Best Tires For Mazda RX-8

‍Mazda RX-8: Best Tires

The RX series from Mazda has somewhat of a cult following. This is largely attributed to the popularity of the RX-7, which has carried on into their latest model - the RX-8. One of the things that really stands out about this Mazda sports car is its rotary engine. This engine design is very uncommon but is highly attractive to a lot of buyers out there, as it is totally unique. The Mazda RX-8’s rotary engine enables the car to operate significantly quieter than traditional engines and it also has fewer moving parts. However, this is just one of the features of the Mazda RX-8 that brings it so much hype.

The Mazda RX-8 is technically classified as a sports car, which it certainly is given its sleek design, lightweight, and horsepower that starts at 192 hp and goes up to 232 hp - depending on the model that you chose. This gives the RX-8 some serious power on the road - with a top speed that can get up to 145 miles per hour. However, what is great about the Mazda RX-8 is that it costs nowhere near as much as a high-end sports car, as you can get behind the wheel of this incredible machine for as little as $27,000 to $32,000. The specs combined with the price make this vehicle one of the most affordable yet powerful sports cars on the automotive market.

With that being said, the RX-8 has seen some major improvements in its design since the RX-7. Mazda aimed to create a car that fulfilled the sports capabilities that people wanted yet at the same time had practicality so that it could be used as a more dynamic vehicle. The manufacturer did just that, which is why this four-door coupe is also praised by owners for how practical and reliable it is for casual driving and commutes. All in all, this is a vehicle that is as worthy of being called a sports car as it is a sedan - making it a very dynamic automobile.

Now, given the dynamic nature of the Mazda RX-8, you are going to want to choose a set of tires that are in alignment with the specs that you want to enhance. If you are interested in a tire that is well-rounded and is capable of handling most driving conditions, then an All-Season tire is going to be your best bet. However, if you want to focus on improving the sports capabilities of your Mazda RX-8, then there is no better option than a High-Performance tire. What you will want to keep in mind as you consider your options is that there is often a trade-off between tire performance and practicality, which is why you want to select one that is aligned with how you drive. Keep reading to learn more about the best tires for the Mazda RX-8.

All-Season Tires

These days, the most common tires that you tend to see on the road are All-Season tires. When these tires were initially introduced in the 70s, they failed to have a lot of popularity, as they did not quite deliver on the ‘All-Season’ promise that their title implied. However, since the early 2000s, All-Season tires have seen a huge boom in popularity, due to improvements in design, which is credited to the advanced silica compound that was introduced into the rubber - enabling increased performance and reliability.

All-Season tires are the most practical tires that you can equip your vehicle with. The reason for this is that this tire classification is an easy go-to for people that want to throw a set on their wheels without overthinking technical driving - or dealing with seasonal tire changes such as summer tires. All-Season tires are highly-regarded for their practicality, as they allow most drivers to be on the road all year long without ever needing to replace their rubber to match the season that they are driving in. In addition, All-Season tires have got one of the best tread life expectancies of any tire classification - with 60,000 to 75,000 miles being the average, which means that you can expect to get at least 5 or 6 years out of them.

These tires are also great for their versatility. Due to the silica compound within All-Season tires, they are able to take on a wide variety of different kinds of road conditions, terrain, and climate. If you live in a part of the country that tends to get a balanced representation of all 4 seasons and/or have to drive in adverse terrain, then an All-Season tire is going to be one of the most dependable options for your Mazda RX-8. With that being said, it is worth noting that the practicality of an All-Season tire does come at a price - and not a financial one!

Although All-Season tires are very dynamic and reliable, they are not known for giving the best performance to your vehicle. This can be especially problematic for some Mazda RX-8 drivers that want to make the most of the sports performance of their vehicle; your cornering and handling abilities will not be as precise, as with a High-Performance tire. In addition, All-Season tires are designed for well-rounded climates and not necessarily adverse ones. You will not have nearly as reliable performance in extremely hot climates compared to summer tires and you will also have less dependable traction in snow compared to winter tires. Let’s dive right into the best All-Season Tires for the Mazda RX-8.

