Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Toyo Proxes 4 Ultra High Performance All Season Tires
First true high performance tire I am aware of I ever used. These are sticky! Have not been able to get these to make noise unless taking corners at high speed, then only the inside tire. On twisty roads, what I could find around here, they grip! Low road noise as well, nice ride when cruising.
I have no real reference for comparison as I am new to Miata world, but these are nice tires. ordered these tires with the new wheels I bought, and selected these tires for use in early and late season use in colder weather.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99-'05 '06+ 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Street performance tire.
Oh! How I love my Toyos! Toyo T1-Rs balance good grip, forgiving breakaway, excellent wet traction and low road noise. The soft sidewall soaks up road bumps and allow for good grip levels on less than ideal pavement. They are quiet on the highway and inspire confidence in the rain. But what I like best is what happens when they lose traction: they give you lots of warning, then slowly begin to slide. Let off a bit, and they come right back. These tires make driving at the limit fun, not scary. I won't put anything else on my car.
These are street performance tires. If you are looking for maximum grip and lightning-quick turn-in, look elsewhere. Expect to get less than 20,000 miles on these tires. Like most summer tires, they are dangerous in the snow.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '99-'05 1.8 liter
I bought my 2001 SE with a set of Yokohoma Prada Spec2 installed with about 10,000 miles since they replaced the original tires. They lasted another 12,000 miles and were very sticky, and great in the rain, but man could they make noise. So I was looking for a tire that had all the good features of the Prada without the noise. After looking at all the opinions on the web and shopping around I bought a set of Toyo Proxes4's. In my opinion they are perfect for my driving, highways, mountains, but no racing. Sticky, sticky, great in the rain and quiet as a mouse at 80 mph, or any speed. I have about 3,000 miles on them now and am very pleased with them. They have a better tread life rating than the Prada too. So far I just love these Proxes4's.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Toyo T1-R in 195/55/14 size on hollow-spoke 14" OE rims. Car 1996 B-package is AGX shocks, stock sway bars, coil-overs 300# front, 225# rear, torsen. 1/8" front toe out, 1.5 deg front camber, 1 deg rear camber, zero rear toe at ride ht. Car was later changed to 225# front, 150# rear, tire results were unchanged.
I went from half-worn Bridgestone RE-950's in 185/60/14 size, expecting a huge improvement in willignness to change direction off-center. With 2000 miles on the tires, I'm NOT HAPPY. I've been from 25 psi to 45 psi and it doesn't matter. The Toyos are quiet, very linear, forgiving, but turn in is s l o w. The RE-950's were superior in turn in, even as an all-season tire. My hope is that the Toyos wear and get a little sharper as tread depth decreases. On the plus side, the Toyos are very forgiving on the street, never really 'breaking away', they just slide a little, slide a little more, slide some more, instantly recovering as slip angle decreases. Very predictable. And they are very quiet, good in the rain, great ride.
It looks like an angry, edgy, near-race tire. In the 185/55/14 size, it's a looker, but doesn't have the performance edge expected. I'll probably try the ES-100's next time around.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Toyo T1R 205-50/R15 with Chaparral 15X7 Wheels
Approximately 2000 miles Dry (I'm in Arizona).
Very Good directional response. Traction is very good. I have mine on my 1995 NA with Sport springs and KYB AGX shocks. The Camber is set at 1.5 for a little more aggresive cornering and they work very well. Like a lot of Miata drivers, I really live to turn, and these are about as sweet as I've found. I got mine through R-Speed in Georgia for a very reasonable price.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Toyo T!-R 195/55/14 tires on stock hollow spoke rims. These are the improved replacements for the T1-S.
Sweet! My miata R came with some heavy 15x7 rims. I went back to the stock 14x6 with the new toyo tires, and I have better grip with the smaller rims and tires. I used to be able to slip the rear tires on acceleration, and now I can't. Handling through turns is sticky and predictable.
Very happy!
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Replacement tires for original factory 205/40/R17 Toyo Proxes R28 tires for my 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata.
