Michelin Defender

prius 2010 3; checking back in at just over 3000 miles on my new defenders, i did "upgrade" to 205/55 r 16 size and did notice the 6 mpg drop initially, and it was 100+ degrees daily to boot for the first 2 weeks. However each tank thereafter, I was getting 1/2 to 1 mpg better. I have plateaued at 46mpg cant get over 46 now, I was easily reaching 49mpg avg on the yokohamas s33.
I think the defenders do need to break in and harden up some more though.
Comfort improved by a WIDE margin, i no longer feel i am running on hard as concrete tires. there is also some increased noise however the new wheels i had purchased (velox flight) have a lower offset, thus the tires are pushed out more at the corners. The ride is smoother even inflated to 44psi front and 42 psi rear at the moment.
Handling has increased as well, and the increased friction trade off for the handling is worth it to me, Previously, i could not trust the cornerning ability of the yokohama s33, however, now I have much more confidence and more adhesion with turns.
will check in later, on the mpg numbers but for now, the tradoffs are worth it if in fact these tires do last to 90K miles

 

Just had 4 Michelin Defenders installed on my 2010 Prius 3. Initial mileage (from the trip computer though I have cross checked that previously and it's pretty accurate) was a real shocker. I had been getting a solid 52 to 53 mpg around town, that dropped to 46 or 47.

The old tires were the factory originals, with about 45k miles on them and pretty well worn out (I understand that worn tires tend to get better mileage). I'm happy to say that, on the second tank of gas, mileage is improving substantially. I'm about half way through this tankfull and now seeing 49+ mpg. The vast majority of my driving is in town to work and back so I drive a pretty regular route, have been for a few years so there's good consistency in this regard.

The Defenders are smooth and quiet although, to my feel, when overinflated (I bumped them up to 40 psi) they get a little "springy" if you drive across any washboard type surfaces. Once the mileage stabilizes a bit I may drop them back down to 36 psi and see how that affects mileage and smoothness.

I'll try and update in a few weeks.

 

Thanks for the report! Here's to hoping your mileage get back up to the low 50's.

 

Happy to report that average mileage has recovered and is now settling down at just a hair over 50mpg (50.1 to be exact).

 

How many miles are you at with the tires?

 

I just purchased the 90,000 Michelin Defender for my 2009 Prius. They have a heavier feel, but seem to hold the road better than the original tires. The Defenders are bit louder than the original set but maybe that will reduce as I break them in.

 

Marla, contact Michelin directly. They will set you up with a claim number.

See their 30 Day Promise Plan
Tire Warranty | Michelin Tires

If they retailer will not work with you, Michelin will direct you to a retailer who will be happy to help you. IMO, swap them for a set of Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires. Michelin will be more happy to work with you if you stick with Their brand AND the Energy Saver A/S is hands down the best tire available for the Prius right now. If you are not happy with Michelin then get the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422. Both are quiet, smooth and offer awesome fuel economy. The Energy Saver A/S is more fuel efficient and handles better though. Both are rated for 65,000 miles and wear well.

You do not need to be stuck with a tire you don't like. Screw the people who sold them to you.

 

I had the defenders put on Friday. Got them at the dealer for $120/ea Installation was $24.99 each. I also had an alignment done at $89. Got the tires and work done at the dealer.

During the drive to and from work today (40 miles each way) I noticed the meter down about 4 MPG. It also takes more pedal to get it rolling. But the ride is a LOT better. I can live with the lower MPG because the ride it a lot better and quieter. I will know better after I gas up and check with my phone app.

I did notice that the dealer put 2 of them on inside out. It clearly states inside and outside on the tire. No big deal and they will fix it on Friday. If you get them just make sure they are installed the same on all 4 wheels.

