Low Rolling Resistance replacement tires: Current List

The only time that would matter is if you had to make sure you were doing 88 mph!

 

If they really are better they will sell them in the US soon.

 

Does anyone know if defender and defender xt are the same tires or not?

 

Wait your turn we cannot get them over here yet

John (Britprius).

 

Good news on the MPG report with the Defender, I just got a set of these to replace the noisy Goodyear FuelMax. Found a Direct Tire store in Ormond Beach and got them for $553 OTD plus a $100 and a $30 prepaid Visa card. Was kinda worried about taking a MPG hit.

 

I believe the defenders has a directional tread patterns and the defender xt are asymmetrical and only available at wholesale? Need more research

To be or not to be, get the defender for the wife's car and save the stock tires for lease turn in, or take the risk on the ecopia 20 and hope it has enough tread left at 45,000? Any thoughts? Option 3, take the plunge and get another set of 17s wheel/tires and then swap the stock at trade in. (Those wheels will be mine, if she decides on another car or the 2015 Prii uses another dimension.)

 

I just picked up a set of Michelin Energy Saver A/S to see how I good of mpg that I can get. I have a set of 15" & 16" that I can play with depending on my mood.

 

milkman44, as with any new tires, there was an initial hit of 3 mpg until they cut in. For me this was about a tank of gas, then back to my average. My current running tank mpg reads 53.4 which is about 50+ real. The AS reportedly gives you around 2+ mpg better than the factory Yokos, but I am happy with 50 mpg, a much better ride and hopefully the 90K longevity from the Defenders. Then again, I don't block traffic, pulse and glide, freeze when it's cold, sweat when it's hot or any of that other stuff.

 

Visiting friends while on vacation and he's driving the Prius around, he loves it, but it's on the floor taking off and right up to the stops or turns and then everyone is on the dash so can't tell what it will be like driving normal. I'll report back when we get home and know more after a few miles and driving is more favorable for anything that looks like normal.

 

Any ideas / experience with the Kumho LX Platinum for the Gen2 Prius?

They are higher rated (88V) than almost every other tire and pretty cheap. Only thing I don't see is they aren't LRR. I'm thinking carrying more speed around turns will help you get better mileage.

Also they have max pressure of 51PSI so that might also get better mileage if you pump up to 42-44psi.

Last, the price they save (approximately $100 cheaper than most others) will buy a decent amount of gas.

I'm thinking of giving them a shot. They should last my wife's Prius a solid 5 more years since she only drives about 9,000 miles a year and if we decide to trade it in sooner then at least I didn't put that much money out for tires.

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Last time I replaced her tires with Michelin Hydroedge LRR and she likes them. I rotated them frequently and even use other tires/rims in the winter yet they still only lasted under 50,000 miles before the inspection people tried to tell me they need to be replaced. (I threw on the winter tires and took it back and they passed the car) now it's springtime so I want to put on new tires for her.

 

The Kumho Ecowing KH27 if available in the US are rated very high for fuel economy wet grip and noise according to the mandatory UK tyre tests. Rating the on a scale A to G they rate B for economy, B for wet grip, and 68db noise level " compared with most tyres this is quite". Also check out the KH22 has a utqg rating of 800, so should last a long time.

John (Britprius)

 

We don't have the Kumho Ecowing KH27 but I did find the KH30 Ecowing in 185/65/r15.

I'm wondering what the difference is? The wear rating is 440. Wt: 15.8 / RPM851 MxPSI44

P185/65R15 2128343 86H BSW 440 A / A 5.0 - 6.5 7.4 on 5.5 24.4 15.8 11.2 851 10.0 1168 0
44http://ECOWING KH30 - Kumho Tire USA, Inc.

 

Unfortunately those tyres are not listed in the UK. If you can list the Kumho tyres that are available in the US I will see what I can match up.

John (Britprius)

 

Hi!

Does anyone have any experience with Hankook Ventus V4ES 215/45 ZR17 - 91W with a 420 treadwear number? The ZR rating seems like overkill, they are higher load (I think) and they are not low rolling resistance tires. The tire pressure is currently 32psi. I just bought my first Prius, a used 2010 V with 48K miles and the dealer put a set of these on.

Should I try to change them to another 17" tire, preferably one with LRR? How much of difference in FE might that make (other things being equal)?

I have more info, but I thought I'd make my first post short. I've had the car a week and a half and I love it!
Thanks...
Martin

 

Checking the UK compulsery ratings for Hankook 215/45/17 tyres ZR I find only 3 listed:-

(1)Ventus Prime 2 K115 W91 XL rated B for ecconomy (very good) B for wet grip (very good) noise 71db
(2)Ventus V12 Evo Y91 XL rated C for economy (good) C for wet grip (good) noise 70db
(3)Ventus S1 Evo Y91 XL rated same as E12 Evo apart from noise 71db

Hope this is of some help.

John (Britprius)

 

A month ago I purchased a set of the K115's on AEZ Valencia rims.
They're still waiting to be put on the car.....temperatures are still to low....
Still driving Pirelli Sotto Zero winter tyres.

 

F8L, what are your thoughts on increasing the aspect ratio on my current MXV4's 215/45/17's (Performance Plus Pack) to a 50 or 55 aspect ratio? I was getting my 10,000 service the other day and noticed a Camry on the showroom floor with 215/55/17 tires. Seems like a little more sidewall equals a better ride while keeping the 17" configuration.