2007-2009 Touring,Is steering and handling better than standard prius?

John, I know this post is 100 years old but I’m fixing to buy tires and have 205/55/16 in my cart pondering this choice. Did you experience any decrease in mpg?

Also, what kind of handling changes did you experience? This is my daughters car, she likes the low profile tires for their sporty feel but she doesn’t like how hard it feels going over bumps. I’m thinking the extra little bit of sidewall from the 205/55 may marginally help, but not so big a sidewall that they start feeling spongy. I think it’s only going to add around .40 of an inch to the overall tire height (approx .20 to the sidewall) so I doubt it’ll really even be noticed visually.

Anyway, just curious on your experience regarding mph and what ways it improved handling.

Thanks!

 

Hi Stephen.
I did not find a downside to increasing the tyre width to 205 from 195. In fact once I had tried the wider tyres I never changed back to the OEM 195's. The car felt very different with the wider tyres it felt planted on the road, and comfort was not an issue. Using the lowest rolling resistance tyres there was no increase in fuel used.
I no longer have the Prius as I sold it to a family member who still has it, and runs the same size tyres.
I now have a Lexus GS450H hybrid. Not as ecconomical as the Prius, but still returns 35/40 mpg (UK gallons) in a 3.5ltr car weighing 2tons, and does 0 to 60 in 5 seconds.

John.