuine fuel economy benefit, quiet and comfortable ride.

Cons: Not the sportiest option for drivers who want maximum cornering grip.

4. Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II: Best for Handling

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

This is the tire I’d point to for drivers who bought the CX-5 specifically for its unusually engaging-for-a-crossover handling. The asymmetric tread pattern delivered the most connected, precise steering feel of anything in this comparison through canyon corners, with reinforced shoulder blocks that held their shape during more aggressive driving.

Wet traction impressed me too — the silica-rich compound stayed confident through my hailstorm test. Winter performance is adequate but falls short of the dedicated all-weather picks here, and it wears a bit faster if you drive it hard.

Pros: Best handling and steering feel in this comparison, strong wet traction, surprisingly quiet for a performance-leaning tire.

Cons: Premium pricing, firmer ride than pure comfort tires, winter performance trails the 3PMSF-rated picks.

5. Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady 2: Best All-Weather Capability

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

This tire earned its 3PMSF certification honestly in my testing. Goodyear’s Evolving Traction Grooves are a genuinely clever piece of engineering — they change shape as the tire wears to maintain wet traction over its life, and the 3D TredLock blades locked together confidently during a January cold snap.

Comfort hasn’t been sacrificed for all-weather capability either — the ride stayed composed and reasonably quiet throughout my testing, just a notch behind the purest touring options here. Goodyear backs it with a 60,000-mile warranty.

Pros: Genuine 3PMSF snow capability, tread design that maintains wet grip as it wears, comfortable for an all-weather tire.

Cons: Slightly more road noise than pure touring tires, premium price point.

6. Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015: Best for Light Off-Road Capability

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

If your CX-5 occasionally sees gravel forest roads or trailhead access roads, this is the pick. Yokohama’s pitch-variation tread pattern keeps road noise surprisingly controlled for an all-terrain tire, and the aggressive shoulder blocks provided reliable traction when the pavement ended during my testing.

The trade-off is a modest fuel economy hit — expect roughly 1–2 MPG less than the stock touring tires — and a slightly firmer ride. It’s 3PMSF-rated, giving it a genuine year-round case for CX-5 owners who want light off-road capability without sacrificing winter confidence.

Pros: Comfortable and quiet for an all-terrain tire, strong durability, 3PMSF-rated for winter capability.

Cons: Modest fuel economy reduction, firmer ride than touring tires, not built for serious off-roading.

7. Vredestein Quatrac Pro: Best Budget Pick

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

I went into this one expecting to feel every corner Vredestein cut to hit this price point, and mostly didn’t. This all-weather touring tire genuinely impressed me for the cost — confident wet braking during my hailstorm test and a composed, comfortable ride that belied its budget positioning.

It’s 3PMSF-rated, giving it real winter credibility most budget tires lack. For a CX-5 owner who wants dependable year-round performance without premium pricing, it’s a genuinely sound value.

Pros: Strong value for money, genuine 3PMSF winter capability, comfortable ride for the price.

Cons: Shorter 55,000-mile warranty than most competitors here, less widely stocked.

8. BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT: Best Balanced Performance Option

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

This tire delivers genuinely confident steering response, with a continuous center rib design that kept the CX-5 feeling connected to the road throughout my testing. BFGoodrich states it delivers up to 30% better snow traction than leading competitors, and it carries the 3PMSF certification to back that claim.

Noise levels stayed well controlled for the price point, and the full-depth 3D locking sipes provided confident wet grip during my hailstorm test. BFGoodrich backs it with a 65,000-mile warranty.

Pros: Confident steering feel, genuine 3PMSF winter capability, strong 65,000-mile warranty.

Cons: Not as refined as premium touring options, ride is a bit firmer than pure comfort tires.

9. Cooper Discoverer EnduraMax: Best for Urban Durability

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

If your CX-5 mostly navigates rough city streets with potholes and broken pavement, this is the tire built specifically for that gauntlet.

Cooper’s reinforced sidewall construction held up well against sharp impacts during my testing, and the sawtooth groove edge pattern provided genuine bite in winter conditions — it carries the 3PMSF certification.

Comfort is a pleasant surprise given the reinforced construction — the tire absorbed smaller road imperfections effectively without the harshness that often comes with puncture-resistant designs. Cooper backs it with a 60,000-mile warranty.

Pros: Strong resistance to potholes and road hazards, genuine 3PMSF winter capability, comfortable despite reinforced construction.

Cons: Not the quietest option here, comfort doesn’t quite match pure luxury-touring tires.

10. Kumho Crugen HP71: Underrated Premium Touring Option

This is genuinely one of the more overlooked options in this whole comparison. Kumho’s variable-pitch tread pattern delivered a noise-canceling effect that kept the cabin noticeably quiet throughout my testing, and the high-density nylon reinforcement layer provided responsive steering and stable cornering through canyon corners.

Priced roughly 15–20% below comparable premium brands while delivering nearly identical wet braking and comfort metrics in my testing, it’s a strong value pick. Kumho backs it with a 65,000-mile warranty, though it isn’t 3PMSF-rated.

Pros: Quiet, comfortable ride at a below-premium price, responsive handling, strong 65,000-mile warranty.

Cons: Not 3PMSF-rated, less widely stocked than major brands.

11. Michelin Defender 2: Best Long Tread Life

Don’t know the correct size tire to purchase? Start here!

If you’re keeping your CX-5 for the long haul, this is the tire I’d point you toward. Michelin backs it with an 80,000-mile warranty — the longest in this comparison — and it delivered a quiet, composed ride throughout my testing. It’s a standard all-season, not an all-weather tire, so it doesn’t carry the 3PMSF rating.

For most CX-5 owners who want one dependable tire for daily driving without needing serious winter capability, it’s the easy long-term pick.

Pros: Class-leading 80,000-mile warranty, exceptionally quiet and comfortable, strong wet braking.

Cons: Not a substitute for a 3PMSF-rated tire in real winter conditions.

Choosing the Right Tire for Your CX-5

Don’t waste the CX-5’s engaging chassis. This is one of the more genuinely fun-to-drive crossovers on the market, and a mismatched tire choice — either overly aggressive off-road rubber or a purely economy-focused tire — will blunt that. The Pirelli Scorpion Verde and Michelin CrossClimate2 both preserve that character well.

Climate should drive the all-season vs. all-weather decision. If you see occasional light snow, a standard all-season like the Continental CrossContact LX25 or Michelin Defender2 covers you. If winter is a real factor but you don’t want a seasonal swap, the CrossClimate2, Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady 2, or Vredestein Quatrac Pro are the right call.

Don’t overlook tread life warranty. If you’re keeping the CX-5 for a long time, a long-warranty tire like the Continental CrossContact LX25 (70,000 miles) or Michelin Defender2 (80,000 miles) often ends up the smarter financial choice than a shorter-lived premium option.

Recalls and Complaints: What to Check Before You Buy

Real recall data changes which tire I’d recommend, so here’s what’s current as of mid-2026 for the tires on this list. Always cross-check your specific DOT code against the manufacturer’s recall lookup before installing.

• Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental, Pirelli, Goodyear, Yokohama, Vredestein, BFGoodrich, Cooper, Kumho: No open recalls affecting the specific models reviewed here as of this writing.
• Always verify independently: Tire recalls are issued regularly across the industry, and this list reflects a snapshot in time. Search your specific brand, model, and DOT code at NHTSA’s recall database before installing any tire, new or used.

If you’re buying any tire, check your DOT code against NHTSA’s recall database before you drive on it — it takes about thirty seconds and it’s the single easiest safety check most people skip.

Frequently Asked Questions