Best Tires For Ford Mustang: Complete Guide

8 Best Tires For Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang, an icon in the automotive industry of America. With over 55 years of production and new generations being released every few years, a lot has changed. But some things haven’t — people still love the Ford Mustang, and its tires still wear out over time.

That said, finding new tires for the Ford Mustang can be just about impossible at times. With all the different wheel and tire sizes that they’ve come with over the years combined with the versatility of the car as alluded to above, there can be an endless list of tire options to sift through when the time to get new ones comes around.

That’s where we come in.

To help Mustang owners get the best possible tires, we’ve created this comprehensive guide that will take you through the 8 best tires on the market. Whether you’re looking for a top-tier all-season tire, something to head to the track with, or a tire fit for drag racing, we’ve got you covered.

Without further ado, here are the 8 best Ford Mustang tires available on the market today:

Michelin Premier A/S — Best All-Season

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Any Ford Mustang owners out there who are in the market for an all-season tire should consider the Michelin Premier A/S at the top of their list. When everything that makes a tire great is taken into account — traction, comfort, tread life, safety features, etc. — the Premier A/S takes the cake as the top-rated all-season tire.

To ensure reliable traction and grip in all conditions, the Premier A/S was designed with a tread compound that’s high in silica content, which enhances traction in dry, wet, and even snowy conditions.

This EverGrip technology, as it’s called, also provides consistent traction even as the tire is wearing down, so there’s little to no reduction in performance over the lifetime of the Premier A/S. It also provides class-leading wet-braking technology that will help the Mustang stop more quickly than other tires.

As a Michelin Total Performance tire, the Premier A/S has a little bit of everything. Enhanced comfort, reduced stopping distance, increased fuel efficiency, and reliable traction and control are all provided by this tire.

So any Mustang owners looking for a great all-season tire for year-round performance should look no further than the Premier A/S.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 45,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 1,521 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 50 psi
• Tread Depth: 10/32”
• Tire Weight: 25 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 500
• UTQG Traction: AA
• UTQG Temperature: A
• Helio+ Technology offers enhanced winter performance compared to others in its class
• EverGrip tread technology provides wet traction even when the tires are worn

FAQ

Are these better than the Michelin Defender?

In terms of the overall tire and ride quality, the Premier just outperforms the Michelin Defender T+H as our top-rated all-season tire. The Defender has a longer tread life warranty, but the Premier A/S offers unparalleled comfort and life-long performance under harsher road conditions.

What sizes are offered?

Designed as the go-to tire for anyone looking to put a high-quality all-season option on their passenger car, sports car, or small SUV, the Premier A/S is offered in all major tire sizes from 15” through 19” wheel diameters. This includes the majority of all Mustang sizes in the past decade.

Can I drive on these tires in the snow?

Yes, the Michelin Premier A/S is a top-tier all-season tire that can be driven on in light snow. For serious winter driving in heavy snow, we always recommend getting a set of dedicated winter tires, however!

Pirelli Cinturato P7 — Best Touring

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Pirelli tires have been synonymous with racing and fast cars ever since they started producing tires. And over the years that reputation has not changed. So any Mustang owners looking for the perfect touring tire are in luck, the Pirelli Cinturato P7 is the perfect choice.

Pirelli makes the OEM tires on some of the most luxurious and performance-oriented cars in the world, and they didn’t let up when it came to the Pirelli Cinturato P7. This tire is a top-tier touring tire that’s also capable of delivering high-performance capabilities including more responsive handling and steering.

As an all-season tire, the Cinturato P7 also provides traction and grip all year long no matter what the weather conditions are. With the help of circumferential and lateral grooves, the Cinturato P7 directs water away from the center of the tire to ensure reliable traction at all times.

But what really makes a great touring tire? Tread life and comfort, of course! And the Cinturato P7 delivers on both of those as well. With a 70,000-mile tread life warranty, the P7 offers performance capabilities with a high mileage warranty.

To make sure it’s as comfortable as possible, it also uses computer-enhanced pitch sequencing to reduce road noise and vibration. It truly is a great tire and would be the perfect choice for driving your Mustang around for years to come.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 70,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 1,874 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 51 psi
• Tread Depth: 11/32”
• Tire Weight: 24 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 700
• UTQG Traction: A
• UTQG Temperature: A
• A Long-lasting, super comfortable ride makes this a great touring tire
• Increased fuel economy from tread decompound and lower rolling resistance

FAQ

How long do these last?

