2018 Grand Touring AWD Tire Recommendations?

Hi everyone,

My current Toyo ones are pretty worn out (my mileage is 45k) and I'm going to need new tires soon. The tire size is: 225/55R19 Toyo A36 BW was recommend by the dealership where I usually bring my car to for maintaining. They also have Yokohama Geolandar G055. I also looked for ones on Discount Tires and they have Yokohama yk740 gtx.

Which one should I choose out of those 3 options? Mileage is not really important to me. I care about safety, noise and fuel efficient. I'm living in Orem, Utah and I usually have 2-3 long road trips per year.

Thanks!
 

Attachments

  • tires_compare.pdf
    741.6 KB · Views: 272
  • Discount_tires.pdf
    2.5 MB · Views: 328
Hi everyone,

My current Toyo ones are pretty worn out (my mileage is 45k) and I'm going to need new tires soon. The tire size is: 225/55R19
Toyo A36 BW was recommend by the dealership where I usually bring my car to for maintaining. They also have Yokohama Geolandar G055.
I also looked for ones on Discount Tires and they have Yokohama yk740 gtx.

Which one should I choose out of those 3 options? Mileage is not really important to me. I care about safety, noise and fuel efficient. I'm living in Orem, Utah and I usually have 2-3 long road trips per year.

Thanks!
This topic has been discussed here many times. For 225/55R19 tire, many here like Continental CrossContact LX25 ($194.99 each at Tire Rack but there’s manufacture $70 Visa Prepaid Card by 8/31/2020) and General AltiMAX RT43 ($155.99 each at Tire Rack). Both rated number 1 on Tire Rack's Tire Ratings Charts for size 225/55R19 in different categories, and both are better choice on performance and cost for size 225/55R19 IMO.

Never go to a car dealer for a new set of tires. Local Discount Tire Store is my favorite tire store and they’ll do price match to any other tire sellers including online sellers such as the Tire Rack. They have one of the best tire installation and balancing machines, they can get almost any tires you want, so as a nation-wide network to serve you.

225/55R19 Tire Comparison Table for CX-5 GT - Many to Choose From

Tire Rack 225/55R19 Tire Ratings Charts
 
Last edited:
On the same topic, my OEM A36 are about 3/32--I bought when they were 6/32. I can't find any ratings/reviews on the A36 as compared to aftermarket tire choices, regarding COMFORT. The ride on my'17 GS is a tad firmer than I like with (worn) A36--lots of choppy pavement around here. I've mulled going to 17" rims and tires to improve that, but if there is a 19" tire with at least 700 UTQG and high on comfort, I'd do that.

Thoughts from those who've replaced their A36?
 
On the same topic, my OEM A36 are about 3/32--I bought when they were 6/32. I can't find any ratings/reviews on the A36 as compared to aftermarket tire choices, regarding COMFORT. The ride on my'17 GS is a tad firmer than I like with (worn) A36--lots of choppy pavement around here. I've mulled going to 17" rims and tires to improve that, but if there is a 19" tire with at least 700 UTQG and high on comfort, I'd do that.

Thoughts from those who've replaced their A36?
Actually in the Tire Rack 225/55R19 Tire Ratings Charts link above in category of crossover/SUV touring all-season tire you’ll see Toyo A23 is among the list. A23 is used by gen-1 CX-5 and is very similar to Toyo A36. As expected, the ratings are very low in every area. Choose those with higher comfort rating in the charts or choose a tire categorized as “grand touring” tire, most likely you will get a more comfortable tire you preferred.

Looks like 2 top-rated tires mentioned in post #2 should be a good fit for you. Do it fast to take advantage of manufacture and Discount Tire Direct rebates.
 
Thanks, yrwei52, I saw the A23 reviews on Tire Rack, but I don't know how that correlates to the A36 ride comfort, which was 2017 and above, where one of the Mazda design goals was a cushier ride than 2016 and prior.

There have to be dozens of forum members who've replaced their A36 on 19" rims and could speak to the comparison of those and their aftermarket choice.
 
UHP regarding the comfort discussion? I usually avoid UHP, because of the low tread life and high cost.
 
UHP regarding the comfort discussion? I usually avoid UHP, because of the low tread life and high cost.
My bad! Thread title simply says: 2018 Grand Touring AWD Tire Recommendation

Nevertheless, personally, I find it more comforting knowing I'm riding on tires with superior grip (but I can change, If I have to... I guess).
 

There have to be dozens of forum members who've replaced their A36 on 19" rims and could speak to the comparison of those and their aftermarket choice.
Do a search with specific tire you like and you should find some:
YES! I absolutely LOVED my CrossContact LX20's. I got over 50K miles out of them, they were well behaved in any situation (snow, etc. even with 2/32 left they made it up my 27% grade hill covered in snow!) and I just loved them. So sad they didn't offer them in 225/55/19. But now...