Yokohama YK740 GTX (Grand Touring All-Season Tire)

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Yokohama is a tire manufacturer from Japan with a great reputation for producing amazing tires. This manufacturer has some fantastic tires for sports cars, however, we found that their YK740 GTX model was very well suited for the specs of the Mazda RX-8.

What is really great about the YK740 GTX is that it is an All-Season tire with enhanced performance for certain conditions. One of the reasons for this is due to the ELS Orange Oil tread that Yokohama used in the design of this tire. This sophisticated tread enables the Mazda RX-8 to have considerably better traction in dry conditions specifically.

The increased dry performance from the YK740 GTX will give you RX-8 great stopping power and acceleration - while at the same time improving cornering abilities, which is great for drivers out there that want an All-Season tire that can still have sports performance. With that being said, the ELS Orange Oil tread used in Yokohama’s design also holds up very well in wet conditions.

When tested on wet and rainy roads, the YK740 GTX gave the Mazda RX-8 very dependable traction. In addition, this tread design also gives very solid snow performance - with light snow and ice driving feeling reliable. We did find that traction could be a little bit off with this Yokohama tire equipped and that dense snow driving was lackluster, but if you do not live in a region with severe winters, then this really should not be an issue for you.

Furthermore, we really enjoyed how comfortable the drive felt with the YK740 GTX equipped with the Mazda RX-8. A constant issue with a lot of All-Season tires is that they can feel a bit bumpy or even sound noisy when driving - especially when going at high speeds. We did not find that to be the case with Yokohama’s All-Season tire, as the comfort level was exceptional.

The tread life of the YK740 GTX is very solid as well - with 60,000 miles being the current expectancy. This does not quite match up to some of the other All-Season tires on our list but compared to most High-Performance options on the market it is still excellent. If you happen to run into any technical issues with the tire prior to the 60,000-mile mark, Yokohama has backed them with a warranty.

All in all, this is a fantastic All-Season tire for its dynamics. You can count on this tire for just about every common road condition and you can also retain some of the sport's integrity of your Mazda RX-8. For the very reasonable price of just $108.00 per tire from Discount Tire, this is a fantastic deal, which puts this option well within the financial reach of just about every budget shopper.

Michelin Premier A/S (Grand Touring All-Season Tire)

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If you are ever on the fence about a tire option on the market, one of the names in the industry that you know you can always count on is Michelin. This manufacturer has been in the business for over a century and they have one of the best reputations for producing tires of the highest quality in the entire automotive world.

To no surprise, they have an excellent All-Season tire available for the Mazda RX-8 - the Premier A/S. This All-Season tire is Michelin’s new and improved model, which features enhanced specs and performance from previous releases. Michelin has marked this tire model with their EverGrip design, with sunflower oil within the rubber compound.

This new technology and advanced rubber compound enable the Premier A/S to have excellent wet traction performance that surpasses just about any All-Season tire on the market. Michelin designed this All-Season tire to prevent water from absorbing into the rubber in even the most intense wet conditions, which makes this hands down one of the best options for drivers out there that live in parts of the country that get a lot of rain.

When tested on wet roads, the Premier A/S was able to deliver incredibly precise stopping power, which is a great safety reassurance for a lot of people out there. In addition, the acceleration was equally matched with performance - enabling you to have full control of your vehicle in the rain - with hydroplaning being virtually non-existent.

In addition to great wet performance, the EverGrip design of this Michelin tire also enables excellent traction in snow and ice. When tested in winter conditions the Premier A/S had very reliable and precise driving all in all. Although this is not a replacement for a real winter tire, you will find that it will get you through moderate winter conditions. However, you may want to upgrade to something more appropriate if you are dealing with dense snow and ice.

With that being said, this Michelin tire also has very good dry performance as well. We found that traction in dry conditions felt very reliable and that handling felt great for an All-Season tire. However, cornering ability did not quite match up to the Yokohama option we just mentioned. So, you should expect less sports performance with the Premier A/S.

Much like with our previously mentioned tire, this All-Season option also has a tread life of 60,000 miles, which is very solid. You better believe that Michelin has backed this tire with a warranty in case there are any discrepancies. With specs in mind, you can look at the Premier A/S as the wet alternative to the Yokohama option, as performance capabilities are very similar - they just lean towards wet conditions compared to dry.

