Snow Tires sizes

If you’re gonna put 4 on, I think you’ll be fine.

looking at dimensions on tirerack of the goodyear assurance snows as an example,

oem diameters are
205/60-16 25.7” dia
215/50-17 25.5” dia

your proposed size is
215/55-17 26.3” dia

 

A size that is probably better is 225-50-17. I just put a set of Michelin Cross Climate + in that size on my 2012.

25.9” dia- closer to the original diameter.

 

But do you really want that extra width on real snow? Or in water?

I thought that most folks who run different widths, save the wide ones for summer dry conditions and go narrow in winter wetness and snow. The wider the tires, the more snow or water to be pushed out of the way, or to ride on top of when it cannot be pushed away.

 

Technically you're right, but I think tread pattern and rubber compound is much more important than an additional 10mm (3/8") of section width.

I'm interested to try my new CrossClimates in the winter- supposedly they are very good.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=CrossClimate%2B

 

Yes, rubber and tread pattern are more important. But there is no real reason to not optimize all three by sticking with the narrower width.

Or even go with the standard Prius tire size of 195/65R15 on separate rims, as a number of other members here do for their winter tire sets. This will be more than a full inch narrower than those 225s, a more noticeable difference when fighting water or snow.

 

Well, certainly room for different opinions (and different situations).

We don't get much snow, so I've chosen all-weather tires instead of having two sets of wheels and tires.

In the winter here in Ohio, at least 95% of the time you are NOT driving on snow, so performance on dry and wet roads is my primary focus. Skinny snow tires are really not good in the dry compared to good quality standard-width all-seasons.

 

But that 5% can be very difficult and even scary on all-season tires. Ohio? I remember Cincinnati getting hammered by a snow storm while we were there for XMAS some years back - only time we drove instead of flew. The trip back to Kansas through Indiana, Illinois and Missouri in blowing snow wasn't real pleasant either even with winter tires on the car.

Winter tires are just as important for driving on ice as they are on snow - maybe more important. An interesting and even fun aspect of using modern winter tires like the sticky Blizzaks we use on all our vehicles is that we can drive almost normally on snow and ice while others are struggling on their all season tires. It's quite fun to zoom away from a traffic light stop and look in the mirror and see other vehicles "crabbing" trying to get going. And I can't begin to count the number of times I've driven around cars spinning their tires not able to get up hills ... did a lot of that last winter. Winter tires provide independence - no staying at home when winter weather is bad like some folks do.

 

Is there some reason you want an alternate size, special deal available? I would stick to the stock size. If you're going to somewhere like Costco, they won't install anything but stock size/spec.

 

OP asked very specifically about SNOW TIRES! Who in the hell buys snow tires for dry conditions? Asking about snow tires is prima facie evidence about being more concerned about snow and ice performance than about dry performance.

OP faces different climate and driving situations. Optimizing for best case dry conditions can leave a driver in very deep doo-doo when (not if) the worst case conditions come along. OTOH, by optimizing for worst case, then the nice dry conditions take care of themselves.

For snow tires, very definitely don't go wider than stock. And do remember that for the Prius family, the 195 width also counts as stock, being installed at the factory for all trims but one. While OP does have that single trim equipped with wider tires, there ought to be no problem in going with the narrower size, other than being forced to buy a second wheel set because those narrower tires aren't available for his particular factory rims.

 

Well, I buy them mostly in case of snow, but reality is mostly rain, bare roads, icy conditions when it's clear-and-cold, and once in a while snow.

Still, this drift into alternate sizes is a rabbit hole. Stock size is fine.

 

Costco had become much more rigid the past few years but at least they still sell winter tires that have lower speed ratings than the tires that came on a new vehicle - at least they did the last time I checked. Costco will not, however, sell all-season or summer tires that have lower speed ratings that those that came on vehicle when new.

I downsized to 205/60-16 winter tires on 16" steel wheels with TPMS for our Prius v Five mainly to get a more compliant ride on the horrible potholed winter roads here.

If you want 215/50-17 winter tires, that size is available in the Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 and the newly introduced WS90. Some suppliers have been closing out the WS80 and selling them cheap. The WS90 is supposed to have longer tread life but the WS80 I've been using on our Sienna the past five winters have been wonderful although I'm on my second set. The first set lasted 15,000 miles (to get down to 5/32" of tread). I've been using only Blizzak winter tires on our vehicles for the past 20 years or so - they're wonderful.

 

Yeah that's the smaller rim diameter stock size. Prius v Owner's Manual:



That's the way to go. I did the same thing with our 2010: it's came with 215/45R17 tires, but I went with the stock 195/65R15 size for snow tires.

 

I've always gone wider, no matter the season. Contact patch rules.

 

As I said, no shortage of opinions on this topic. Or any other topic, I suppose!

I’m with Boss!