Winter Tire Question

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Xander_2015

Member
:
2016 Mazda CX5 GS AWD
First post and a newbie when it comes to most things tires related.

We live in Eastern Ontario.

We bought a 2016 CX5 GS in June and will be getting winter tires very soon.

We have 225/65/R17 tires, and were prepared to get the same in winter tires until we started reading about downsizing tires for winter.

Here is something I read on another site:

"Make sure your car can take smaller wheels before you buy anything, as some cars, especially high-performance cars have oversized brake calipers or other modifications that make it impossible to fit wheels smaller than the OEM size."

Is this something I need to worry about with my CX5?

We will be buying both winter tires, and wheels. If you've been in a similar situation, what size have you gone down to?

Do I need to reduce all 3 aspects of my tire?

ex: 225/65/R17 to 215/60/R16?

or does the 65 stay the same?

Thanks for any help!

Xander
 
You don't need to downsize your winter tires. Get a set of good 225/65R17 winter tires and find a set of used CX-5 17" OEM wheels, and you're set.

Many people here use 17" winter tires and are happy about it. Only those people with 19" OEM tires they consider downsize to 17" mainly for cost reason.

You need 215/70R16 or something similar and taller tires to replace your OEM 225/65R17 sized tire. You want the outer diameter of the tire stays the same as your OEM, in order to not to interrupt your sensitive speed sensors.
 
yrwei52 said:
You don't need to downsize your winter tires. Get a set of good 225/65R17 winter tires and find a set of used CX-5 17" OEM wheels, and you're set.

Many people here use 17" winter tires and are happy about it. Only those people with 19" OEM tires they consider downsize to 17" mainly for cost reason.

You need 215/70R16 or something similar and taller tires to replace your OEM 225/65R17 sized tire. You want the outer diameter of the tire stays the same as your OEM, in order to not to interrupt your sensitive speed sensors.
Click to expand...

I downsized from 19" for the reason mentioned (i.e. cost) and got the 0EM size of 17" tires along with steel wheels. Others have reported success with mounting 16" wheels, but the service manager stated that there would be fitment issues (take that with a grain of salt). Decided that there would not be significant difference between 17" and 16" and went with their advice.
 
I'm in Ottawa, and some additions to the above questions...

1) Are GT Radials reliable? I do a lot of driving in rush hour mainly, and not much on the highway
2) Is the price below good?
"GT radial ice-pro with 17 inch hub centric rims - best tire rim package. The hub centric is for less vibration
$1159 (CDN) everything in - 225/65r17

Thanks!!
 
bbtfastback said:
I'm in Ottawa, and some additions to the above questions...

1) Are GT Radials reliable? I do a lot of driving in rush hour mainly, and not much on the highway
2) Is the price below good?
"GT radial ice-pro with 17 inch hub centric rims - best tire rim package. The hub centric is for less vibration
$1159 (CDN) everything in - 225/65r17

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

1). You need to tell us which tire model you are considering. The brand itself doesn't mean much if that specific tire is horrible.

2). Seems "rather" cheap if you are getting a decent rim then my guess is you are getting budget tires. I priced out some tires over at PMC(Out of Quebec) and for decent winters on 16" inch rims I was looking at about 1050 CAD all in but that's online and shipped to your door.

IMHO I would go with 16" rims if I was buying tires. No real reason not to do so. It's cheaper both for the rims and the tires. That and I would get cheap steel rims and not bother with the fancier alternatives. Huge PITA if you bend an alloy rim not such a big deal if you bend one steelie.

Personally I am on Blizzak DM-V1's on 16 inch steel rims just put them on yesterday.
 
Last edited:
Anathema said:
1). You need to tell us which tire model you are considering. The brand itself doesn't mean much if that specific tire is horrible.

2). Seems "rather" cheap if you are getting a decent rim then my guess is you are getting budget tires. I priced out some tires over at PMC(Out of Quebec) and for decent winters on 16" inch rims I was looking at about 1050 CAD all in but that's online and shipped to your door.

IMHO I would go with 16" rims if I was buying tires. No real reason not to do so. It's cheaper both for the rims and the tires. That and I would get cheap steel rims and not bother with the fancier alternatives. Huge PITA if you bend an alloy rim not such a big deal if you bend one steelie.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help - brand new to tires here, so confused a bit.
- I've drive about 2k km every month and mainly stop and go driving (non highway) if that matters
- 225/65r17 is what was recommended to me. Are you saying to go with 225/65r16 instead? Any worries on performance? Or do you mean keep the 225/65r17, and buy 16 inch rims only?
- should i worry about the GT brand name of tire, or get something else?
 
bbtfastback said:
Thanks for your help - brand new to tires here, so confused a bit.
- I've drive about 2k km every month and mainly stop and go driving (non highway) if that matters
- 225/65r17 is what was recommended to me. Are you saying to go with 225/65r16 instead? Any worries on performance? Or do you mean keep the 225/65r17, and buy 16 inch rims only?
- should i worry about the GT brand name of tire, or get something else?
Click to expand...