These touring tires from Pirelli come with a 70,000-mile tread life warranty from the factory. Most Mustang owners get right around that number, but some get upwards of 75,000 miles or more out of them if they’re properly maintained.

What makes this the best touring tire?

For sportier cars like the Mustang, you’ll want to have a touring tire that lasts a long time, provides a comfortable ride, and still offers performance capabilities when called upon. The Pirelli Cinturato P7 does all three of those things exceptionally well, making it our favorite touring tire for Ford Mustangs.

What sizes are offered?

Offered in all common “sporty” tire sizes ranging from 16” through 20” wheel diameters, the Pirelli Cinturato P7 is available for just about every year and model of Mustang over the past couple of decades.

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S — Best Summer

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The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is an ultra-high performance summer tire that is a member of the popular Michelin Pilot Sport line of performance tires. You’ll see another member of the Pilot Sport family later in this guide, but the Pilot Sport 4S is hands down the best summer tire on the market for Ford Mustangs.

The Pilot Sport 4S was specifically designed to offer the best possible performance during the summer months thanks to Michelin’s Dynamic Response Technology and Variable Contact Patch 3.0.

These technologies enable the tire to provide a tighter, more adaptive steering response than other tires while simultaneously redistributing the stresses of the tire under aggressive cornering to make sure it stays planted and offers uncompromised grip and traction.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S only comes with a 20,000- to 30,000-mile tread life warranty (depending on speed rating), but keep in mind that they’re only designed for summer use. The tread of the Pilot Sport 4S also uses Michelin’s Total Performance Technology to extend its life by up to 10% over other tires.

Offered in all major tire sizes from 17” through 22” wheel diameters, the Pilot Sport 4S is easy to find in just about every tire size that goes on the Ford Mustang, especially within the past decade.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 20,000 to 30,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 1,323 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 50 psi
• Tread Depth: 9.5/32”
• Tire Weight: 22 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 300
• UTQG Traction: AA
• UTQG Temperature: A
• This is the tire that comes on some of the fastest cars in the world
• Unparalleled grip and adaptive steering input

FAQ

Can I drive on this year-round?

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S was designed specifically to provide ultra-high performance capabilities in the summer months. Although it can handle wet roads during the summer, we don’t recommend driving on it year-round. It does best in warm temperatures. We definitely would not recommend using this tire in the winter, especially if it snows.

How do these compare to the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2’s?

Unlike the Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, the Pilot Sport 4S tires were not designed specifically for racing and track use. This means you can drive on them on the street and still expect 20,000 to 30,000 miles out of them. The Pilot Sport Cup 2s were made for racing and track performance, not cruising on the streets.

What is the mileage warranty?

Depending on the speed rating of the Pilot Sport 4S you put on your Mustang, it will come with either a 20,000 or 30,000-mile tread life warranty. It’s so much shorter than most other tires you see on this list because it’s designed for summer use only, so you can still expect to get a few summers out of them easily.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 — Best Winter

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Without a doubt the best winter tire on the market for passenger cars, crossovers, and smaller SUVs, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is the best choice for the Ford Mustang as well.

Mustangs are especially difficult to drive and handle in snow and ice because they’re rear-wheel drive and have higher torque than most normal cars on the road. This makes many people afraid to drive their Mustangs in the winter.

But the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 negates all that. Having a high-quality winter tire is actually more beneficial to traction and safety than even having all-wheel drive, a fact that most people don’t know about. Throw a set of Blizzak WS90s on your Mustang and you’ll be ready for anything.

With Bridgestone’s Multicell technology, the Blizzak WS90 is able to pull the top layer of water off of the ice and snow underneath it. This then allows the biting edges of the tire to dig into the snow and ice and provide class-leading traction and grip in the most severe conditions.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: None
• Max Load Capacity: 1,609 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 50 psi
• Tread Depth: 12/32”
• Tire Weight: 26 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: N/A
• UTQG Traction: N/A
• UTQG Temperature: N/A
• Industry-leading grip even in the worst winter conditions
• Quiet, comfortable ride compared to most other snow tires

FAQ

What does “studless design” mean?

Back in the day, snow tires needed to have metal studs physically added to the tread, or they’d come with studs from the factory. The studs would allow the tire to dig into the snow and ice and provide traction. Most modern snow tires — including the Blizzak WS90 — use tire engineering and technology to gain traction and don’t need metal studs.