 

MARLA , the ECOPIA 422s' do well in the rain . The ride is quieter and have worn very little . These are used for a 2011 FIT . As for the Continental Pro Contact with Eco Plus , I'd say it's best to avoid those . They're wearing very fast and are getting louder for road noise . At first we enjoyed them due to better handling ( especially rain ) , ride , and their quietness . Very disppointing since we use Blizzak WS 70s' for winter months . Also have / had them rotated at around 6,000 miles . The Eco Plus are on a 2008 Yaris sedan . The alignment is good , so that's not contributing to the wear . Keep both car tires at 35 > 36 p.s.i.. The overall average gas mileage for the FIT ( 5 speed auto ) with the 422s' is 38.6 for 24 fillups . It has been dropping due to use of BLIZZAK WS 60 snows , very cold weather , and winter blend of gas . If interested , here's the gas mileage logged at Fuelly.com , Blue (Honda Fit) | Fuelly . We had 8 straight tanks of 40+ m.p.g. , a first . That was likely thanks to the install of the Ecopia 422s' . Got them for under $60 each .

 

I've had the Defenders for 7,000 miles now. No change in average mileage of about 49 mpg per tank.

 

The Defenders are a second choice to the 422s' for the next tires of the '08 Yaris sedan .

 

The only "scientific" information I found during research was Consumer Reports and Tire Rack. I ended up balancing cost, rolling resistance, and safety. To replace my really worn out Ecopia's (esp. edges, 38-40PSI), 38,000 miles, 49-50 MPG at the end; I bought Michelin MXV4 Primacy's, and took a 3-4MPG hit. I bought them over the Defenders because they cost the same (at Costco), have less rolling resistance, and have better road performance. The A/S's were not available at a reasonable price. Since tires age over the years, I would never hit 90,000 miles (MXV's are 60,000) before needing replacement. My research said to expect an up to a 20% MPG decrease from worn to new tires. I was also looking for a stiffer (heavier) sidewall to counter the Ecopia's edge wear. After 4000 miles, mileage has improved a little (@1MPG), and I have no other complaints or raves.

 

When I look at Costco (both US and Canadian sites), the only 215/45R17 choice (our OEM size) indicated as LRR is the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422. That's 100% more than zero choices, LOL, but still:

Is there anyone selling any other LRR choices, in particular Michelin Energy Saver A/S, through a a bricks-and-mortar outlet. Maybe Costco (or other), through special order? Just kind of frustrating that nobody seems to stock the Energy Saver.

Prove me wrong

 

Costco said they can order the Energy Saver A/S for me and have it in a few days. TireRack stocks them as well. They don't make a 17" version for you, however.

There are plenty of LRR 215/45/17 and 205/50/17 tires available but most will not be as fuel efficient as a good LRR 15".

The Ecopia EP422 and Continental PureContact are pretty fuel efficient 17s. They are priced well too.

 

Geesh, you're right, just check both TireRack and Michelin sites. Those little details...

Thanks for the tips. Right now Costco Canada is showing two 215/45R17:

Michelin - Primacy MXM4
Bridgestone - Ecopia EP422

Which are also on TireRack's LRR exclusive list in my OEM size. I suspect the EP422 are ahead a bit in RR. Any thoughts?

FWIW, our current OEM are the Michelin Pilot HX MXM4. They're apparently not LRR? They do seem decent though. Maybe there's a special OEM version??

 

The EP422 is better for fuel economy. The Primacy MXM4 is much better for handling and wet traction. The Primacy MXM4 is fairly new. The Pilot MXM4 is an older design. The Continental PureContact is a brand new tire that is good for fuel economy yet less than the EP422 but better than the MXM4. It has the longest tread life but rides rougher.

Remember, the 205/50/17 is also an option. It is closer in size to the OE 15" tire. The 215/45/17 is actually smaller than the 195/65/15 and IMO looks funny because it creates more wheel well gap.

 

At Costco Canada EP422 is available in both 215/45R17 ($194.99) and 205/45R17 ($174.99). Interesting.

 

You would want a 205/50/17 not a 205/45/17.

 

Oh woops, typo, typo!

It's apparently no longer possible to attach a spreadsheet (likely for the best, security concern). Anyway, here's a snapshot of a quick-and-dirty calculator:



The cells with formulas:

2E: =B2+(2*(C2/25.4*D2/100))
2F: =E2/2 <mainly just to check against online calculators
2G: =E2*PI()
2H: =5280*12/G2

 

The rated revs per mile for those sizes are on average:

195/65/15: 830
215/45/17: 844
205/50/17: 828