The best summer tire for most Mustang GTs is the Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02. On a Performance Pack car it costs $222 less a set than the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and beat it in Tire Rack's 2025 summer tire test, while the Falken Azenis FK510 is the pick if price matters most.
The bigger issue on a Mustang is the staggered size. The rears are wider than the fronts, so they can't be rotated, they wear out first, and Michelin and Continental halve the rear warranty.
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How we picked
Every pick here was sold in both Performance Pack sizes, 255/40ZR19 front and 275/40ZR19 rear, on Tire Rack on October 14, 2026. We noted each tire's UTQG treadwear grade, its treadwear warranty and its per-tire price, then added up a 2+2 set. Where a tire was in Tire Rack's 2025 summer tire test, we used those numbers too.
Three popular names dropped out on size alone. The Bridgestone Potenza Sport comes in 255/40R19 but not 275/40R19 (Tire Rack). The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 isn't listed in either size (Tire Rack). Nor is the Continental SportContact 7, which some owners rate highly (Tire Rack).
The picks at a glance
Tire | Best for | UTQG | Treadwear warranty (front / rear) | Price per tire (255/40 front / 275/40 rear) | 2+2 set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 | Most GTs | 340 AA A | $326.99 / $350.99 | $1,355.96 | |
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S | Factory spec on the 2018 GT PP | 300 AA A | $377.99 / $410.99 | $1,577.96 | |
Falken Azenis FK510 | Lowest price | 300 AA A | $280.00 / $323.00 | $1,206.00 |
Prices are Tire Rack's, per tire, October 14, 2026, before rebates and fitting. The set is two of each size: for the Continental, 2 x $326.99 = $653.98 plus 2 x $350.99 = $701.98, so $1,355.96.
What size your Mustang GT takes
Performance Pack cars run 255/40R19 front and 275/40R19 rear. That covers the 2015 to 2023 S550 GT with Performance Pack 1, and the 2018 to 2023 GT's optional 19s, on 19x9 front and 19x9.5 rear wheels (AmericanMuscle). It also covers the S650 GT Performance Package and the Dark Horse (TireSize.com).
Other trims differ:
Car | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
2015–17 GT, base 18-inch | 235/50R18 | 235/50R18 |
2015–17 GT, optional 19x8.5 | 255/40R19 | 255/40R19 |
2018–23 GT, base 18-inch | 255/45R18 | 255/45R18 |
2018–23 GT, optional 19-inch | 255/40R19 | 275/40R19 |
2015–23 GT Performance Pack 1 | 255/40R19 | 275/40R19 |
2019–20 GT Performance Pack 2, 2021–23 Mach 1 Handling Pack | 305/30R19 | 315/30R19 |
2021–23 Mach 1 | 285/30R19 | 305/30R19 |
2024+ GT Performance Package, Dark Horse | 255/40R19 | 275/40R19 |
2024+ Dark Horse Handling Package | 305/30R19 | 315/30R19 |
S550 sizes are from AmericanMuscle, S650 sizes from TireSize.com. TireSize lists the non-PP S650 GT in 255/45R18, 255/40R19 and 265/35R20 without front and rear labels, so check your door-jamb sticker.
What Ford fitted from the factory
The 2018 GT with Performance Pack came on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires in both staggered sizes (FordMuscle). The 2024 Dark Horse came on Pirelli P Zero (PZ4), and the Handling Package car on the new P Zero Trofeo RS (Pirelli).
For the S650 GT Performance Package, owners on mustang7g describe the stock tires as Pirelli P Zeros, and one names the PZ4. We couldn't confirm the exact model from Ford or Pirelli. Read the sidewall on your own car.
If you want to stay with the PZ4, Tire Rack lists it in 255/40ZR19 and 275/40R19 as a Max Performance Summer tire (Tire Rack). We didn't capture its prices.
Why staggered sets cost more to run
Staggered tires wear on two schedules. The rears can't swap to the front, and on a V8 they do the driving, so you'll usually buy rears more often than fronts.
The warranty is shorter too. Michelin's 30,000-mile treadwear warranty on the Pilot Sport 4S carries the line "Half mileage for rear if different size than front" (Tire Rack). Continental's ExtremeContact Sport 02 has the same rule (Tire Rack). So your 275 rears are covered for 15,000 miles, not 30,000.
Budget for an extra pair of rears. At October 2026 prices that's $701.98 for the Continental (2 x $350.99), $821.98 for the Michelin and $646.00 for the Falken.
A square set costs less up front. Four 255/40ZR19 tires were $1,307.96 for the Continental, $1,511.96 for the Michelin and $1,120.00 for the Falken (4 x the front price). That's $48 to $86 less than the staggered set. Don't fit a square 255 set to a PP car without checking with a tire shop first. The 275/40R19 rear is about 27.7 inches tall against 27.0 for the 255 front (TireSize.com). Our tire size calculator shows the difference for any two sizes.
Best summer tire for most GTs: Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02
The ExtremeContact Sport 02 is here because it tested best and costs less than the Michelin. In Tire Rack's 2025 test it set the fastest dry lap and the strongest 60-0 mph wet stop, and scored 7.79 out of 10 (Tire Rack). Its 340 treadwear grade is also the highest of the three.
The drawback: that test was on a BMW M2 in 275/35R19, not a Mustang, and it's one test. The front tire's $326.99 was also marked "Special" on October 14, 2026, so the price may rise. Our Pilot Sport 4S vs ExtremeContact Sport 02 comparison goes through the two in more detail.