V rated
Symmetrical tread
25.6# weight
has a sound absorption layer
Builds technologically on a tire I already have an excellent experience with.

https://www.continentaltire.com/product/crosscontact-lx25-22555-r-19-99v/?
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=CrossContact+LX25

This has answered my "what tire to use" query!
I bought the Conti cross contract lx25's thanks to this thread and wanted to confirm that they are indeed awesome tires. Had them for almost a month now, and they are great wet or dry. Ice gotten up to my personal comfort limit and the tires were rock solid with no hint of being pushed too far. I have dedicated snow tires, so won't get a chance to push them in that situation.
Im at almost 17K miles, and my Toyo A36s had 5/32 and 6/32 (F and R), respectively, last time they were rotated (every 5K miles). They feel unsafe in the rain at present. I finally sacked up and took advantage of the $70 rebate Continental has, and bought some LX25's. I had REALLY good experiences with my LX20's on my last CX5 (lasted 50K+ miles, did amazing in ALL weather conditions, even white-out snowstorms).
The mold release stuff still isn't worn off, so I've not pushed these tires yet. What I can say:

-The car feels lighter with them. Difference between a 3/4 full tank, and a 1/4 full tank, maybe.
-They are a bit more lively than the A36's, meaning it feels like the wheel turns easier, both at speed, and in a parkinglot. "Twitchy" has a negative connotation, so I hesitate to use that word, but it could apply if you were in the right mindset to understand that it's not meant in a bad way, in this case.
-They are quiet. On gravel, concrete, and asphalt. They have no bad tendencies. No resonance nodes 0-105mph. No getting louder in a moderately hard corner. No low-speed growl. Nothing. They just get progressively louder with speed, and they don't get loud at all. Similar to the A36's when new, which I found to be very quiet as well, honestly (previous experience is LX20, RT43-H, Destination LE2, WRG3 SUV, and more). I would say these are "as quiet as any, with NO bad characteristics regardless of speed or dynamic loading within reason")
-They do pick up gravel, but it's not excessive.
-The tread on my A36's was worn, so there was less "squirm" from them, as opposed to these. It is normal for people to thing "these new tires don't corner as hard" when they go from worn-out tread to new full tread, because of this. However, the difference was not bad, and they feel very planted in corners.
-They strike a great balance between responsive, and comfortable.

I have no doubt they will impress me in the snow and rain, etc. just like the LX20's did, and as for now, they are an incredibly well behaved tire. Like a spouse that obviously works out, and also happens to have a master's degree, but can also crack some seriously funny and vulgar jokes, too, all while balancing the checkbook. The whole package. Not EXCEPTIONAL in any way, but with no weak spots I have found, and VERY VERY GOOD! in ALL the ways.
I now have almost 14K miles on these tires. The tread is at 8/32 on all 4 tires, and the last time the oil was changed (8K miles into their tread-life, and 5K since the last time they were looked at...5K ago...) they were not rotated. They wore evenly and have still not been rotated this time. They initially lost some tread, but have held steady, now. The "DWS" "S" portion is still plainly visible.

I have driven them in downpours, wet roads, icy roads, sleet, and light snow. They have been composed on all of it. They have remained very quiet, as well.

On my last road-trip to San Antonio and back, I averaged 26.8mpg down, and 25.X up. I think it was 25.4 or something, but don't recall EXACTLY. This compares to the Toyo A36's as they averaged 27.3mpg down, and 28.7 up, with similar amount of tread. I did, however, romp on it a bit on the way up, and sat in it while it ran some, etc. That said, I do fee that I lost a bit of economy with the LX25's. 0.5-1.5mpg or so.

This is a small price to pay for MUCH better tread-wear, traction in all conditions, and a quieter ride with no "shaking" when cold.
Will have the General AltiMax RT43 225/55R19 99V installed on the 2014 CX-5 AWD GT this coming Saturday. After 45,000K miles on the original TOYO A23s, took a good look at them and glad I didn't wait any longer. Maybe could have stretched them a bit more until they hit the treadwear bars but noticed cracking in the treads. Will be comforting to know I've got good rubber for the coming Fall & Winter weather driving conditions that will soon be upon us here in the NE. (We're expecting another nor'easter later today, I'll probably slow down a bit knowing what's on my 4 corners)
+ 1 FOR Generals ALTIMAX RT43s. I have them on my CX5 2014. At ~ 30,000 miles they are about 70% gone. Great in the heavy rain here. Ed
 
Last edited:
How are the Continental CrossContact LX25's if one has a dirt/gravel driveway?

