An AWD Mazda 3 with snow tires will be incredibly capable. These already have pretty good ground clearance for a car...you can upsize the tires a bit, but not too much, or you'll have issues with rubbing and with your speedo.

try this site: willtheyfit.com

moving to 215/50R18 will lift your car .4 inches

Alloy Wheel & Tyre Fitment Calculator. Offset, Tyre Stretch and Speedo Error | Will They Fit

Alloy Wheel & tyre fitment calculator - it calculates inset, poke, speedo error, tyre stretch and loads more.

www.willtheyfit.com

 

An AWD Mazda 3 with snow tires will be incredibly capable. These already have pretty good ground clearance for a car...you can upsize the tires a bit, but not too much, or you'll have issues with rubbing and with your speedo.

try this site: willtheyfit.com

moving to 215/50R18 will lift your car .4 inches

Alloy Wheel & Tyre Fitment Calculator. Offset, Tyre Stretch and Speedo Error | Will They Fit

Alloy Wheel & tyre fitment calculator - it calculates inset, poke, speedo error, tyre stretch and loads more.

www.willtheyfit.com

Thank you!

 

225/45/18 is the largest you can stuff in there and it still works pretty good for snow.

 

Great, thank you!

 

If you find yourself in need of more traction otherwise. https://www.amazon.com/AutoSock-685...ds=autosock+225/45/18&qid=1645484293&sprefix=auto+sock+225/45/18,aps,225&sr=8-3

Most of us use the continental DWS06 high performance all season which does a pretty good job for winter snows on the first part of the tread.

 

Most of these tread designs are comparable:
Nokian WR4
Continental DWS
Goodyear Assurance Weather Ready

 

I could be wrong, but tires won’t affect your ride height/ground clearance. The coil springs determine the ride height.

 

On a unibody, non-body-on-frame, vehicle like the Mazda 3, both suspension and tire height can add ride height.
Suspension is complicated, and if ground clearance is the only goal, then simply upsizing an overall larger diameter tire/wheel package can give extra ground clearance.

With tire size increase, there will be a point where the larger diameter rolling package will start hitting suspension/body parts that can possibly be mitigated with a suspension lift.