1). Doesn't really matter all that much bigger thing is what are the roads like? Iced over all the time? Snow on the road all the time? Or are you driving bare bone dry roads?

2). You would buy a taller tire since the overall size needs to stay the same. When you go to a 16" rim you buy a taller size so the overall diameter is the exact same as either a 17" rim or a 19" rim. The advantage is lower cost for smaller rims/tires and better ride due to there being more tire/air between you and the bumpy roads.

3). What's actual tire you are buying. GT is just the brand name. Whats the actual tire model?

If you go with a 16" you would do something like 225/70/16
17" you would do something like 225/65/17
19" you would do something like 225/55/19

Makes sense?
 
Anathema said:
1). Doesn't really matter all that much bigger thing is what are the roads like? Iced over all the time? Snow on the road all the time? Or are you driving bare bone dry roads?

2). You would buy a taller tire since the overall size needs to stay the same. When you go to a 16" rim you buy a taller size so the overall diameter is the exact same as either a 17" rim or a 19" rim. The advantage is lower cost for smaller rims/tires and better ride due to there being more tire/air between you and the bumpy roads.

3). What's actual tire you are buying. GT is just the brand name. Whats the actual tire model?

If you go with a 16" you would do something like 225/70/16
17" you would do something like 225/65/17
19" you would do something like 225/55/19

Makes sense?
Click to expand...

1. Ottawa is brutal in the winter...definitely wet most of the time, and very cold. We get tons of snow, although plows generally do a good job on roads...but very slick most of the winter. Cold temperatures are the norm, normally between -20 and -30.
3. I've been quoted GT radial ice-pro tires.
A bit confused, but I think I get it...When you say "go with 16"", you mean, if I buy 16" rims, right? I do see the taller tire on the smaller rim thinking, that makes sense... so you would recommend the 225/70/16 with a 16" rim, right? More tire, less cost?
 
1). Yeah pretty much the same story as the weather we get out west then. Look through some review sites and try to find a tire that somewhat matches what you expect to be driving on. Winter tires generally will either excel at ice/snow and then not do so hot on dry pavement or be acceptable in ice/snow but be better on dry pavement.

3). Yeah never heard of them personally. They are a budget brand though from what I have read. Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them but I have no experience with them. Read some review but take tire reviews with a grain of salt... (http://www.apa.ca/wintertire_reviews.asp)

Yeah that's the general idea. Smaller rim but taller tire. Shop around though and see if you can get a better deal with 16" vs the 17". Easy place to look is PMC tire they will quote you online and it's all in CAD. (https://pmctire.com/en/)
 
Anathema said:
1). You need to tell us which tire model you are considering. The brand itself doesn't mean much if that specific tire is horrible.

2). Seems "rather" cheap if you are getting a decent rim then my guess is you are getting budget tires. I priced out some tires over at PMC(Out of Quebec) and for decent winters on 16" inch rims I was looking at about 1050 CAD all in but that's online and shipped to your door.

IMHO I would go with 16" rims if I was buying tires. No real reason not to do so. It's cheaper both for the rims and the tires. That and I would get cheap steel rims and not bother with the fancier alternatives. Huge PITA if you bend an alloy rim not such a big deal if you bend one steelie.

Personally I am on Blizzak DM-V1's on 16 inch steel rims just put them on yesterday.
Click to expand...

How does it feel going down to 16"s?? Loving it?? Any regret, wishing you'd stayed with 17" ??
 
Please read the sticky thread about tire size fitments. It will answer a lot of questions about what fits and what doesn't. Also if you are new to tires here is a basic run down of the numbers such as 225/65R17:
The first number, 225, is the the section width of the tire in mm. Not nessesarly the thread width but the total width of the tire from outside to inside across the tread. Often times the side wall bulges a bit beyond the tread.

The second number, 65, is the side wall aspect ratio. Meaning the tire, from rim outward radially to the tread is 65% of the width. So 65% of 225mm is 146.25mm. This how tall the tire is from rim to outer tread.

The last number, 17, is the size of rim that the tire will fit on. The inside diameter of the rubber tire.

The overall diameter of a tire is determined by the first two numbers in relation to the third number. So if you take a circle that is 17" in diameter and measure out from that circle 146.25mm (the 65% of the 225mm width you get the over all diameter. Now if you increase that inner circle (the rim) to say 19" and measure out the same 146.25mm the overall diameter will be much larger due to the larger inner circle.