They don't puncture easily on small rocks, do they?
 
How are the Continental CrossContact LX25's if one has a dirt/gravel driveway?

They don't puncture easily on small rocks, do they?
With steel ply in the tread section of the tire rubber as the reinforcement, I don’t think any modern tires would get punctured easily by the small rock. I believe Uno has to drive some gravel road to his house on his 2019 CX-5 GT-R with Conti LX25 tires. He seems to have no problems on small rocks.
 
Did you look into these?

PIRELLI
CINTURATO P7 ALL SEASON PLUS II

They get really good reviews from tire rack. Long tread Life and good all around. Looks like a lot of happy people and these tires.
 
Did you look into these?

PIRELLI
CINTURATO P7 ALL SEASON PLUS II

They get really good reviews from tire rack. Long tread Life and good all around. Looks like a lot of happy people and these tires.
Pirelli clearly states on the tire sticker to not go down a speed rating compared to what the manufacturer recommends. Factory Toyo A36 225/55R19 99V is V rated but Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus II comes only with 225/55R19 99H which is H rated. Although it’s safe to use H rated at130 mph on CX-5 as its top speed is 120 mph on 2.5L and 130 mph on 2.5T, and Mazda also uses H rated tires on 17” wheels. If you’re concerned on warranty issues from manufacture, stay away from Pirelli's. The other reason I personally don’t like Cinturato P7 is its maximum inflation pressure which is only 44 psi instead of 51 psi by most others. This indicates the design is not up to date as the trend is the vehicle can use higher tire pressure for better efficiency but still maintaining good performance and comfort.

Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus II is new, and the reviews on the Tire Rack are very few. And the ratings by the Tire Rack are also only the projection.
 
yrwei52

Thanks for your answers!

What is the main difference between Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season and Grand Touring All-Season categories? I do not see Continental CrossContact LX25 in Grand Touring All-Season category. For my 2018 CX-5 Grand Touring, which category does it belong to?
 
Look for small suv / crossovers. GT is for sedans I think.

Most importantly look for the oem specs details. 225x55x19 99v that should be ok. Just enter your vehicle and the site should popup all tires they have for your car.

99 is the weight rating.
V is the max speed rating.
 
yrwei52

Thanks for your answers!

What is the main difference between Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season and Grand Touring All-Season categories? I do not see Continental CrossContact LX25 in Grand Touring All-Season category. For my 2018 CX-5 Grand Touring, which category does it belong to?
Like cz5gt said, Crossover / SUV Touring tires are mainly for CUV’s highway cruising and Grand Touring tires are mainly for sedan‘s highway cruising. Grand Touring tires may do better on smooth ride than Standard Touring tires. But the differences are small and most CUVs now drive like a sedan.

Most people may want Crossover / SUV Touring tires for CX-5 but don’t rule out Grand Touring and Standard Touring tires if you prefer smoother ride. Size and other specs matter more.
 
I thought I'd chime in here because I have the Yokohama yk740 gtx tires on my AWD 2014 GT. I purchased them 4 years ago (10/2016) as my summer tires. I swap to 17" Blizzaks every fall for our Minnesota winters. I should also note that I do not rotate my tires. Every time I have done so in the past on a variety of vehicles I encountered issues (like vibrations that weren't there before the rotation) so I just stopped doing it. When the driving wheel's tires get worn down, I replace all 4 tires. I am a point in my life where this affordable and preferable.

All that being said, here is my take on these tires. They are excellent handling tires on both wet and drive pavement. I drive aggressively at times and they have never failed to hold their grip and they always give great feedback. They ride as stiff or perhaps even more stiff than the A23s that came with my CX-5. The tires are heavier (29 pounds) due to a thicker, less flexible sidewall and you can feel that the acceleration is not as quick as when I have the 17" Blizzaks installed. The Blizzaks, as expected of a 17" winter-specific tire, give a much cushier ride, but the handling is vastly inferior to the Yokos. The tires start out life with 12/32" of tread depth which is a fair amount. The UTOG rating is 740AA. I currently have just over 41,000 miles on the tires. The fronts are down to just over 7/32 and the rears are just under 9/32 (remember, no rotation). The tires have become noisy and can definitely be heard. I had them re-balanced once but there is still a slight vibration above 75 mph. However, those two things don't bother me as I value their performance on my CX-5 much more than I care about their road noise or a slight high-speed vibration. So for me and my needs, they have been a very dependable, long lasting tire and I would buy them again unless I was convinced that something else was better.
 
My current tires are around 5/32 with some spots at 4/32. Should I wait or is it best to replace, especially with winter approaching?
 
Back