Best tires for the Prius?

I got the Michelin X Radial at Costco and I'm very satisfied with them (BTW the X Radial is only sold at club stores, and was VERY highly rated by Consumer Reports in 11/05).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mcbrunnhilde @ Jun 12 2007, 01:20 PM) [snapback]460371[/snapback]</div>

I have X Radials on my other car, and they are excellent tires with good grip. Also Costco here in the Seattle area is offering a coupon for $60 off a set of 4 X-Radials.

-wiiprii

 

I got Goodyear viva2 tires. They are very low rolling resistance and seem better for the heat of AZ than Michelin, also 2/3 the price, about $50-60 with a 60,000 mile warrenty. I wanted Michelins but most places were out of the 15 inch prius size for some reason. Must be all the prii we now have.

 

here is a link that might help you decide.
you can see wher the OEM (Goodyear Integrity) is on the chart

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresult...lay.jsp?type=AS

 

I got a set of Kumho 758 this moring. Actually is was 2 tires 2k miles ago and 2 new ones this morning.

I had a blow out 2k miles ago and needed something for short term. Found out that I did not lose any MPG to this set. And since it is 44psi max, I was able to run 40 psi easily. So I picked up the other 2 this morning.

And I seem to have a better feel with these tires. For $45/each, its not bad with 40k warranty. From reviews, people seem to like it for non hybrid cars too.

 

I did a bunch of research when I changed from the OEM. The Conti Pro Contact were the best I could find. Substantially better price and better LRR than OEM (Integrity's have no integrity). See my sig for more info.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Graz @ Jun 12 2007, 06:29 PM) [snapback]460538[/snapback]</div>

Nice find. The 88h version is already sold out for the season on tirerack.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(syncmaster @ Jun 12 2007, 06:03 PM) [snapback]460520[/snapback]</div>

Great chart, thanks. Sure wish they would include a rolling resistance category.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gqscientist @ Jun 13 2007, 10:21 PM) [snapback]461397[/snapback]</div>

Sure there is! Get an electric vehicle!

Oops. Wrong thread.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(syncmaster @ Jun 12 2007, 08:03 PM) [snapback]460520[/snapback]</div>

Does anyone know anything about Firestone FR710's? I looked at TireRack and the rating for FR690's was terrible.
They sing like mud tires with 60 psi in them. They were on the car when we bought it.

 

The Kumho's Ecsta and Solus I've used before and I bought them based on tirerack services.

It seems that the Bridgestone turanzas are the ones I'd buy if $ wasn't an issue.

 

I love the Goodyear TT. They are quiet, not quite the low rolling resistance of the INTEGRITY. But much better than the OEM tire.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FBear @ Jun 16 2007, 06:26 PM) [snapback]463158[/snapback]</div>

What brand of oem tires were installed on 15" rims?

 

That's puzzling. The 15" OEM tires on our Prius were/are in fact Integritys.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FBear @ Jun 16 2007, 04:26 PM) [snapback]463158[/snapback]</div>

 

We've had excellent results as an all-around tire with the stock Integrity's.

That said, I also settled on the ContiPor Contact, only to find they are on backorder everywhere with delivery dats in the October-ish time frame.

We got the ComforTred over the TripleTred; we figure we spend more time talking to each other and listening to NPR on the radio, and (gasp) talking on the cell phone... and less time playing Jackie Stewart - Ace Formula-One Racer. So we care more about ride comfort and noise comfort, and we'll take the small hit vs TT's on traction and handling.

On the stock rims, though, I'd just do more Integrity's. Trying to put "performance" 25"-diameter tires on a 15x6 rim seems like putting sport cleats on flip-flops.

 

I am running on Goodyear Eagle NCT5 195/55R15 and I like em... I like to go fast sometimes and they provide good grip on wet and dry weather....

better that the toyos I had on my other car

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gqscientist @ Jun 12 2007, 04:10 PM) [snapback]460364[/snapback]</div>

I just had four new 195/60R15 Primacys installed two days ago. The OEM tires gave me 34000+ miles of service, but they were getting downright scary toward the end (and no, the antiskid should NOT kick in at 30 mph in dry conditions on a freeway offramp!). Tire Rack had the best deal, but be forewarned, these are not cheap tires.

Initial impressions: For handling and traction, the Primacys are lightyears ahead of the OEM Integritys. These things grip with a vengeance! Can't say how they compare to the TripleTreds, ComforTreds or the ContiPros, but I'm certainly pleased so far. Haven't tried them in rain yet (100 degrees, sunny and humid in D.C. all week), but I'm betting I won't be disappointed. On the negative side, the ride is rougher than I expected. Michelin advertises these on their website as a "legendary ride ... one of the most comfortable in the industry." Hmmm. A bit of an oversell, IMHO. Noise levels are less than the Integritys, but I was surprised to notice a low-frequency whine on the newly paved portion of I-66 on this morning's commute.

BTW, add my voice to those who recommend the wider (195/60 v. 185/65) tires. Just on aesthetics alone, it's a worthwhile move. Using my 25-mile commute as a benchmark, I've noticed a slight (2-3) MPG decline, but it's too early to tell if it's the Primacys or some other factors. As many others have pointed out, impressions can change after the break-in period. I'll update this review once I've put some more miles on the tires.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bobdavisnpf @ Jul 20 2007, 07:47 PM) [snapback]482617[/snapback]</div>

I just got rid of my factory Integrities after 25k miles.
I switched to 4 new Kuhmo 195/65-15's (Power star 758's) and wished I had stayed with the stock size.

Just like the quoted guy..... performance difference just doesn't matter with this type of car (to me anyways).
No noticeable improvements to justify the extra weight and now the added work I have to do to get even close to the mileage I "was" getting with the smaller tires.
Was avg. 55mpg before now struggling to get 50.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Graz @ Jun 12 2007, 09:29 PM) [snapback]460538[/snapback]</div>

I am about get new tires. I got 60,000 miles out of the stock tires.
Why are the Conti Pro Contact so cheap?
How do they compare to Michelin X-Radial?