Fuel Economy on 17's

It is going to vary because each tire is different, ambient temps affect ride comfort and ride comfort is subjective.

In winter when temps drop below 50F I have to run lower pressure or else the ride is too rough and rattles increase. In summer I can run higher pressures because the tire is more pliable as are most road surfaces. With my 17" tires I tend to prefer 38psi-45psi. Anything higher and the ride is just too rough unless you only travel on very smooth roads.

 

Not sure. I've never had them below 36. And per F8L, it's pretty hard to quantify. I'm just going on the hunch that going a bit above sticker has got to help. I intially had them at my usual 42/40. But that was coming from previous higher profile tires. With low profile tires it get's really rocky going over our incessant speed bumps. Did I mention that I hate them with a vengeance, LOL.

 

I forgot to mention mpg. Don't expect huge gains with added pressure. Unless you are a serious hypermiler I would not expect to see much of a gain above 45psi. The largest gain will be from 32psi to 40psi. After that the gains are very very small.

Better to learn how to drive more efficiently and leave your tires at 45psi or less. It's safer and you'll see much larger gains.

 

What mpg gains should I expect going from 33/32 to 40?

 

Maybe 1-2mpg depending on how you drive.

 

The 17s looks nice but we take a hit in MPG.
The 15s are efficient but far from being eye candy.
Anyone looked into 16s.
I wonder what that would do to efficiency and why Toyota did not go that route.

Or, some 15s with the spokes designed close to the edge of the wheel to give it a larger visual effect? That would accomplish the high FE and the EC (Eye Candy) effect!!

 

lots of wheels thread with every combo.. 15-16-17-18.. I think I even saw someone with 19/20's!

I'm not fairing that great with my 17's BUT I think it's due to my locations and routes. Hope to get close to 45mpg instead of 43.

 

I am getting 47.9mpg with the 215/45/17's. I'm running at 36/35. I was concerned about putting too much pressure in the low profile tires... Since I broke 2000 miles, the mpg's seem to be climbing. I wonder what pressure most people with the 17's are running? Please help us to determin the best pressure for this tire size and reply!

 

wow.. I'm fairing much lower. are you on fuelly? My commute is short and hilly. Also is that computer or calculated

 

I haven't signed up for fuely. Just using my mileage logs and receipts. (I use the car for business). I use to get 51 with my Gen II '07 Touring. I use to run the oem 16's at 42/40. The 17's definately hit the mpg's. Gliding is much less efficient, therefore the hit in mileage.

 

I am driving a 2013 Prius2. Had 17" rims and Michelien primacy M4Mx tires installed. Been driving 1500 miles since new (tires and rims installed by dealer a week after I picked up car (180miles one way to dealer). On the first drive home I took careful notice of handling and MPG using the display. Handling is greatly improved with the 17" tires(less sidewall flex)
Recent trip to Missioula Mt (137miles one way) over a 1500 ft climb to Lost Trail Pass I am averaging 45-50mpg.
Using the Progressive SNAPSHOT data top confirm mileage, fill up at pump etc. NOTE my wife put 65.79 miles in town from April 2(put 3 gals to top off tank in Missoula on April 2) to April 14. Put 9,7 gals at Costco on April 16 total of 12 gals aprox. equals 53mpg.
NOTE what goes up must go down so going over the pass we use the B position on the gear select when going down. The mpg gauge reads 100 all the way down both sides. BUT put it in PWR going up the grade.
My wife and I were discussing MPG and she would fill up the 2003 Ford Escape 2x a month (topping off tank but spending $75+ per month. Now going to Missoula, filling up, drive 20 days and use $30 worth of gas.
We don't even look at gas prices anymore.
As far as tires, I understand the weight of the 15 vers the 17 is why lower MPG BUT w/ the 17's the car feels like its glued to the road, especially trips to Missioula. The road is "As crooked as a dogs hind leg" Festus Hagget,

 

I have a 2010 prius in the v package (leather, navi, 17" factory rims). The Toyota dealer installed 17" yokohama avid envigor 215 45 17 tires onto them and for the first year of ownership, I was embarrassed to only get 43-44 mpg on a prius. 8 months ago, I picked up a used set of factory 15" wheels w/ stock Yokohama Avid S33 tires and have been averaging 50 mpg on them. I've been eyeing the stock 17's in my basement (they look soo good)and yearn to remount them with the appropriate LRR tires. I know the Envigors aren't LRR tires. Any tire gurus out there know if I could realize 50mpg with a different brand / model tire?

 

Just a side note. I had my Transaxle Oil changed at 10,000 miles. Since the service, I have been averaging 49.4MPG over the last 1,100 miles... Of course, the morning temperature has dropped about 20 degrees, but still close to 90 in the afternoon. It's not a big increase over the 47.9, but I'll take it!

 

Our Canadian Touring came with Michelin Pilots in 215/45R17. They're not LRR either (I think). The running average over 3 years of ownership is 5.0 liters/100km, which converts to 47.3 miles per US gallon. That's a real mixed bag of driving conditions, short trips, longer, and we're not rabid hypermilers. FWIW, it has about the same mileage in winter on Michelin XIce in 195/65R15 (on steel rims).

<Note: editted above, revising "195/65R17" to be "195/65R15")

 

Did you have a sample saved?

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

 

If you are only getting 50mpg with the OE 15s then you will not get 50mpg with any 17" tire unless you change your driving habits. You will always be at least 3mpg lower with the 17s until a better tire comes out to match the efficiency of today's 15s.

 

I asked, but he missed the note and dumped it... I know that it was done, however, because I watched him hand pumping it in after the drain.