Replace low profile tires on my Mazda
Asked by Gordon Apr 27, 2023 at 04:08 PM about the 2023 Mazda CX-50 GT AWD with Turbo
Question type: Car Customization
My Mazda CX50 comes with 245/50R20 tires.
They are too fragile for the streets I drive. I would like to change the tires to have more sidewall.
What needs to be changed, only the tires or the wheels and tires?
I will never buy low profile again!!
2 Answers
Wheels and tires. A good tire shop can get you the right combination so your sensors will still be correct. Just remember the vehicles handling will change dramatically with higher profile tires.
I'll assume your problem is principally potholes. Low profile tires don't have the sidewall depth to absorb the shock of hitting the upside of the hole, so rims are vulnerable to damage. In your case, you have a serious problem. It's best to keep the tire diameter near the stock size, so increasing the sidewall will necessitate going to a smaller rim and a smaller rim will encroach on what's behind: brake and steering components. So you have to maintain that 20" rim size..... So my recommendation might be to go to a 245 or 235/55R20 tire. That will provide some extra shock protection with only a slight increase in tire diameter, which should work for the CX-50. If you go to a 65 profile, it will likely encroach on the fender well..... You might visit an off-road shop and see if they can advise you on raising the car or changing components that will allow an even larger tire, but doing so will alter the speedometer, braking, and handling.... If it were me, I'd bitch to Mazda and see if you can trade for a CX-5 or CX-90, or better yet, wait for the CX-70, A CX-70 hybrid is going to be my next purchase.