Impressed with the Ecopia EP422 tires (50K mile update)

Now that the tires are broken in, what is your opinion on MPG? Did you see a drop when you first fitted them, and then afterwards saw the MPG improve? Or did you seem to not notice much change whatsoever, either to the good or the bad? Many report drops after changing tires, however other's repost increases in MPG. IIRC, the Ecopia 422 is supposed to be LRR tire, but I need to refer to F8L's list to confirm that.

Thanks for the info on your tires and your post!

Ron

 

Good to hear what you are saying. Did some research before this reply, it does appear that the Ecopia 422 is a LRR tire, so you should be good to go in that aspect.

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422

What is really a plus is that you did not mention a drop in MPG. There have been several here on this board that have complained when going from the stock Integrity's to other non LRR tires.

Summer will be here soon, then you can make that final decision on the MPG.

The tires you bought are one of two brands that I am considering when I buy new ones, the other one is the Michelin Energy Savers A/S, but I have the feeling I will end up with the Ecopia's because of the price.

Good luck to you and thank you once again for your post and the information you shared.

Ron

 

The EP422 is one of the most fuel efficient tires were have in North America. The only one that tops it is the Energy Saver A/S. I prefer the Michelin in every aspect except snow. If you deal with snow then the EP422 is the better choice.

Ron, make sure you get the $70 rebate for the Ecopia or the Michelin when you finally get around to buying them. Costco has the rebate on Michelin right now but will switch back to Bridgestone soon.

 

Your posting (and that $70 off at Costco) led to me making the same change on our Prius. We love them! I never realized what cement overshoes the Comfortreads were. Lousy wearing too. The moment I drove the car the difference was hugely apparent. The Ecopias require dramatically less turning effort. I felt this instantly in the parking lot. They're quieter than the Goodyears too. These tires feel like they were made for this car. Hope they wear a lot better than the Comfortreads too.

One question. Costco inflated them to 35# with nitrogen. Is this correct?

 

I love the Ecopias EP422s! First thing I noticed was the ride quality - it improved a great deal, even with 42 PSI in the tires. There is no noise also. I have about 2000 miles on them. Hopefully I can a lot of miles on them. Still have not seen visible mpg increase, but this is partially because the car has the Hymotion pack installed and my mpg varies depending on how often I can recharge. Bought them in the beginning of March 2013 off of TireRack, around $380 with shipping, my mechanic installed and balanced for $40. Happy camper

 

I have 8,000 miles on these tires and they work great. I never noticed any decrease in mpgs since I got them. Interested in what tire pressure others are running on them. I am doing 44/42

 

Same PSI here

Samsung Galaxy S III

 

I just got Ecopias on my 08 Prius touring last week. They do ride nice and seem to grip well though no snow lately to test in. They do let the car float or sway more though especially with a quick lane change at high speed or high cross winds. I compromised on handling to see if I could maximize mpg. So far mileage after a couple tanks is same as before with the old Bridgestone Insigia SE 200's, averaging 41-42 mpg.

Would a higher tire pressure help with handling or mpg? I care more about those than a soft ride. I'll bet the tire place just used the door sticker pressures.

 

I am also looking to get these tires for a 2009 Touring. Glad to hear about the reviews. In my neck of the woods they are asking $502 installed at Costco with $70 coupon.

 

I don't have the Ecopias, however it is my understanding that the tires are a good LRR tire.

You asked about air pressure. If the tires are set at the placard settings, most here on PC consider that to be the minimum pressure that Toyota recommends for comfort. With that said, if you are interested in higher MPG and would be comfortable with a harsher ride you should consider raising the pressure of the tires. As long as you do not exceed the maximum pressure that is shown on the tire's sidewall, you should be Ok. Several here including myself recommend 42 front and 40 rear. It is best to set the pressure when the tires are cold. If you find the ride is too harsh, adjust the pressure lower until you are comfortable with the ride.

Our Prius is a non touring model, unlike yours. However the information that I shared seems to be valid for both the touring and the non touring model based on what I have observed here on PC.

I hope this helps you in your quest for better mileage.

 

Just got my Ecopia 422's on my 2005, $369 out the door at Costco here in Wisconsin.

 

I have over 18,000 miles on my Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 195/55/16 tires - still very happy. My average is 52.53 MPG with the new tires - versus 50.03 with the originals.

 

Love the Ecopias!

 

Obvious corporate shill is....obvious?

 

I went last Saturday to buy the Ecopias and the Tire Center Rep at Costco pushed hard to sway me against the purchase claiming that the Prius was too heavy for the tire and they were seeing poor performance from the tire and very early wear. I read a bunch of positive reviews here and purchased them yesterday regardless of their (Costco's) negative feedback. When I was leaving the tire guy sarcastically said "good luck". They did try to push me into a tire that was about $30 more expensive per tire.

 

The tire guy must have just been promoted from floor sweeping. Don't ever trust him.