To compensate for that a tire with a smaller aspect ratio know as series, must be chosen. So with a 19" inner circle (rim) a 55% aspect ratio needs to be used to maintain the same overall diameter of the tire. This only works if the width of the tire remains the same, in this case 225. If the width changes so will the appropriate aspect ratio or series of need to change. A tire that is 245mm wide will need to have a smaller aspect ratio to be used in the same 19" rim.

So to sum up 225/65R17 = 225/55R19

There are many great tools online to help determine correct tire sizes for a car. The biggest thing is to keep the overall diameter of tire the same so to not throw off the speedometer readings.
 
Last edited:
Ride92 said:
Please read the sticky thread about tire size fitments. It will answer a lot of questions about what fits and what doesn't. Also if you are new to tires here is a basic run down of the numbers such as 225/65R17:
The first number, 225, is the the section width of the tire in mm. Not nessesarly the thread width but the total width of the tire from outside to inside across the tread. Often times the side wall bulges a bit beyond the tread.

The second number, 65, is the side wall aspect ratio. Meaning the tire, from rim outward radially to the tread is 65% of the width. So 65% of 225mm is 146.25mm. This how tall the tire is from rim to outer tread.

The last number, 17, is the size of rim that the tire will fit on. The inside diameter of the rubber tire.

The overall diameter of a tire is determined by the first two numbers in relation to the third number. So if you take a circle that is 17" in diameter and measure out from that circle 146.25mm (the 65% of the 225mm width you get the over all diameter. Now if you increase that inner circle (the rim) to say 19" and measure out the same 146.25mm the overall diameter will be much larger due to the larger inner circle.

To compensate for that a tire with a smaller aspect ratio know as series, must be chosen. So with a 19" inner circle (rim) a 55% aspect ratio needs to be used to maintain the same overall diameter of the tire. This only works if the width of the tire remains the same, in this case 225. If the width changes so will the appropriate aspect ratio or series of need to change. A tire that is 245mm wide will need to have a smaller aspect ratio to be used in the same 19" rim.

So to sum up 225/65R17 = 225/55R19

There are many great tools online to help determine correct tire sizes for a car. The biggest thing is to keep the overall diameter of tire the same so to not throw off the speedometer readings.
Click to expand...

What is the 16" tire size that comes out to the same diameter? 225/70/16 ??
 
cybercruiser said:
What is the 16" tire size that comes out to the same diameter? 225/70/16 ??
Click to expand...

Pretty much. https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?tires=225-65r17-225-70r16

215/75/16 would work too, but depending on the tire brand/model you want, some of the matching sizes are a bit oddball and not available.

I was going to go with 16's as well. I then managed to spot a nice set of 17" Mazda OEM alloys for dirt cheap on kijiji which would cost less than what new 16" steelies would have cost.

Then I realized the cost of the 16" tire I was going to go with was only $10 less per tire than the 17", so it wasn't really a big difference. I bought the wheels.

An extra $40-50 to stick with the proper tire dimensions is worth it, IMO.
 
225/70R16 = 225/65R17. They are equivalent sizes. Check out tirerack.com they will list the tire sizes that work for the cx-5. If you have a touring with 17" rims the 16" wheel sizes would be a minus one where as the 18" and 19" options would be plus 1 and plus 2 respectively. Also the website www.tiresize.com has very good tools for comparing equivalent sizes of tires.
 
I have the opportunity to get a pair of 225/60R16 Winter tires with one seasons use on them for free. Given that my 2016 Touring has 17" rims could I buy a set of 16" rims and use these tires, or would that be a bad idea?
 
SpintoWin said:
I have the opportunity to get a pair of 225/60R16 Winter tires with one seasons use on them for free. Given that my 2016 Touring has 17" rims could I buy a set of 16" rims and use these tires, or would that be a bad idea?
Click to expand...


Firstly, buy your snow tires as a set. Not a pair only to fit one axle. Furthermore running different size tires per axle can damage your AWD system as you will essentially be changing gearing ratios with the 16 inch tire being almost 2 inches shorter in diameter.

The cx5 will fit a 16 inch rim. After all that is the size of the spare. The size you propose to use has a diameter of 26.6 inches vs stock at 28.5. As a result your speedometer will be off. With the 16 inch size at 60 mph you will actually be traveling at 56 mph.
 
Last edited:
inlinev said:
Firstly, buy your snow tires as a set. Not a pair only to fit one axle. Furthermore running different size tires per axle can damage your AWD system as you will essentially be changing gearing ratios with the 16 inch tire being almost 2 inches shorter in diameter.

The cx5 will fit a 16 inch rim. After all that is the size of the spare. The size you propose to use has a diameter of 26.6 inches vs stock at 28.5. As a result your speedometer will be off. With the 16 inch size at 60 mph you will actually be traveling at 56 mph.
Click to expand...

My mistake, I meant a "set".
 
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