Is the Blizzak loud to drive on?

No, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is not particularly loud to drive on. Old snow tires with the aforementioned metal studs were typically far louder than modern snow tires. These will be a tad louder than a touring tire, but you should only be using them in the winter anyway on your Mustang.

How many winters can I get out of the Blizzak WS90?

Due to being rear-wheel drive, many Mustang owners don’t drive them in the winter. But for others, it’s their only car and they have to make it work. That said, if you use them every winter as a daily driver, you can expect to get 3-4 winters out of them. If you rarely drive your Mustang in the winter, they could last the entire six years before needing replacing due to age.

BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S — Best Performance Street

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The BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S is the perfect tire for Mustang owners out there who want to get more performance out of their car without going all the way to a dedicated summer tire or track tire.

Sitting right in that gap nicely, the COMP-2 A/S offers exceptional performance as well as all-season capabilities. Unlike the summer tire discussed previously, the COMP-2 A/S is still capable of being driven year-round while providing reliable traction along the way. Even in wet conditions and light snow, this tire can get your Mustang through it.

The COMP-2 A/S uses UltiGrip Technology — a high-silica tread compound capable of offering traction year-round — to ensure reliability no matter what the weather is like outside. But it doesn’t just provide all-season reliability, it’s also a top-tier performance tire.

Designed for sports cars and muscle cars, the COMP-2 A/S was engineered to offer drivers faster acceleration, shorter stopping distances, and stability under high-speed, aggressive driving. So no matter how you’re driving your Mustang, this tire can stand up to it.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 45,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 1,433 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 50 psi
• Tread Depth: 9/32”
• Tire Weight: 27 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 400
• UTQG Traction: AA
• UTQG Temperature: A
• Designed for all-season performance including faster acceleration and shorter braking
• Offers traction on all road surfaces including dry, wet, and light snow

FAQ

Are these an all-season tire?

Although these are high-performance tires, they actually are an all-season option! This means that they are designed to provide traction in all four seasons and all road conditions, even including light snow.

Can I use these at the track?

You can absolutely use the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S tires at the track! They’re designed for ultra-high performance use, so they’ll handle their own. They may not do as well as a track-specific tire, but they will still offer great performance.

What sizes are offered?

Designed for sports cars and other high-performance cars, the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S are offered in all the “sporty” tire sizes from 16” wheel diameters up through 20”. These include just about every Mustang tire size over the last ten years.

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 — Best Performance Track

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For the most track-oriented Mustang drivers out there, the best tire on the market is the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2. Another tire that’s a member of the famous Michelin Pilot Sport family, the Cup 2 is the brand’s top-tier racing tire that offers unparalleled performance at the track.

Using a proprietary dual-compound rubber, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 provides the best track performance on the market. The center of the tread uses an elastic polymer and Track Longevity Technology to increase its tread life. Simultaneously, the outer portions of the tread use a racing compound that was designed for high-speed driving and cornering.

This tire also uses the aforementioned Variable Contact Patch 3.0 technology, allowing it to adapt to the driving conditions and the road to ensure the tire stays planted to the ground and offers as much grip, traction, and handling as possible.

The Pilot Sport Cup 2 is offered in “sporty” tire sizes ranging from 17” through 21” wheels, meaning it should be easy to find a set for almost any year and model Mustang out there.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: None
• Max Load Capacity: 1,323 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 50 psi
• Tread Depth: 7.2/32”
• Tire Weight: 22 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 180
• UTQG Traction: AA
• UTQG Temperature: A
• The dual compound used in the rubber to deliver unparalleled track performance
• Track Longevity Technology makes the tread last longer at the track

FAQ

Are these tires good for the street too?

These tires will provide great traction on the street as long as it’s warm out and the roads are dry! If it’s rainy or cold, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires will not perform nearly as well. They also won’t last too long being driven on the street on a daily driver Mustang, but they sure will perform great at the track!

What is the mileage warranty?

These tires do not come with a mileage warranty, unfortunately. As a track-oriented summer tire, the tread compound is not designed to last long. Rather, it’s designed to perform well at the track. How often you go to the track and how much you drive them will limit how long they last.

Can I drive on these in the snow?

Designed specifically with high-performance and track-oriented cars, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 will not perform well in the snow, and we don’t recommend driving on them in the winter. Use them for the track and get a nice all-season or set of winter tires for winter.

Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S — Best Drag Radial

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As one of the most popular vehicles in the world to go to the local drag strips every weekend, the Mustang needs a reliable drag radial that can get the job done. When that job involves both street driving and performance at the track, the winner is clear — the Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S.

Coming from the biggest name in drag racing tires, the Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S has taken the racing world by storm since its inception within the past decade. Replacing the older ET Street, the new S/S delivers amazing performance on the street and at the strip.

Using a proprietary rubber compound dubbed as R2, the ET Street S/S is able to hook at the track and propel your Ford Mustang off the starting line faster than you’ve been before. But as a DOT-approved tire, it can just be left on the car and driven right home. It’s truly the best of both worlds.

Offered in sizes from 15” through 20” wheel diameters, the ET Street S/S can be used on most OEM Mustang wheels, or they can be put on a dedicated set of racing wheels.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: None
• Max Load Capacity: 1,653 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 44 psi
• Tread Depth: 6/32”
• Tire Weight: 19 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: N/A
• UTQG Traction: N/A
• UTQG Temperature: N/A
• Provides excellent strip performance while also offering street-driving capabilities
• Proprietary R2 drag tire rubber compound provides class-leading traction and grip

FAQ

What’s the difference between a drag radial and a true slick?

There are a few differences between the two tire types, but when it comes to your mustang, getting a street-capable drag radial like the Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S is usually a better idea. Offering much better regular driving abilities than a slick, these are much easier to use for most people than a slick dedicated purely to racing.

Can I drive on these all year?

We don’t recommend driving on any drag radial or slick in the rain or snow because you’ll get very little traction. The rubber compound that makes these tires so great at the track will also wear out far quicker than normal tires, so they wouldn’t last long on a daily driver.

How long do they last?

That depends on how often you use them at the track really. If you don’t really race on them or do burnouts, you can get 15,000 to 20,000 miles out of a pair. But if you race a lot, they might just last one season worth of racing if that.

Pirelli P Zero Nero All-Season — OEM Tire

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Since it’s a Pirelli tire, you can imagine that the P Zero Nero All-Season is actually a high-quality tire, especially as far as OEM tires go.

Ford wanted to put a nice tire on the Mustangs from the factory, and they did exactly that with the P Zero Nero All-Season. As the name suggests, the P Zero Nero is an all-season tire, offering excellent traction and performance year-round and in any weather conditions, including even light snow.

A high silica content rubber compound was used in this tire and molded into an asymmetrical design to enhance traction and provide consistent control and handling. Stable shoulder blocks work alongside center ribs to maximize the contact patch and keep as much of the tire on the ground as possible, even during aggressive driving.

As the OEM tire on many models of the Mustang, the P Zero Nero is easy to find if you loved how the stock set performed. Though we would suggest trying out one of the other options in this guide when you’re in the market for new tires!

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 45,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 1,874 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 50 psi
• Tread Depth: 11/32”
• Tire Weight: 28 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 400
• UTQG Traction: AA
• UTQG Temperature: A
• Ultra-high performance tire, offering great performance from the factory
• Provides traction throughout the year, on roads that are dry, wet, or even snowy

FAQ

Is the P Zero Nero a good tire?

The P Zero Nero is a surprisingly high-quality OEM tire. Ford did the Mustang owners right by offering these ultra-high performance tires from the factory, enabling their customers to get great performance out of the Mustang as soon as they drove it off the lot.

Should I stick with Pirelli tires on my Mustang?

Pirelli is one of the biggest names in the tire industry, especially when it comes to racing and high-performance vehicles. That said, there are certainly other brands out there that you can choose from, but Pirelli is one of the best and you can’t go wrong with some of their tire options on your Mustang.

How long will the stock tires last?

The P Zero Nero tires come with a 45,000-mile tread life warranty from the factory, but many Mustang owners over the years have gotten more life out of them than that. If maintained well, you can get 50,000 to 60,000 miles or more out of these tires.

Ford Mustang Tire Sizes

As one of the most popular muscle cars ever built, the Mustang has come in seemingly countless models and trim levels over the years, each with different wheel and tire options. In total the Ford Mustang has had a whopping 17 different OEM tire sizes come on the various models over just the last ten years:

• 215/65R17
• 225/60R17
• 235/55R17
• 235/50R18
• 245/45R19
• 255/40R19
• 265/40R19
• 275/40R19
• 285/35R19
• 295/35R19
• 305/30R19
• 305/35R19
• 315/30R19
• 255/30R20
• 285/35R20
• 305/30R20
• 315/30R20

Considering that the Ford Mustang has been produced every year since 1964, it can be nearly impossible to list every OEM tire size that’s ever been offered, much less keep track of it all on your own. That said, we’ve compiled the list of every Ford Mustang model over the last ten years, as well as all the appropriate tire sizes. So if you know the year and model Mustang you have, take a look at the table to help determine the tire size(s) on your car.