However, these Michelin tires do cost a bit more, as you can get yourself a set at Discount Tire for $126.00 per piece. Although these are a little more expensive, the increased cost is a small price to pay for the increased safety and performance in wet conditions.

Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus (Grand Touring All-Season Tire)

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Pirelli has been manufacturing world-class tires for 150 years and they continue to produce top-of-the-line options to this day - with this All-Season option being a perfect fit for the Mazda RX-8.

This is an All-Season tire that truly stands out, as Pirelli was able to design an option for the vehicles like the RX-8 with very well-rounded specs. This All-Season tire shines in every way that you could ever hope an All-Season tire would.

To start, Pirelli has introduced a new and improved silica formula into this All-Season tire that gives it an incredible tread life. Unlike Michelin and Yokohama’s options which can deliver 60,000 miles, Pirelli’s tire will get you 70,000. This means that you can get at least 7 to 8 years out of these All-Season tires.

However, if you take care of your rubber and do not abuse it too much, there is no reason that you cannot push this expected figure up to 80,000 miles. This alone makes this tire a perfect option for a Mazda RX-8 driver out there that wants to maximize the life expectancy of their tires.

Longevity is not the only department that this Pirelli tire excels. The tread design of this All-Season tire is highly-advanced and it enables your Mazda RX-8 to have excellent traction in dry and wet conditions. You will find that your acceleration and stopping power will be on point - regardless of what kind of road conditions you are driving in.

With that being said, Pirelli’s tread design will also give your Mazda RX-8 fantastic cornering abilities. Although it will not quite match up to the capabilities of a High-Performance tire, it is about as good as you can hope for in the All-Season class.

Another great feature of this All-Season Pirelli tire is that it is very quiet. If you have experienced the highway hum that you hear on the highway in the past with an All-Season tire, you know how annoying it can be on long trips. Pirelli aimed to design an All-Season tire that would be comfortable and quiet - with noise, bumps, and vibrations not being an issue.

The one area that we found that Pirelli’s tire could have performed better in is winter driving. When tested in snow, this All-Season tire did not quite handle traction as well as we would have liked - with dense snow being particularly problematic. If you do not live in an area with adverse winter weather, this really should not be a major issue for you.

This is a very well-rounded All-Season tire that is going to be perfect for Mazda RX-8 drivers that want a balanced performance in virtually every category. In addition to the great specs, this Pirelli tire is also available at a very reasonable price of $116.00 per piece at Discount Tire, which makes this a bang for your buck deal.

High-Performance Tires

Although there are plenty of Mazda RX-8 drivers that enjoy the reliability of a standard All-Season tire, you will find that most still prefer to choose a High-Performance option. Given the sporty nature of the Mazda RX-8, choosing a tire that enhances the specs of this kind of vehicle is instinctive.

Mazda designed the RX-8 to be a lightweight vehicle that can corner with precision and drive like a dream, which is why a High-Performance tire is going to be in more alignment with the style of the vehicle. If that is the case for you, then the best option to increase the on-road performance of your vehicle is going to be a summer tire. These tires were designed to do one thing - make your car handle better and drive with more precision.

With that being said, High-Performance tires have seen some major improvements over the years. As the popularity of All-Season tires rose dramatically, the demand for versatility did as well, which is why you will find a lot of manufacturers designing High-Performance All-Season tires. This type of tire is meant to give you the best of both worlds - with excellent driving performance, as well as All-Season capabilities.

You must keep in mind that with High-Performance tires, you are going to have less reliability in adverse conditions. Unlike All-Season tires, High-Performance tires generally focus on a specific kind of driving style and are not known for being well-rounded - with tread life expectancies that are marginally lower. If increased performance is what you are after, look no further, as this tire classification is going to take the capabilities of your Mazda RX-8 to the max. Let’s dive right into the best High-Performance tires for the Mazda RX-8.

Dunlop Direzza DZ102 (High-Performance Summer Tire)

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Dunlop is a tire manufacturer from Ireland and they have some amazing High-Performance tires for the Mazda RX-8 with the Direzza DZ102 summer tire being an excellent fit.

This High-Performance tire has great dry and wet performance with a sophisticated groove design that enables superb traction in both conditions. You will find that your stopping power and acceleration are both going to be on point with these equipped to your Mazda RX-8, more so than with any standard All-Season option.

