26,000 Miles and all four tires are bald

Unless you are measuring each tire at at least three points across the thread and comparing those measurements with the original, you can't be sure just from looking at the tire.

There is an incredible difference in the performance of a tire IN THE RAIN even at double legal measurements when compared to one comparably new and at full design tread depth.

Here is what TireRack's tests showed (excerpt from one of my web pages so the interpretations are mine, numbers theirs):

"The difference between a new tire and one worn down to 2/32 (legal limit in many states) in a test on a water soaked surface was an almost doubling of stopping distance! 4/32 deep tires took about 50% longer to stop than new tires.

New - 195 feet

4/32 - 290 feet

2/32 - 378 feet

Even more startling to me is that on a 2/32 tire, in stopping tests in the wet from 70MPH the new tire would have stopped the car where the worn tire would only have slowed the car to 55MPH!!!! 4/32 would only have slowed the car to 45!!!!

They don't cite skidpad tests but the same issues that affect stopping distance would affect your staying on the road as you round the curve in the very wet. The tire needs the depth in order to evacuate the water beneath the tread and get the tire "rubber" into contact with the pavement. If it rides up on the water, it is like driving on ball bearings. I recall driving behind a car once and seeing it hit a puddle just as it came to a bridge and then going off like a pinball bouncing off both sides of the bridge. When I stopped, sure enough balding tires.

Depth does matter in the wet.

In the dry, depth is not nearly as important as long as the depth is consistent."

 

I'm a big fan of the Michelin energy savers which came stock on my new v with 16" wheels, i'll be replacing with the same when these wear out. Mine are looking like your yokohama's in the picture but I have 78000km(48000 miles) on them. Generally I have kept the tires anywhere between factory reccomended pressures and up to 45psi. Finally settled on 42f/40r for best economy/comfort on my local roads.
On the topic of tire life, I used to have a 2008 Honda fit that I took on a road trip across canada, coast to coast, 24,000km round trip in 2 months. I installed brand new bridgestone potenza tires on it before i left on the trip. The tires were completely worn out when I got back. A good portion of this trip did involve gravel roads though(labrador and northern quebec) which seem to greatly accelerate tire wear compared to asphalt.

 

Be sure to get the A/S variant, it gets better mileage. The standard ES tire is an OEM version.

 

I just replaced my factory originals with the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus SL after 39000. So why am I detailing the replacement tires? They are so quiet, I feel I've got a stealth car now. The original Toyos were so noisy, however it was only when I replaced them did I notice how noisy they were. My Prius V 2012 is like a new car, but better. It's my favorite car of in my garage--I own a Porsche 2014 Cayenne Turbo and a Porsche 2007 GT3.

 

I had the factory Toyo tires checked before a big trip to Vegas at about 25k mils thinking they were bald. The guy at the shop said the treadwear was good and that they should be good to make it to Vegas easily. However, he pointed out some tread separation on the tires that I hadn't really paid attention to. He recommended I contact the dealer and look at warranty replacement. I followed up with dealer who promptly passed me on to Toyo since the Toyota warranty for the tires is 10k. Toyo gave me a 30% discount on new tires all around. I chose a BETTER tire than the OEM one and decided to get some rims at the same time to save the whole mounting/balancing charge I would have faced with waiting. Long story short, check for any cracks or separation on the sidewall and you may be able to get a good deal on some new tires with better life.

 

Wal-mart or Costco tires?

 

Costco.

 

There's your answer.

 

I love the Michelin Defenders ... and i hate my OEM tires. Michelin is all I ever put on my2004 Prius.

 

At 21k+ on the original Michelins on my '12 v and, to look at them, there is almost no wear.

 

Slow down while cornering.

 

I have the Bridgestone Turanzas on my 2012 "v", just turned 37,000 miles, rotate every 5,000 miles, look like they have another 20,000 miles left in them.