Ford Mustang Tire Buyer’s Guide

Why Are the Front and Rear Tire Sizes Different on a Mustang?

For some Mustangs out there, actually the majority, the front and rear wheel and tire sizes are the exact same, just like on any other car. That seems pretty normal, right? After all, shouldn’t all the tires on the car be the same size? In most cases, yes. But for sports cars and muscle cars, that isn’t always the case.

The front and rear tire sizes can be different on a Ford Mustang because of the different needs that each axle has. Since Mustangs are rear-wheel drive, the rear of the car is tasked with putting the power and torque to the ground. That will often require a wider wheel and tire combination in the back to handle the power, especially in high-powered Mustang models like the GT500 or GT350.

If you have a Mustang that has different front and rear tire sizes, it’s very important that you don’t do typical maintenance such as a tire rotation. With different sized front and rear wheels, they aren’t designed to go on the opposite axle, and oftentimes the wheel backspacing and sizing will not fit. This could lead to issues getting them to seat all the way on the hubs or clearing the brakes. Just be cognizant of the wheel and tire sizes on your Mustang!

Do the Mustang Tire Sizes Change Along With Each New Generation?

There have been quite a few different generations of the Ford Mustang since its inception in 1964. Over the last nearly 60 years, the Mustang has undergone facelift after facelift and received new drivetrain after new drivetrain. But what about the tires? Do those always change along with the new generations of Mustang?

For the most part, the answer is yes. The tire sizes do change along with the new generations of Mustang. Considering most new generations involve a total facelift and some sort of makeover, the wheels usually change along with it, which then in turn changes the OEM tire size.

This is why it’s so difficult to just try to guess your tire size on your Ford Mustang, it can be totally different from year to year. Not only that, but each year seems to also come with different models and trim options, further increasing the number of different tire sizes. So it’s important to at least know the year and model of your Mustang so you can find the tire size.

Can a Mustang be Driven in the Winter Even Though it’s Rear-Wheel Drive?

Many people avoid driving their Mustang in the winter — especially in the snow — because they are rear-wheel drive. Rear-wheel drive vehicles are notoriously bad to drive in the snow, since the power is being delivered to the wheels that aren’t steering, meaning you have to counteract the power with the opposite end of the car. So can you drive your Ford Mustang in the winter?

A little-known fact to most people is that a set of high-quality winter tires — like the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 — is the biggest upgrade a vehicle can have in terms of winter performance. A rear-wheel drive car with nice winter tires will perform better in the snow than an all-wheel drive car on standard tires. So yes, you can drive your Mustang just fine in the winter if you have the right tires.

People find that hard to believe and they think an AWD car will always outperform a RWD car in the snow. But tires truly do make that big of a difference. With winter tires, you also don’t necessarily need to put them on all four wheels. Typically just having winter tires on the wheels that receive power (the rear wheels for a Mustang) will be enough, since those are what drive the vehicle through the snow.

Where is the Spare Tire in a Ford Mustang?

Having a tire issue like a blowout or flat tire in any vehicle is downright frustrating and inconvenient. This is only compounded when it’s difficult to find the spare tire if the car even has one. Luckily, almost every modern Ford Mustang does in fact include a spare tire, but where is it located?

Not all years and models of Mustang are created equally, but the spare tire on just about all of them is found in the trunk. If you get a flat tire, pop open the trunk and lift up the carpet. Underneath the carpet, you should find another layer of the trunk that’s removable, lift that up as well. Then you will likely see some sort of foam layer that might be holding the tire iron and jack, which you’ll also need. Finally, underneath that, you’ll get to the spare.

Most Ford Mustangs come with a donut spare (or space-saver spare) since they’re cheaper and easier to make, weigh less, and take up less space in the trunk. The issue with these is that they’re unreliable and tend to go flat after they’re left forgotten. We suggest adding a full-size spare instead, to ensure reliability when you need it most. Removing all the excess layers in the spare tire well of a Mustang will usually reveal enough space to add a full-size spare.