I purchased the new Toyo Proxes T1R to replace the original factory Proxes R28 for my Mazdaspeed Miata. The Proxes R28 was a very firm sport tire especially designed only for the Speed Miata. The Toyo Proxes T1R is a much different tire, a very quiet tire, but feels and performs unlike a sport tire. The side walls feel soft, the steering is very much delayed and not as responsive as the original equipment tire. The T1R ride was smooth at slow speeds, then vibriates at 65mph. Before the 30 day trial period expired I changed to the Yokahama AVS 100 and much prefer the sporty handeling of this tire. The steering is much quicker and the handeling is similar to the original tires. I can feel the pavement more, but to me that is a good thing. No vibration with the AVS 100 at 65mph.
Not an installed item
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
New TOYO T1-R 195/50 15 tires
I just replaced my T1-S's with the new T1-R. I Had been about 3 weeks into new Koni yellow at top perch , new polyeurethane bushings and a Lanny allignment on my 91 BRG automatic. The new Tires take cornering and comfort to a new level.
Got the tires from online tire for the intro of $60 per tire. I have had Ti-S on the car since Sept. 1999 and was on my 3rd set of tires with slight wear. Toyo has hit a home run with these tires. The handling is an order of magnitude better. This should be the tire of choice for a Miata. I am running 15 X 7 Panasport wheels . I tried 30 # pressure and a little harsh on big bumps . Now at 28# and good for rough roads. Might go back to 30# for twisties
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
20545ZR16 Tires
These tires are a significant improvement over stock. They grip well on dry pavement, as well as feeling very stable in the rain. "W" style tread pattern is unique and cool looking! At $110 each, they're not cheap, but if I can get 20,ooo miles out of them, the investment will be worthwhile!
Under 5 minutes to remove
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Toyo Observe G-2 snow tires sized 186/60/14.
Studless snows mounted on OEM alloys, used for two seasons ~5k miles.
The first year I had these we had no snow so I got to drive them extensively on dry roads. They have decent ride and grip for a full snow tire with some sidewall squish that is pretty noticeable. I do not feel uncomfortable driving them as they are very predictable and are stable up to 95mph. Snow traction is good, it handles hardpack and fresh powder very well but the Miata does not do well with slush on top of ice. The Miata just doesn't weigh enough for the tires to cut down through the slush, instead it rides up on top of the slush (even with no throttle). Wear seems to be very good with little wear to the tread surface, however due to my agressive driving style the outside lugs are completely worn. Traction does not seem to have suffered. I would recommend these tires without hesitation.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
195 50/15 Toyo Proxes FZ4 all season performance tires
Have had these tires for 2 years.
I don't like these tires. I live in Vancouver Canada, where it rains a fair bit. So, I decided to go with all season tires. What a mistake! The tradeoff of wet weather against dry weather traction is not worth it. It's marginally better in the wet, but, much much worse in dry conditions when compared to my previous set of tires (Pirelli P700Zs) Those were nice dry weather tires. So, I'm trying to wear these out to justify buying a new set of tires. Probably another set of Toyo's the proxes T1-S. No more compromises.
Not an installed item
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Toyo FZ4 Tires in a 205/45-16 size.
With over 6000 miles on the Toyo's these tire are far superior to the factory Bridgestones on our 2001 LS. The wet traction is very good, and they are much better in the twisties than the Bridgestones, which always felt kind of greasy to me for a tire with a 140 tread wear rating. The Toyo's are much harder to break loose and generally have a much more secure feeling. They have much better steering feel and a slightly stiffer ride probably due to a stiffer sidewall. They also have a 300 tread wear rating and it appears that they will have at least double the tread life of the Bridgestones. Considering the way the Toyo's perform these are a real bargain at $89.00 ea. I would highly recommend these to anybody not wanting to pay over $700.00 for a set of tires.
