2015 Prius - Do I need new Tires? (pictures)

they look fine to me. you have tread wear indicators that aren't showing yet

 

still good

 

Run them down to the treadwear indicators then it's time to replace.

 

Just measure the tread depth. All the way to the wear indicators is risky if you live where it rains.

 

Get a tread depth gauge to measure how much is left:



Somewhere around tread depths of 1/32" (legal minimum in CA and a few other dry states) to 2/32" (legal minimum in states with rain) to 4/32" (recommended minimum by many, and legal minimum for some Canadian mountains in winter), replace the tires. But it looks like your tires have more tread than these guidelines.

Though if it feels like the tires don't have enough remaining grip, don't be afraid to replace them earlier.

 

In the picture 228758_20221027_155228.jpg (around 25% up from the bottom of the picture), you can see that you're very close to the tread-wear indicators (which are the bumps in between the treads).
For driving in San Diego, the tires are fine, as long as you don't drive in heavy rain, or any dirt/sandy roads.
In snow, those are death-trap tires.

>For driving in San Diego
>In snow, those are death-trap tires
Hence, why location is often very important for accurate advice.

 

While the wear bars are certainly visible in that picture, they are down at the bottom of the main channels, which still look respectably deep.

Sand and dirt roads are inherently different than asphalt and concrete, regardless of your tires. So that isn't necessarily a tread depth problem.

Some factory tires simply aren't the same as aftermarket, and can have shorter tread life, even if you don't drive aggressively. So that might not be the reason. Or maybe, not the whole reason.

 

Yes, shorter than for otherwise similar tires of the same brand, because the factory tires may have thinner tread in order to achieve higher EPA mpg.

 

... or sometimes just to pinch pennies.

 

Hell my hard Michelin 100,000 mi tires whatever they call them now are about worn out they're gray they're almost to the treadware indicators they're on the front I can't even get them to slide in North Carolina in the heat in the rain It has to be extreme and then I might get a little chirp or her little slide but no sir I run them down to the tread wear indicators I'm looking for a little slide that's fun and then the tires come off the next day for the new ones that are out in the shop kind of like it's always been.

 

Follow through on that; they’re cheap and indispensable. Me, I’d be at least window shopping for tires, anything less than 6/32”.

some of the pics show more wear towards outer edge, which is kinda the opposite of what you normally see, due to neg rear camber (rear tires typically splay out at bottom, for more cornering stability).

 

If this was summer now, you’ll be fine with the tread in the photo tit provided. But it’s going to rain so your stopping distance will increase due to lack of tread. If you continue to commute kB the highway in the next coming months, replace then now if the treads are around 3mm left