Check sizes and prices for the Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 at Tire Rack
The benchmark: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
The Pilot Sport 4S is the tire Ford chose for the 2018 GT Performance Pack, and it's the one owners name most. One owner on mustang7g put the alternative bluntly: "the PS5 is not an upgrade to the PS4S" (mustang7g).
The drawback is cost and wet braking. At $1,577.96 it's the most expensive set here. In the 2025 test it needed 43.9 m to stop from 60 mph in the wet, against 39.6 m for the Continental, a gap of about 14 feet (Tyre Reviews). Tire Rack listed a Michelin offer of an $80 Visa Reward Card, claimed online, when you buy a set of four select Michelin tires, valid September 3 to November 30, 2026. That would bring the set to $1,497.96, but the page only shows it for four of one size, so check that a 2+2 order qualifies before you count on it.
Check sizes and prices for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S at Tire Rack
2025 Tire Rack test, 275/35R19 | ExtremeContact Sport 02 | Pilot Sport 4S | Azenis FK510 |
|---|---|---|---|
Wet braking, 60-0 mph | 39.6 m | 43.9 m | 40.3 m |
Dry braking | 31.0 m | 31.4 m | 32.9 m |
Dry lap | 28.19 s | 28.62 s | 29.03 s |
Wet lap | 30.26 s | 31.18 s | 31.44 s |
Tire Rack overall score | 7.79 | 7.39 | 7.15 |
Figures from Tyre Reviews, scores from Tire Rack. The Kumho Ecsta Sport S and Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 placed first and second overall.
Lowest-priced pick: Falken Azenis FK510
The FK510 saves $149.96 a set against the Continental and $371.96 against the Michelin. It's an Ultra High Performance Summer tire, a step below the other two, but it had the best 60-0 mph braking of that group in Tire Rack's test (Tire Rack).
The drawback: no treadwear warranty at all (Tire Rack). On October 14, 2026 the 275/40ZR19 page also showed an $85.50-per-tire instant rebate (code IRU99) with no dates; the 255/40ZR19 page showed none. If it applies at checkout, two rears drop by $171.00 (2 x $85.50) and the set to $1,035.00. Confirm it in the cart.
Check sizes and prices for the Falken Azenis FK510 at Tire Rack
Base GT on 18s
Square 255/45R18 cars have fewer choices. Neither the Pilot Sport 4S (Tire Rack) nor the ExtremeContact Sport 02 (Tire Rack) was listed in 255/45ZR18. These were:
Tire | UTQG | Treadwear warranty | Per tire | Set of 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Falken Azenis FK510 | 300 AA A | None | $265.00 | $1,060.00 |
Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 | 300 AA A | Not listed | $258.99 | $1,035.96 |
Vredestein Ultrac Pro | 320 AA A | Not listed | $184.44 | $737.76 |
Prices from Tire Rack's 255/45R18 listing and the FK510 size page, October 14, 2026. The Goodyear placed second in the 2025 test above. On a square set you can rotate front to rear and keep the full warranty. We didn't price the 2015–17 cars' 235/50R18.
PP2, Mach 1 and Dark Horse Handling Package
These wider cars are a separate shop. The Pilot Sport 4S is listed in 305/30ZR19 and 315/30ZR19 (Tire Rack). We didn't price them or check the base Mach 1's 285/30R19 front.
For the drag strip, none of these is the answer. FordMuscle's 2024 GT Performance Pack project went to Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S drag radials (FordMuscle). Summer tires also aren't for cold weather. Michelin says the Pilot Sport 4S shouldn't be driven or stored near freezing (Tire Rack). Read can you run winter tires year round if you're planning a second set, or Pilot Sport 4S vs Pilot Sport All Season 4 if you'd rather run one set all year.
How to check this on your own car
Photograph the door-jamb tire placard, then the sidewall at all four corners. You want the size and the load and speed code on each: the PS4S rear, for example, is 275/40ZR19 105Y. Write down the brand and model too.
Next, note the four-digit DOT date code on each tire. Our DOT date code guide shows where it is. Then measure tread depth front and rear with a gauge and log the mileage. Do it again at every oil change. On a staggered car, that log tells you when to order rears.
What to do today
- Check your door sticker: staggered 255/40R19 and 275/40R19, or a square size.
- Choose the tire, then confirm it's sold in both of your sizes before you order.
- Price a 2+2 set and a spare pair of rears, using the figures above as a guide.
- Check whether any rebate covers a staggered order.
- Get an alignment after fitting. See how much a wheel alignment costs.
Comparing stores? Read where to buy tires or Tire Rack vs Tire Agent vs SimpleTire.
Common questions
Can I rotate staggered tires on a Mustang?
Not front to rear, because the sizes differ. Ask your installer whether your tires can swap side to side. Without front-to-rear rotation, the rears usually wear out first.
Are the stock S650 Pirellis summer tires?
On the Dark Horse, yes. Pirelli says it fits the P Zero (PZ4) (Pirelli), and Tire Rack lists that tire as Max Performance Summer. For the GT Performance Package, owners report P Zeros too, but we couldn't confirm the model. Check the sidewall.
PS4S or PS5 for a Mustang GT?
The PS4S. Tire Rack doesn't list the Pilot Sport 5 in 255/40ZR19 or 275/40ZR19, so it won't fit a Performance Pack car's stock sizes. Our Pilot Sport 4S vs Pilot Sport 5 guide covers the wider differences.
Sources are linked in the text. Main references: Tire Rack, AmericanMuscle, TireSize.com and Pirelli.
Featured image: 2019 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 facelift by Vauxford (BY-SA). Source
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