I replaced the factory Bridgestones on our 2001 LS due to a sidewall puncture in one of them. These tires were about 3/4's worn at about 12,000 miles. I was told by the Mazda dealer and the independent Bridgestone dealer I had taken the car to that the OEM tires were not available in the Dallas/FT.Worth area and had to be special ordered from Calif. at over $160.00 each(they must be crazy) with a week delivery time. After hearing all of that I decided to replace all 4 tires. I had originally wanted to put on a set of Toyo T1S's (based on recommendations of several club members) but a call to the Toyo distributor found them not available in my area in a 205/45-16 either. They also had to be special ordered from Calif. at about $160.00 ea.(I see a pattern developing here). They did have the FZ4's in stock so the dealer pick up a set and installed them at $89.00 ea.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Toyo FZ-4 all season high performance tire
Great tire so far. Performance in rain is excellent. Dry performance is good, easier to "chirp" from a start than my old RE010 (but a lot cheaper too). Handling is good with aggressive road driving-I don't get really crazy, but no unpleasant surprises so far. No 65mph shimmy.
Good all-around tire, excellent wet performance.
Not an installed item
Applicable to '90 - '97 1.6 liter
Toyo Proxes FZ4 215-40-17 Tires on MHT 17x8 Wheels
Very Good, the last set of tyres on my car were Kelly HPR 215-40-17 H- Rated Tires which just could not be balanced. Since putting the Toyos on the car it has been a completely different animal. The tires have performed amazingly well under very extreme cornering and speeds. They tend to squeal when stretched to the limits, however, pushing and sliding is very predictable. I have never had these tires fail on me and send me into the ditch. I have managed to take corners rated for 50 kph at an easy 100 plus without any problems.
A very good tire, quiet, and comfortable ride.
Under 5 minutes to remove
Applicable to '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
195/50-15 Stock tyre size for my '96 M
To say the least, these tyres are great if your entire goal is to traverse long stretches of highway with a smooth and exceptionally quiet ride However, if you intend to (as most Miatae tend to do) find some curvy road to generate that unpeallable grin of satisfaction on your face, Do Not Fit these tyres for any reason. Now I know that may seem a little extreme but these tyres will lull you into a false sense of security and suddenly just break loose and they do not require very much in the way of prodding to get there. As I and a few others found out at this years Deal's Gap. Thankfully my experience was just a bit of tail wiggle when not expected and lots of tyre sqeal and grip loss at low speeds in the turns. I have several years experience on road coarses and some of the others using these tyres are very regular and avid autocrossers. Having all had the same experience we concluded that these tyres are just not suitable for this type of spirited use!
Bottom line is that these tyres seem to be fine for the daily driver who doesn't get carried away and they have worn very well just maybe keep an stickier set tucked away in the garage for the fun stuff
Not an installed item
Reviewed by: Richard Dekker - dekker@connect.ab.ca
The following is a listing of Toyo performance tires and sizes that I would recommend for fitment on your Mazda MX-5 Miata. I have experience with nearly all (see later text) of these tires.
Toyo Proxes T1 - summer performance tire. Increadible levels of both dry
and wet grip - nearly at levels of competition tires.
195-50-VR15 & 205-50-VR15, unidirectional,
UTQG treadwear rating 180, stiff ride qualities with high grip
Toyo Proxes U1 - summer performance tire. Virtually the same levels of
performance as the T1, softer ride.
185-60-VR14 & 195-60-VR14, unidirectional,
UTQG treadwear rating 180
195-50-ZR15 & 205-50-ZR15, unidirectional,
UTQG treadwear rating 180
Toyo Proxes Z1 - high performance all-season tire. Slightly less grip
than the
U1, but extra confidence in fall or spring.
195-50-ZR15 & 205-50-ZR15, unidirectional,
UTQG treadwear rating 240
Toyo Proxes RA-1 - competition tire. Outstanding in the dry and wet (used
as rain tires by local road racers).
205-55-ZR14 & 205-50-ZR15, unidirectional,
UTQG treadwear rating 40 (as
if it really matters!)
