Where did this speculation come from? Is it documented? It seems that the ECO has the same if not similar tires to the rest of the fleet - but now the threads have developed this unconfirmed "fact" that the ECO gets better mileage due to almost "disposable" tires. I know that the ECO is supposed to have tires that can hold more PSI safely and increase mileage that way.But I run 43 PSI in my Four. The speculation is that there must be something undeclared to allow the same drivetrain to get better mileage than other models - and the weight reduction seems to be less than substantial. But, let's not make up facts please.
Right on, brother! The Dunlop tires are definitely the same tire that I saw on Two (non-Eco's), and some Three models. They just pump it up 4 more PSI on the Eco model. (I'm a little too harsh sometimes, but I think the "Eco" Prius Two is just a crock!)
Who's making up facts? First of all, aren't all tires disposable? I know of no tire that is touted as being life of the car equipment, tires by definition are a wear item, I don't think I'd want tires that aren't ultimately disposable. It is a fact that the Toyota Prius Eco's have been equipped with Dunlop Enasave low rolling resistant tires and they are inflated to higher PSI's, than the OEM's given to other Prius. There is debate, over how much these tires, evidently specifically chosen by Toyota for this model line, have to do with any increased gas mileage, but I don't hear a lot of made up facts. The fact that Toyota has exclusively chosen that specific brand and type of tire for the ECO model? Would lead me to believe there IS a desired connection between choosing that tire, designed to hold more PSI, and some degree of MPG improvement. How much? I don't know. But if it didn't improve mileage enough for Toyota to want to do it? I'd think you'd see the same, or usual mix of OEM provided tires. That is to say, I don't think Toyota's choice in this matter is random or without reason.
Doesn't make sense. Why is the exact SAME Dunlop tire on a Two or Three model, inflated to 4 lbs less? I've increased my tires to 40 psi, so now I have created a Three Eco model.
I actually think I'm in the minority as a Prius Owner that keeps their tires inflated to what is the recommended PSI in the door jam.
I want to clarify. I don't think the Prius Two Eco is a bad car. I'd certainly buy one if that was the only model available. It's a very good, economical, proven engine and reliable vehicle. I just think the "weight savings" of removing the compact spare and rear window wiper, probably achieves an extremely unnoticeable increase (or NO increase) in MPG. But it doesn't hurt to up the tire psi a bit. Frankly, I just believe the "Eco Model" to be a marketing ploy by Toyota. I'm a 250 lb man. And my Three model has a spare tire. And a rear wiper. And a somewhat heavy box in the trunk. If I put my Three in the Eco mode, and me and a Two Eco model owner drove the same exact route, at the same speed, with the same tires/tire pressure.... I believe there would be very little or no noticeable difference in MPG, between the two cars. I'll bet ya a large pizza!
....and regardless of what model Prius you're driving, Kevin (the MAN!) will blow all you guys out of the water when it comes to MPG! He wins the large pizza, hands down. Ok, back to ECO tires.......
That's the thing!! I have seen ECO's riding on all three of the known tires that the Gen 4 comes with.. If it's the Dunlop Enasaves that are supposed to be "the Eco tire", well that's what I have on my Three w/ ATP, plus I'm running 40/39 PSI, the extra 4 psi as prescribed for the real ECO? Plus I don't think it has actually been confirmed that the windshield (here in North America anyways) is actually the solar resistant one. So, we are back to no rear wiper, no spare, 4 more PSI in whatever tire they slap on the car, for $500 more than a base 2... Ok you do also get the 3 door sks and the Li Ion Battery with the Eco.
Dunlop Enasave rings a bell, as the Eco's tire. Here's it's numbers (from TireRack site): A little disconscerting is that only 195/65R15 has 540, all the other (fairly limited selection) sizes are 340. Owners' opinion of treadwear: Not available, too new?? And here's Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 plus numbers, and it gets a little weird, with the 5 rib and 4 rib versions : Owners' opinion of treadwear: Well one version is the same 540, one higher. Anyway, very similar?
The weight removal helped in the -calculation- of fuel economy, not real world economy. For the official rating. - not speculation- I got the impression that the "special" tyres for the eco didn't come to North America. Perhaps for some legal reason, or perhaps they were in short supply. Has anyone looked for those tyres here? Maybe they're not even available (so no replacements means they didn't want to put them on the new car). -speculation-
Well this is a worldwide fourm with members on all corners of the globe and as far as I know no one is reporting any special tires with the ECO? So it seems to me anyways that was baloney.
If you go back to the earliest Gen4 2 eco posts, before anyone actually owned one, the only explanation we could see for 2 eco being as much as +4 MPG (in the specs) was possibly the special Dunlop LRR tires. This was a different quoted spec tire from all the other trims. But when Gen4 came out, it seemed to be mixed bag of different OEM tires on all of the models. But that's where the talk started.
Yes, and they seem to be averaging 2 mpg better than most.... I actually went through all the trim levels a month ago and actually hand calculated and separated all the numbers one day. Lol. I wish I saved the crude chart I made but I didn't. This could possibly be due to most who buy an Eco do so with hypermiling in mind thus drive more conservatively.
Yes, the results can vary considerably, depending on how a person drives. But I guess we can get a general idea of what kind of mileage can be had. (Assuming, of course, they are all being honest about those MPG numbers. )