Low Rolling Resistance replacement tires: Current List

I'm running the Michelin Energy saver A/S on my 2011. I got them through Costco. So far I have 40k on them and they still have 50% tread left. I think they are a great tire. My PIP has the Goodyear integrity but haven't owned those long enough to know how they are

 

i just had the energy savers put on. very, very quiet, no noticeable change in mpg's. only 400 miles or so, but i love them so far.

 

Sounds like you are on a roll

 

Michelin X-Ice for winter tires have been wonderful on my 2011 Prius Four. Low rolling resistance, eco and green, comfortable and quiet ride with 40,000 mile tread warranty.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Good to know! Any difference in mileage between X-Ice and your previous all weather tires? Road noise?

 

Just thought I would add my two cents to this discussion. I drive for Uber/Lyft so I put a lot of miles on my car (2012 Prius 3). I bought 4 Michelin Energy Saver AS tires at Costco. I had about 35,000 miles on them, when one night I'm in San Diego and I get a bolt stuck in my drivers side front tire, not a nail or screw but a bolt, and it is on the very inside of the tire, but still in the tread not the sidewall. I think "I need to head home, so much for Uber/Lyft tonight". I live almost 100 miles north of San Diego. Sure enough i suddenly hear a thump thump whack as the bolt dislodges from my tire on the 15 North Freeway right by Jack Murphy Stadium, the low tire indicators comes on and I pull over to the side, luckily there was a wide pull off area in addition to the shoulder under a light!!! Anyway I get the tire off put on the spare and head off to the Costco in San Marcos. Arrive safely, and the Costco Tire Center is not that busy, so I tell them what happened, they take a look and then tell me "We have good news and Bad news. Good news is your tire replacement is covered under the road hazard insurance included with each tire Costco sells, the bad news is we do not have the Michelin Energy Saver AS in stock, however we have the Bridgestone Ecopia 422 Plus tire and they are LRR tires. I said OK, they tell me they have to replace both the flat tire and the other good front tire, because they sell them in pairs. I'm thinking here comes the big bill, but nothing I can do I need the tire, and this Is Costco's policy. So I say ok...how much? The tire guys says" we will prorate the flat tire and replace the other Good tire for Free!!" Total charge was $27.54 for 2 new tires and that included mounting, balancing, and nitrogen fill on both tires. Needless to say I only buying my tire from Costco from now on.

Now it gets interesting. I've been a Michelin guy for a long time, and the Energy Saver tires are good tires don't get me wrong, but these Ecopia's are changing my mind. My mileage has gone Up since the tire change by about 3 mpg's, I've not changed my driving habits at all, and the Ecopia tires are quieter then the Enegry Savers. Here is the third thing I've notticed also. when Costco put the Ecopia's on the put them on the rear and moved the rear Michelin's to the front. I took my car in for 80,000 service and the techs rotated the tires, placing the Ecopia;s on the front. On Interstate 15 there are those rain grooves in the pavement to prevent hydoplaning when it rains. When the Michelins were on the front they wanted to grab those grooves and wiggle down the road. The Ecopia's along the same stretch of road do not wiggle at all and stay straight on the road.

Anyway I think i'm going to replace the 2 Michelin's I still have with Ecopia's when they wear out. I will buy them from Costco also.

 

That is amazing and thanks for sharing! Would you know which 422 Plus were installed? Made in Japan? Mexico?

 

That, in a nutshell, is what has me completely turned off the EP422 plus. I like Bridgestone, have bought EP20 twice now. But if they can't be bothered to get their ducks-in-a-row, have all these manufacturing differences on what's purportedly ONE tire, forget it.

 

How would I tell if the Ecopia's were made in Japan or Mexico?

 

Country of manufacture is usually on the tire?

In 195/65R15 there's at least two versions: one has more rows of tread, tighly spaced, the other has narrower, more widely space rows, one less. I can't recall which is which. Enter your car on Tirerack, see what comes up, then tick both versions for comparison, you see what stats are different. Tirerack does mention number of tread rows.

Here's what I get in my 215/45R17 size. No mention of tread row qty, but tread width is noted as different, treadware also. And the LRR logo different:

 

I also always buy my tires at Costco. My wife hit a curb and blew out both tires on the same side. Costco replaced them both under warranty. My bill was similar under $30. I will try the Bridgestones for sure once my Michelins wear out.

 

I just check my Ecopia's from Costco, they are the wider tread design, Treadwear 640 Temp A Traction A So I pretty sure these are American made tires which is good. I want to support American workers.

 

Yeah looks like. 195/65R15 info on Tirerack:

 

Mileage, noise and ride are indistinguishable from the Continental all season tires which I find incredible because the Michelins are dedicated snows.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I am encouraged with the 422 Plus review. My Yoko's YK580s just went past 60,000 miles and show 4/32" tread left. I am "looking around" for replacements in maybe 6 months.

 

Good to know. I had OEM Toyos and just replaced them with the Conti TrueContact with similar results; about an 8% drop, although I have yet to run a full tank of gas since getting them. Hopefully they follow the same pattern as yours and eventually recover some mileage.

The guy at the tire shop suggested that they'd also get louder as they age; I wonder if they put quiet, inefficient rubber on the outside (so that you buy them and like them; especially given the 60-day money-back guarantee I think they offer), and then the louder, efficient stuff on the inside (so they can claim LRR).

 

i got 68k out of the stock bridgestone ecopia and how have the hankook 727. No real mpg difference noticed but of course i went from warm temp, new tires and colder temps now so yes i have gone from 65-70mpg to 55-60mpg...

today with wet roads I noticed at a light with a slight incline the tires slipped a bit... albeit hit the gas a lil harder than i expected but the old tires i dont remember that with. ive got 4k miles on these and hoping to get the next 96k miles out of them!!!!

 

I got 4 new Conti TrueContact w Eco+Tech

I was told this is the replacement for the Continental PureContact with EcoPlus which Mavis no longer "carries" .... I only have about 500 miles on it and it is winter (I got it mid November) ... I see 6-8mpg loss comparing to last year similar time .... but handling surely improved I had 56.5K on the original OEM tire Goodyear it had perhaps another 5K but one was damaged beyond repair ...

Anyone has any experience with this tire? Is it really LRR (or shop was kind dishonest?)

Also when can I expect the tire to start perform

 

I too put Conti TrueContact on my Prius, replacing winter tires. I have not driven long enough yet, but they are quiet and handle very well. I am seeing 4-5mpg increase already, but that can be simply due to temperature.

 

I've tried a LOT of different tires over the years, find it hard to believe that in the same class, mpg could be impacted by more than 2-3mpg, that wasn't related to other factors - be it your right foot, windspeed, what you ate for breakfast, whatever, as long as the tire is the same "true" width.

not all 175s are 175, if you know what I mean. tire rack compensates for this by measuring tread width, section width, etc. for me, the true contacts have been great - IDK if they're classed as LRR but this is the only tire i'll likely be buying for my commuter cars for a while.

it's also one of the best all rounder tires I've seen in a while reviewed by TR:

Tire Test Results : Testing Passenger and Standard Touring All-Season Tires: Which Are Truly More Than Just Round and Black?