Replacement tires for less road noise

Michelin Premier A/S from Costco

 

The V is going to be loud-ish no matter what. That said, anything will be quieter than the OE tires.

I second the nomination of the Michelin Premier.

 

I've posted this before in similar threads...
But the last time I was tasked with buying new tires was for my 2010 Honda Fit. When I went into a well known Tire Chain, and I talked to the technician/salesman, we were obviously talking about tires and inevitably the question became what attributes do I want the most or expect from my tire.
Less road noise, quieter tire was something I mentioned.

Somewhat surprisingly he said No.
He said he never sold a tire to a customer telling them it would help with road noise. Because, he said, too often they were or would become disappointed.
His opinion was road noise had so much more to do with the surfaces we are routinely driving on, and the sound deadening capabilities of the car. And not so much with the tires.

Do I agree?
Well...kind of.
I've read enough threads and responses and reviews of tires, that people DO believe tires make a difference. So I don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
But I do agree with the technician that the primary aspects of road noise are the car's sound deadening insulation itself, and also the surfaces we drive on.
So I agree to the extent that I think if road noise is a significant problem, the best avenue for improvement is adding sound deadening insulation, which can be a daunting task...or as casual and simple as adding a good floor mat.

The Prius is a light car. The Honda Fit is a sub-compact-light car. When I got new tires for The Fit? The technician was right. While I did not feel it was any worse...the road noise wasn't significantly better.

So my approach is to read tire reviews. Get feedback on how people feel about a tires road noise feedback. You don't want something "worse" than what you have now.
But simultaneously, my belief is to NOT have too much faith in the degree of improvement that might be possible.

To be honest, nothing I did to either The Prius or The Fit...2010 or today...made either vehicle significantly quieter. Admittedly my approach was simply good floor mats and a cargo area liner, and not much else.

I'm getting close to needing tires for this Honda Fit. When I do purchase, I'll read rankings/reviews concerning road noise. And I won't buy one that is ranked low or has a lot of complaints in this area, but neither will I expect whatever tire I end up with...to really make a huge impact.

My greatest weapon against hearing road noise, is age, things can easily become white noise to me. I'm sure the Honda Fit isn't too quiet. But it just doesn't bother me too much anymore.

 

@mangomegan : without your "model" info responders don't know if you're looking for 15" or 17" replacements. Some tires are available in both sizes, but mostly not.

Most any new tire will be quieter, since they seem to get noiser as they age.

I'd suggest to enter your vehicle info on TireRack, see what's available, and read the reviews, what people have to say about noise levels.

 

Ah sorry. Not the stock 215/45R17? I appreciate going to 50 is actually closer to 195/65R15 diameter.

 

v Fives didn't all ship with 215/45R17. Ours was shod with 215/50R17 TOYO A20s.

 

This is where personal opinion is so different. I've had the Michelin Premiers for 13,000 miles now, and they are the loudest tires I have ever owned. On all road surfaces, and at all speeds, from day1. I don't know why.

 

It's all subjective. Opinions are like....... ........everybody's got one.

 

You are absolutely correct. When I buy my next tires I will try and get the best handling as a priority. Ride, handling, comfort... and longevity.

Noise? I've kinda given up on finding a quiet tire, for all the reasons you mentioned. My Prius is noisy as all heck. No sound insulation. And most of the streets and roads around here are crapppy. Cheap black rough slurry-seal.

(My friend's 12 year old Ford F-150 truck is quieter than my Prius. No kidding.)

 

Each person's hearing accentuates a different frequency.

Comparing used tires to new tires is apples to oranges. Tires must wear in. Manufacturing imperfections must wear away. 500 miles and by then you can't remember how loud the old tires really were. And lower tread depth generally lessens the original tire flex noise.

 

Here is some data I gathered on my 17 inch Michelin Premier A/S tires; Observations from 17 inch Michelin Premier A/S tires. | PriusChat

 

I just purchased a set of 17" continental control contact touring a/s plus tires. They're awesome. I think they quieted the ride down A LOT but the tires that were on the V, were shot. And the continental tires made the ride very comfortable.

 

I agree. However my 15" Premiers continue to be loud after 13,000 miles. I'm guessing I got a defective set? Michelin won't help. I've had them too long. I'm not really too picky about tire noise, but these Premiers are definitely the noisiest tires I've ever had..... Or, my Prius just has less (or no) sound insulation than any car I had in the past.

 

The 235/55-18 Michelin Premier A/S tires I got for my 2014 Sienna were noticeably louder when new than the original Goodyear A/S tires were when I replaced them due to road hazard damage at around 28,000 miles.

The increased noise isn't terrible but it's noticeable. One problem with the Premiers is that they start out with only 8/32" of tread depth instead of the typical 10/32" to 12/32". The Premiers aren't going to last even close to 30K miles on our Sienna although they seem to have exceptional wet weather performance.

 

Trying to reduce road/tire noise, I couldn't find any suggested as quieter by comsumer reports. I ended up getting Michelen Defender T+H. Since my old tires were worn, most any tire would be quieter with more tread to cushion the car from the road, so, yes it was quieter, most specifically around town and on smooth surfaces. I still consider it transmitting way too much road noise though. There MUST be some that would be quieter.