Much like with any summer tire, you can expect an increase in both cornering and handling on the road. If you are transitioning from an All-Season tire, you are going to feel a major improvement in performance.

With that being said, this tire is not going to be suitable for any winter climate drivers. If you try to drive your Mazda RX-8 with the Direzza DZ102 equipped in even light snow conditions, you are going to have extremely faulty performance, which can not only lead to poor driving capabilities but also safety risks. All in all, this is a summer tire and it should only be used as one. So, be ready to swap out your tires on a seasonal basis - unless you live in an extremely mild and balanced climate.

As to be expected, Dunlop has not listed a tread life expectancy for this High-Performance All-Season tire. These kinds of tires tend to have a much lower tread life expectancy that typically ranges from 20,000 miles to 30,000 miles. If you do not abuse your rubber too much, then you should be able to push this into the 30,000-mile range.

This is not the ‘best’ High-Performance All-Season tire that you can get for your Mazda RX-8, but it is certainly the best budget option that you can hope to find. With the very solid specs in mind, this summer tire is a steal at a mere $97.00 per piece at Discount Tire.

BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (High-Performance Summer Tire)

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BFGoodrich has solidified its position as being one of the greatest tire manufacturers in the world - with High-Performance summer tires like these, it is easy to understand why.

This summer tire is a crowd favorite among so many Mazda RX-8 drivers as it truly elevates the sports performance of the vehicle. The capabilities of this High-Performance tire surpass so much of its competition - with dry and wet performance being through the roof.

When tested in dry conditions, the performance was world-class. The acceleration and brakes were exceptionally precise. We found that you could say the exact same thing about the wet performance, as hydroplaning is near impossible with these equipped to your Mazda RX-8.

However, the sports capabilities of this tire from BFGoodrich can really be felt when you test it for cornering and handling. The tires have a superb grip which enables your Mazda RX-8 to perform like a racecar. If you want a summer tire for your Mazda RX-8 that is going to tick every box for sports performance, you really can’t go wrong with this option, as it will not let you down.

The tread life is not listed for this summer tire. So, you should not expect to get too much longevity out of it - with 25,000 miles being the standard - especially if you decide to truly utilize this tire's sport’s capabilities. However, if you drive light, then you should be able to squeeze 30,000 out of them.

You should certainly not expect to have any kind of winter performance with this BFGoodrich tire, as it was not designed for this kind of driving. When tested even in light snow conditions, the performance of your Mazda RX-8 will be extremely poor.

This tire costs a little bit more than the Dunlop budget option, but for the increased specs and performance that it will give your RX-8 - it is well worth it. You can currently get yourself a set of these High-Performance summer tires from BFGoodrich for just $112.00 at Discount Tire. If you consider the caliber of these High-Performance tires, this is certainly a bang for your buck deal in the summer tire department.

Continental ExtremeContact DW (High-Performance Summer Tire)

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If you want to go with a trusted manufacturer, Continental is going to be one of your safest bets, as their reputation precedes them as being one of the best in the industry.

There are a lot of great tires from Continental for the Mazda RX-8 but in the summer tire category, we found that the best suited was the ExtremeContact DW. This tire has excellent specs for delivering High-Performance capabilities, however, one feature that sticks out to us with this option is that it has a very reasonable tread life compared to other High-Performance options.

With these equipped to your Mazda RX-8, you can expect to get a minimum of 30,000 miles out of them. Unlike just about every summer tire out there, Continental has backed this model up with a warranty for the first 30,000 miles, which is very rare to find. What is also great about these tires is that continental has designed the tread with an indicator that lets you know when the tire is starting to bald to the point that it needs to be replaced, which is a fantastic safety feature to have on a summer tire.

You can expect to have excellent cornering and handling abilities with this Continental tire, as you will feel the increased performance immediately when you hit the road - especially if you were driving with All-Season tires prior.

The dry and wet performance is on point! Acceleration and braking power are both exceptionally smooth and precise - with hydroplaning and summer burnouts being a near impossibility. However, you should expect winter performance to be spotty. So, be ready to swap these out for something more appropriate on a seasonal basis if you live in a colder region.

