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Touring Tires: Advice Wanted

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Prianista, Sep 25, 2010.

  1. Prianista

    Prianista Member

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    Sorry to start another tire thread, however I'm looking for advice specific to my situation. I need to replace the OEM tires on my 2007 Touring Edition before Seattle's winter rains go into nonstop mode.

    I'd like tires that can handle wet hills and light snow. ​


    I'd like to keep the impact on gas mileage to a minimum.​

    I'd like more quiet and comfort.​

    I want to use the OEM tire size: 195 55 16.​

    Thank you for any insights and advice.​
     
  2. nthach

    nthach New Member

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    Michelin Primacy MXV4/MXM4, pricey but they are luxurious and per Michelin, last a while. Both are Green X LRR tires.
     
  3. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    Those are among the tires I would get too.

    But they don't come in the Touring Prius OEM size of 195/55R16 which Prianista seems to be insisting on.

    Personally, if I were in Prianista's shoes, I'd move to the 205/55R16 size -- which a huge variety of tires comes in -- and get a tire that I'd really want.
     
  4. nthach

    nthach New Member

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    I think it would be better to go plus+0 to 205/50-16 if you want to keep the odometer/speedo and VSC happy.

    Here's what Tire Rack lists as LRR in the OEM size - but I know Michelin does engineer some LRR characteristics in most of their tires from experience. I had a set of Pilot Exalto A/S on a V8 Lexus and I got 19-26mpg out of them. I have Bridgestones on it now and I saw a huge drop in MPG.

    Tire Search Results
     
  5. Prianista

    Prianista Member

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    Thanks to everyone who has responded so far.

    Ntatch, could you tell me more about why the 205 50 16 size of tire would avoid problems with the odometer, speedometer and vsc?

    Also, has anyone had experience with the Hankook Ventus V4 ES H105?
     
  6. nthach

    nthach New Member

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    I used the miata.net tire calc - which allows to see how much of a difference in diameter and revolutions per mile between your current tire and a different size - 205/50-16 is about 1-2% off from the OEM size.

    There's also a concept called Plus sizing - which aims to keep tire dimensions close to OEM but allows you to size up in wheels. In this case, we're looking at Plus 0 sizing. If you upgrade to a 18" wheel, that is considered Plus 1 sizing and so forth.
     
  7. Prianista

    Prianista Member

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    Wonderful information. Thank you very much.
     
  8. Prianista

    Prianista Member

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    Just wanted to thank everyone for their advice and let you know I went with the Nokian WR G2's.

    My decision was based on the experience of people on PriusChat and the fact that they are the highest rated performance all season tire in the proper size on Consumer Reports.
     
  9. Manolo1

    Manolo1 New Member

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    what about Michelin's test?

    Michelin Takes the Tire Full Circle
    The 10-in. wheel is back. Well, maybe not just yet, but from a performance and efficiency standpoint, there are many reasons why large wheels and tires are going to be replaced with something smaller. Michelin demonstrated the benefits of downsizing by swapping a 14-in. wheel/tire combination (175/65R-14) with a 10-in. one (175/70R-10) on a Citroën C2. To do this, the suspension, brakes and body were modified in conjunction. The result is a reduction of about 88 lb., as well as an improvement in aerodynamics thanks to smaller wheel openings. Part of the specification for the 10-in. package was that it didn’t sacrifice performance or load-carrying ability. In my back-to-back comparison around a section of the Nelson Piquet International Autodrome (home of the Brazilian Grand Prix 1978–1990), I sensed that the 10-in. setup actually performed better. The steering is lighter and the car responds quicker. The only theoretical reason for running larger wheels is to fit bigger brakes, and this demonstration proves what racers have known for years.
    Yet, regardless of how this technology improves fuel efficiency, the real question is if buyers will accept it.—Shaun Bailey