Low rolling vs Touring Tire question

I am running Michelin Defenders, you are in the 4th gen threads FYI. I personally lost about 3 mpg and it finally seemed to come back around and maybe I am only getting about a 2MPG hit over the Toyo OEMs that came on the car. I would have went with the Energy savers but they were out of stock and backordered. I saw someone do an interesting analysis that says even with the 3-4 MPG hit, youre better off with a 90k or 100k because tires are expensive themselves. I used to have hydroedges on a toyota matrix and they were downright scary driving on wet or slick roads toward the end of their life. So the slicker the tire, the better the MPG, but yes there is a tradeoff for sure in traction and grip too. I would say and vote for the defender or energy saver if I was you, but I heard some good things about the EP422's as well.

 

TO the OP, in Oklahoma: I'm in Ft Worth, TX. With summertime heat (6-7 months above 90f), I would never attempt to own a tire for 70-80-90k miles. In my opinion, heat creates an unpredictable lifespan, regardless of treadlife.

When a tire gets down to 4/32", regardless of design, wet traction is compromised, because of the hardness of the rubber, and the shallowness of the sipes. (That said, Michelin Premier A/S claims that traction remains for the life of the tire/tread, because of the design of the sipes). As the tires wears, MPG improves, but...

I'm one of the converts (for the time being) to the latest Bridgestone Ecopia Plus. I have them on both Prius (prefer the 15" to the 17") and one Leaf (16"). Our Avalon (17", mostly our roadtrip car) has Michelin Premier A/S. I like them, as well.

 

The Yokohama Avid Ascend GT tires I got in May are amazing in the rain, even when it's pouring. They are quieter than the OEM Toyo Nanos I got rid of and seem to be wearing better as well.

 

LRR and Touring are not mutually exclusive categories of tires. Yokohama Avid Ascend LX is LLR with Blue Earth technology. Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus is Touring tires that is LRR.

 

"Touring" is an almost meaningless adjective. It kindles ideas, a more luxurious, at-home-on-the-highway tire, but really? Maybe just hype?

"Low Rolling Resistance" has some validity, but it's tossed out so much, with no objective backup, it might as well be meaningless.There's a few tires that make no LRR claim, and yet do very well.

I was going to respond immediately upon seing this thread, something along the lines of "Maybe we need a new forum, the "Rabbit Hole". But held back...

 

I'm enjoying the Ecopias that came on my 2019. On my 2010 Prius, I've had two sets of Defenders and have not been disappointed. Quietness is important for me, and both the Bridgestone and Michelins have been ok. Another to check out, which is less expensive, is the General Altimax RT43.

 

I agree. My Yokohamas say "GT," but I doubt that means much other than to distinguish them from other designs they offer. As for the LRR label, that does seem accurate with these tires, although I've never compared them on the same car to non-LRR tires.

 

So the answer is this easy- if you don’t mind loosing up to 10% of your fuel mileage, go with the regular tire. But for me, it’s one of the major reasons I have driven Prius. I have personally seen the 5-10% reduction on a couple Prius in the family as well as a VW TDI I’ve had. For some, the 3-5 mpg loss is not a concern. With that being said, there are lots of good choices out there in the LRR category that may provide longer life, and better handling than the oem tire that came on your car. One of the best I’ve had has been the Michelin Energy which actually provided the best mpg of all the tires I had on my 09 Prius in 225,000 miles. On my current Prius Prime I’ve been pleased with the OEM Bridgestone Ecopias. One great resource to compare and buy tires has been http://www.tirerack.com. I have used them for tires on all of my vehicles. Search for tires for your year car and then select “eco friendly” tires in the search preferences. You’ll see quite a few choices available. Then I dig into the tests and customer reviews to see how actual customers like them, and the impacts the tires and the have had on their cars. The greatest thing I’d like to folks out there to avoid is making a decision without the facts. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read of people who were shocked and horrified that their car lost so much efficiency- just with a set of new tires..... And certainly don’t rely on the “tire guy” to recommend the best tire to you for your car. For the most part these guys push what they have in stock or on sale.

 

The TR guide led me to Michelin CrossClimate Plus! I’ve literally never heard that tire mentioned in all my searches for a set of tires for the 2011 Prius I’m picking up this weekend! Guy in the intro thread recommended Bridgestone 22...
What I want is best fuel economy while having a quiet ride! MPG into the equation seems to really complicate the search...

 

I live up in a rural area of Santa Cruz mountains and drive over the hill M-F. I try to keep my speed going downhill to the speed limit or 5 MPH below. I have to drive up hill pretty quick, about 5 to 10 miles over speed limit (45MPH 55MPH). The life of my tires last from 12 to 18 months and the combination of hilly driving and speed and 'less expensive' tires are costing me more in the end. in 3 years, I had to buy 3 new sets of tires.
What would a tire expert recommend, not a tire sales man, an experienced user?
I am looking at the Conti Control Contact Tour A/S Plus or Goodyear Assurance MaxLife. From what I've read over the past few weeks, people seem to prefer the Conti.