Toyo Observe G-02 - snow tire. Confidence inspiring levels of grip in
winter conditions.
175-70-QR13 & 185-60-QR14, unidirectional,
2000+ traction sipes.
Toyo Observe G-03 - snow tire. Confidence inspiring levels of grip in
winter conditions.
205-50-TR15, unidirectional, 5500+
traction sipes, multicell tread compound.
To give some background on Toyo Tires, they have been around quite a while in Canada - for which the G-02 snow tire was specifically developed, and are making their way into the US. Tire-Rack currently sells the Proxes T1 and there are local dealers in the Northwest. Worldwide, Toyo is second to Michelin in total sales and Porsche equips certain models with the Toyo Proxes F1S performance tire and the 920 winter tire - which were specifically designed for them.
Currently, I use 195-50-ZR15 Proxes Z1 tires mounted on 15x7" rims for summer, 205-50-ZR15 Proxes RA-1 tires mounted on 15x7" wheels for Solo II events, and 185-60-QR14 Observe G-02 tires mounted on stock 14x5.5" alloys for winter and local Ice Dice events (see Winter 1995 Miata Magazine, pages 34-35). In the past I had 195-50-ZR15 Proxes U1 and 195-50-VR15 600 F1 (fore-runner to the Proxes T1) tires for summer use - the only reason for switching to the Z1 was budgetary in nature.
Before switching over to Toyo, I had used Yokohama, Dunlop, Bridgestone, and BF Goodrich, and can say that none were as good in my opinion. The Toyos have more than exceeded what I expected performance tires to handle like on my Miata. The Proxes U1 tires gave the car very predictable handling, lots of response and feedback, and let you know when the limits were being reached. The T1 will ride quite harsh in comparison with the U1 and should only be chosen by Miata owners that want the ultimate street tire. The Proxes RA-1 tires are just astounding and are proving to be quite durable. They are not exhibiting any of the heat cycle crusting compared to other competition tires that I have used in the past. I have driven with them on the street for extended periods between events which is quite eye opening for other drivers considering what you can do on the street with them on. The RA-1's start out with 6/32" tread depth, which relates to 6 bands of large tread blocks. At 4/32" tread depth, they have a wide central band, flanked on either side by two bands of tread blocks. At the minimum legal (SCCA) tread depth of 2/32", they are virtually a slick, with just two central groves between what were the tread blocks. They are redily shaved if so desired. The Observe winter tires are amazing, and I have been competiting with the G-02 against another member of our chapter irunning with Blizzaks in local Ice Dice events (ice racing track Solo I events). During the first year of competiting against one another, his Blizzaks were slightly better, but in year two, he never beat me once. In the long run, I find that the Observe lasts while the Blizzak loses it ability to grip when it's multicell compound gets sorn down to the regular all-season compund that is underneath.
On the whole, I would not hesitate to highly recommend Toyo tires for any person who is looking for a good performance tire for their Miata, or for any car for that matter.
Since writing the previous review, the Proxes line of Toyo tires has changed somewhat, and I felt it important to update my review.
The Toyo Proxes U1 has been dropped (very small market segment between the Proxes T1 and the Z1), and the Proxes FZ4 has been released. The FZ4 is a V-rated all-season, with a unique Water Dispersion Web pattern. A few members of the Wild ROse chapter have purchased them in 195 & 205-50-VR15 and like what they got. Another tire in the Proxes lineup that I didn't review last time is the Proxes H4, which is a H-rated all-season that a few members have as well. I would compare it to the Dunlop D60-A2 in performance and handling.
If you're further interested in Toyo tires, do a search in the Miata.Net mailing list archives for a posting that I did, entitled "SCI tire test - long", which is a reprint of a German car magazines tire test, conducted with the help of Goodyear, at a Goodyear test track in Spain, which had the Goodyear Eagle F1, Michelin Pilot MX MXM, and Toyo Proxes T1 all tie for the best performance tire.
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25 November, 2007 |
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