I know, not another tire question, but I seriously searched and didn't find the answers for this. It's time for my 07 (base) to get a new set of tires within the next month and I'm researching the best choice for my car. The question is what can I expect in mileage drop if I went to more conventional passenger car tires for increased comfort instead of LRR tires for fuel economy and harsher ride quality. I would be willing to trade a couple of MPG for more comfort and less road noise, but if it's going to be more like 5 to 7 MPG then I would opt for the LRR variety. Even though I spent several hours searching this forum and others I couldn't find a reasonable answer for this. The only answers that I saw was always buy LRR tires for best fuel economy without any comparative metrics to show the difference. I know there are no hard numbers that can answer this question being there are so many tire choices, but if any of you have any experience with both, I would like to hear some opinions before I make a decision. TIA for any suggestions
it depends on the tire unfortunately. there aren't mpg specs for tires, and i've seen anywhere from 3 to 10. but that's anecdotally, based on owners observations. i would read through the tire threads and select on based on your parameters
I have two Prii both 2008. I’ve tried several different tires. I have gone back to the gold standard for all season tires. Best fuel economy comfort a ride quality Bridgestone Ecopia 422 plus. best deal is Amazon $130 each ship to you. $600 4 tires including tax. Then $100 for mount and balance at your local Walmart. $25 per tire. $725 and your done. ROTATE every 2k miles for best wear. Crap tires will be $500. These are most expensive but safer, better, quieter. My Family is worth it. I ran these for about 5 years in Colorado and now in Kansas.
That sounds like a really good tire, so thanks for the response. It doesn't really answer my question though of comparative fuel economy between standard passenger tires vs LRR tires. The only answers I've found is always buy LRR tires for better fuel economy without any type of indication of how much better the mileage would be. No worries though, I'll keep researching.
My Altimax RT43 cost less and have better tread, traction, temperature, and speed ratings than the GY Assurance or the BT Ecopias I ran previously. I did not notice any noticible drop in the mileage from the LRR tires and love the improved traction in the rain.
Those tires have good ratings and reviews. This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for, so thanks for posting this. What tire pressure did you end up running these at? I saw the max is 51PSI, although I can't imagine running them that high since that would destroy the ride quality and likely wear out the center tread quickly. But it sounds like running normal Prius pressures would probably work out well. Also, how did you find the noise level compared to LRR tires you've tried? These tires received high marks for road noise, but the Prius is pretty lacking in sound insulation and is essentially a big boom box with noise being amplified.
I run the recommended pressure from inside the door. I can't speak for your car, but mine is quiet, and tire noise isn't an issue for me. Your ears may vary.
The prior owner of my car put larger tires on my touring that are also not LRR. They are cheap Nebula Pioneers (whatever those are). I have never drivin my prius with LRR tires, but I cannot imagine getting much better fuel economy, especially with my tired old battery. I regularly cruise flat ground over 50mpg on the display, and highway trips around 70mph I average 46.
One problem trying to answer, the LRR labels are near meaningless: so-called LRR tires rolling resistance can vary, a lot. Some with label can actually be worse than some that make no LRR claims. You have to take tires case by case, read reviews.
The whole LRR thing seems like marketing nonsense. As other have said, a LRR tyre doesn't necessarily give better fuel economy. In Europe, tyres must have a sticker that shows fuel consumption and some other properties so you can see at a glance which ones give the best mpg. For example, a Goodyear Vector 4Seasons is A-rated for economy and B-rated for noise, so it's probably a good choice for a Prius: You don't have anything like this in the US? It's a bit obsessive alright
Another vote for General Altimax RT43. There's an RT45 now, so you may find a deal on the earlier model. I don't get the concept of low rolling resistance. I want a tire with good traction. Can a tire have both? To get one characteristic, I think, you generally have to give up something else.
Yes. I meant 2K. I have all the jacks and pneumatic tools to rotate myself. I have it down to 20 minutes to do all 4 tires. During the pandemic I was delivering food to pay the bills. And by doing so I was able to maximizes tread life. I was putting 150 miles a day minimum on the car. So I did oil changes and tire roaring myself to save more money and maximize profit. I just kept it up after I got a new job and life returned to normal. Now it’s every 7 months to a year but I still do it. Just what works for me.
After a lot of searching and googling I am thinking of getting 4x Hankook Kinergy ST H735 185 65r15. Anyone have any thoughts on this? They have a very good reputation for quietness, ride quality, mileage, and longevity. Also at a reasonable price (which is nice for an older car).
Did you put on the Hankook's on your Prius and if so what kind of MPG are you getting? I have been using Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 plus and get an average of 51mpg but at $182 each vs $97 for the Hankook Kinergy ST H735 I'm thinking of giving them a try.
Tires are a crap shoot; even those claiming Low Rolling Resistance status. When I replaced the well-worn Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 215/45R17 (on a 2010), with Michelin Primacy MXM4, both tires having Michelin’s “Green-X” badge (Michelin’s LRR moniker), with the new tires there was a precipitous mpg drop. I would just look for something that’s readily available, gets decent reviews for road feel/handling/noise, and expect some setback of mpg. ^ Oh shoot, sucked in by thread resurrection; ah well, play it where it lays.