Overall, this is a fantastic tire for performance capabilities and it is very well suited for the Mazda RX-8. The only real drawback is that it is rather pricey compared to our other options. You can get yourself a set of these High-Performance summer tires for $272.00 per piece, which is considerably more than our other summer tires. If costs are not an issue for you, then this Continental tire should be at the top of your list.

General G-Max AS-05 (High-Performance All-Season)

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If you are having trouble deciding between sports performance and reliability, one of the best tires for you to consider for your Mazda RX-8 is going to be a High-Performance All-Season option. These tires are designed to strike a balance for people that want to have the best of both worlds - with manufacturers like General producing exceptional quality options like this one.

This High-Performance All-Season tire is among the best out there and you can expect performance capabilities that are on point with some summer tires. Your traction in dry and wet conditions will be exceptional and you will feel a huge difference from a standard All-Season tire. We found that handling and cornering were all on point and precise. So, you can take your Mazda RX-8 on the highway and really push your vehicle to its limits.

Another key feature of this High-Performance All-Season is that it is going to be very comfortable. The highway hum that some tires are notorious for will be significantly mitigated and any bumps or vibrations will be non-existent.

What is great about going with a High-Performance All-Season is that you can feel more comfortable driving with it throughout various parts of the year. Unlike a summer tire, which you need to swap out seasonally, you can drive with these on your Mazda RX-8 even in winter conditions. With that being said, you do not want to solely rely on these if you experience severe winter conditions such as dense snow or ice, as they were not technically designed for this.

What you will also enjoy with this tire compared to traditional summer options is that you will have increased tread life. Instead of 30,000 miles in your rubber, you have got at least 50,000 miles to utilize. In addition, General has backed this figure up with a warranty. So, you can drive in total confidence that you have got longevity with your sports performance. If you happen to be unsure of how much more tread you have got in your tires, General has made a sophisticated design that gives you an indicator of when they need to be changed.

On top of the stellar specs and performance capabilities of this High-Performance All-Season tire, it is available for a mere $101.00 at Discount Tire per piece, which is an absolute steal and one of the best budget options of any tire that we mentioned.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 (High-Performance All-Season)

Since Continental released the ExtremeContact DWS06, it has received a lot of praise and it is highly regarded by automotive professionals as being one of the best tires ever made for this classification.

Continental has earned a reputation as being a manufacturer that raises the bar for tire performance and technology - with the ExtremeContact DWS06 being a perfect example of just that. If you want a tire that is going to tick every single box, look no further, as there are few tires that can compete with this one in any category.

To start, this High-Performance All-Season tire has phenomenal cornering and handling abilities. When you hit the road in your RX-8, you will be amazed by how precise and crisp your driving is. So much so, that you would think you are driving with a set of summer tires.

The quality performance of these tires can also be felt when you test them in dry and wet conditions, as their capabilities are unmatched by any standard All-Season tire out there. You can brake with absolute confidence in wet conditions as well as dry - with hydroplaning and burnouts being unheard of. You will also enjoy how precise your acceleration is, as it greatly resembles the optimized performance of a summer tire.

With that being said, one of the most remarkable features of this High-Performance All-Season tire is how well it can handle winter driving. When tested in snow conditions, this Continental tire had stellar traction on both light snow and ice. The tire was then tested in dense snow and, although it did not perform optimally, it still had excellent traction for a tire of this classification. If you want to have the best traction possible for snow driving, you should certainly consider a winter tire, but if you want something that you can keep on your Mazda RX-8 all year long, there are few tires that can do what this one can.

If you are still not convinced, this Continental tire has a very solid tread life of 50,000 miles, which the manufacturer has backed with a warranty. So, if you run into any trouble, Continental has got you covered. When it comes to incredible performance and versatility, there is really not a better option for the Mazda RX-8 than this High-Performance All-Season tire. Sure you can find a summer tire with better cornering abilities or an All-Season tire with a better tread life, but at the end of the day, this is the tire that strikes the perfect balance between the two.

Many consumers tend to assume that a tire of this caliber is going to have an incredibly high price tag, however, Continental has remarkably listed this world-class tire for a mere $125.00 per piece at Discount Tire. When you consider the qualities of this tire, this is certainly worth the extra money to upgrade from a budget option.