Daily driving
Grand touring
Everyday-tier power and daily driving is grand-touring territory: strong wet grip and comfort without paying for grip you'll never use.
Best tyres for the Mazda MX-5 1.6 (NA)
The Mazda MX-5 1.6 (NA) is a rear-wheel drive car with 85 kW and a kerb weight of 940 kg. That’s 90 kW per tonne, in the everyday tier. Mainstream hatches, sedans and SUVs. Enough power to notice good tyres in the wet.
Power-to-weight
90kW/t
- hp/t
- 121
- kg/kW
- 11.1
- lb/hp
- 18.2
- 0–100 est.
- ≈ 8.5 s
Under the P-plate limit. Comfortably under the 130 kW/t limit for P-platers in NSW, Victoria and Queensland (under-25s). Engine modifications or a banned listing can still rule a car out. P-plate rules
Recommended tyres by how you drive
For a mild, wet climate. Cold and snowy climates are further down.
Spirited road driving
Ultra-high performance summer
Everyday-tier power starts to overwhelm touring rubber, especially in the wet. UHP tyres add the braking and steering you need and still last.
Road + occasional track days
Ultra-high performance summer
Everyday-tier power starts to overwhelm touring rubber, especially in the wet. UHP tyres add the braking and steering you need and still last.
- Michelin Pilot Sport 5PremiumTyroola
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6PremiumTyroola
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo3Mid-rangeTyroola
- Toyo Proxes Sport 2Mid-rangeTyroola
Also consider: optional track set, extreme 200TW.
What to look for on the sidewall
- Speed rating
- Typically H or V. H covers up to 210 km/h.
- Load index
- At least 76 (400 kg per tyre). Your placard may ask for more.
- Treadwear (UTQG)
- 400–600 for grand touring tyres; expect 40,000–65,000 km.
Estimates from power and weight. The tyre placard on the driver’s door jamb is the legal minimum.
Grand touring: character
- Dry grip
- 3 out of 5
- Wet grip
- 4 out of 5
- Below 7 °C
- 3 out of 5
- Snow & ice
- 1 out of 5
- Quiet & comfort
- 5 out of 5
- Tread life
- 4 out of 5
- Efficiency
- 4 out of 5
In cold or snowy climates
Cold winters, little snow
Your tyre: All-season / all-weather
Michelin CrossClimate 2 · Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 · Continental AllSeasonContact 2
If you'd rather run summer tyres: Grand touring
Continental PremiumContact 7 · Bridgestone Turanza 6 · Pirelli Cinturato P7
Snow and ice
Summer set: Grand touring
Continental PremiumContact 7 · Bridgestone Turanza 6 · Pirelli Cinturato P7
Winter set: Winter
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 · Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 · Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
If you want one set: All-season / all-weather
Michelin CrossClimate 2 · Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 · Continental AllSeasonContact 2
Things to know about the MX-5 1.6
Rear-wheel drive
Your rears put down the power and wear a little faster. If both axles use the same size, rotate every 10,000 km.
Buying only two?
Put the new pair on the rear axle, even on a front-driver. Grippy rears keep the car stable when braking or cornering in the wet; worn rears are what cause spins.
Quick answers
What is the power-to-weight ratio of the Mazda MX-5 1.6 (NA)?
90 kW per tonne (121 hp per tonne), from 85 kW and a 940 kg kerb weight. That puts it in ratio's Everyday tier.
What tyres should I buy for my Mazda MX-5 1.6 (NA)?
For everyday driving, grand touring tyres. Good options include the Continental PremiumContact 7, Bridgestone Turanza 6, Pirelli Cinturato P7. Always match or exceed the load index and speed rating on the car's tyre placard.
Can P-platers drive the Mazda MX-5 1.6 (NA)?
On power-to-weight, yes: at 90 kW per tonne it is under the 130 kW/t limit for P-platers in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Engine modifications can still make a car off-limits.
What speed rating does the Mazda MX-5 1.6 (NA) need?
Cars in the Everyday tier typically run H or V-rated tyres. The legal minimum is whatever your placard, on the driver's door jamb, specifies.