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Best Autocross Tires for the ND MX-5

This page is for ND owners running a dedicated 200-treadwear (200TW) set for autocross. If you’re a daily driver eyeing your first event, start at the tires overview — you don’t need race rubber yet. For sustained lapping, see track tires instead. The demands are different enough that the best autocross tire is often not the best track tire.

What autocross asks of a tire

Section titled “What autocross asks of a tire”

An autocross run is a single 30–60 second pass from a standing start, and you typically get three to five runs an event. That shapes the priorities:

  • Peak grip beats endurance. The tire only has to be at its best for under a minute. A tire that’s fastest on the first lap and falls off after a few minutes is a track liability and a non-issue here.
  • Cold grip and quick warm-up matter most. You get one or two warm-up corners, not a full lap. A tire that needs heat to come in costs you the start of the run, which is where most of the course lives.
  • Heat-cycle life is counted in runs, not miles. 200TW tires shed peak grip as they accumulate heat cycles, independent of tread depth. Autocrossers track tire life in runs for exactly this reason.
  • Wet performance is largely irrelevant. Events run rain or shine, but you’re not chasing tenths in the wet, and these tires are poor in standing water regardless.

Per-tire behavior

Section titled “Per-tire behavior”

Price tiers are relative within the ND market: $ budget, $$ mainstream, $$$ premium. Sizes listed are the ones ND autocrossers actually buy.

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS — the peak-grip benchmark

Section titled “Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS — the peak-grip benchmark”
  • Sizes: 205/50R16, 225/45R16, 245/40R17 · Price: $$$
  • Cold / warm-up: Best in class. The RE-71RS is quick from cold; in owner head-to-heads, a first lap on stone-cold Bridgestones has come in over a second ahead of the Falken’s best lap. For a one-run-cold format, that’s the decisive advantage.
  • Peak grip: The highest of the mainstream 200TW tires when fresh. This is the tire to beat for a single fast run.
  • Resilience: Heat-cycles out noticeably. Owners commonly get 100–150 competitive runs before grip drops off, with many feeling it slow around the 120-run mark. It heat-cycles down from street driving too, so don’t commute on your good set. New tires want one gentle heat cycle before competition.
  • Best for: The owner chasing the fastest single run who replaces tires on a schedule.

Falken Azenis RT660 / RT660+ — the value all-rounder

Section titled “Falken Azenis RT660 / RT660+ — the value all-rounder”
  • Sizes: 205/50R16, 225/45R16, 245/40R17 · Price: $$
  • Cold / warm-up: Wants slightly more heat than the RE-71RS to come in, but warms up fine inside an autocross run.
  • Peak grip: Very close to the RE-71RS. A hair behind at absolute peak, but the gap is small enough that driver and setup decide it.
  • Resilience: The standout. It holds grip across far more heat cycles than the RE-71RS or A052, and owners report it gets faster as the tread wears below 4/32”. It’s a purpose-built “Super 200” aimed at autocross and time trials; the RT660+ revision improved heat tolerance further.
  • Quirk: Prone to center-rib graining if it isn’t heat-cycled properly. A proper break-in cycle pays back in lap times, wear, and longevity.
  • Best for: Most ND autocrossers. Best blend of speed, durability, value, and the ability to drive to the event.

Yokohama Advan A052 — maximum grip, short life

Section titled “Yokohama Advan A052 — maximum grip, short life”
  • Sizes: 205/50R16, 225/45R16, 245/40R17 · Price: $$$
  • Cold / warm-up: Comes in quickly and reaches very high grip.
  • Peak grip: Among the highest available — a true qualifying tire.
  • Resilience: The weak point. It wears fast and heat-cycles down quickly; owners describe street use killing a set within months. Trailered and run autocross-only it’s potent, but the cost-per-run is high.
  • Best for: Competitors maximizing grip for a handful of important runs who accept frequent replacement.

Nankang AR-1 / NR-2S — the budget entry

Section titled “Nankang AR-1 / NR-2S — the budget entry”
  • Sizes: 205/50R16, 225/45R16 · Price: $
  • Behavior: Grip trails the top three names, but the price gap is large. One owner ran the NR-2S through a 20–25 minute session in 100°F-plus Texas heat without it going greasy — respectable resilience for the money.
  • Best for: Owners breaking into competitive autocross on a budget, or running heavy practice where cost-per-run dominates.

Picking a size for autocross

Section titled “Picking a size for autocross”
  • 205/50R16 and 225/45R16 are the common, affordable autocross sizes and fit most aftermarket 15–16” wheels without drama.
  • 245/40R17 on a 17x9 is the SCCA Street Touring (STR) maximum and the size national-level ND autocrossers favor. It needs a fender roll front and rear and can rub the liner at full lock on a lowered car. See wheel & tire fitment.
  • Check your class rules first. For most competitors the class (STR, STS, Street) dictates allowed tire and wheel size more than grip does — settle classing before you buy. See autocross classing.

Getting the most from a 200TW autocross set

Section titled “Getting the most from a 200TW autocross set”
  • Heat-cycle new tires with one gentle session before competition (especially the RT660) for better times, more even wear, and longer life.
  • Don’t daily-drive the competition set. Street miles burn heat cycles and grip for no upside.
  • Set pressures by tire temps, not feel. Start around 32–36 psi front / 30–34 psi rear cold, then adjust toward even inner/middle/outer tread temps (see the tire-temp table).
  • Log runs per set. Knowing your run count tells you when grip is about to fall off instead of getting surprised mid-season.
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