Low Rolling Resistance replacement tyres (Europe)

Good news for gen2 Prus owners. The Bridgestone Ecopia 001S is now available in 205/55/16 size. This tyre should be ideal for the gen2 Prius rated (A) for economy, and (A) for wet grip with a reasonable noise level of 70db. This is the only double A rated tyre that fits the gen2 Prius.

John (Britprius)

 

Thanks for the information. This really helps others when making tyre decisions. Great pity if this is the case with these tyres though. At 30,000 km that would only be a little over 18,000 miles.
Can you tell us what pressures you are running at, and do you rotate them at all. I find that the fronts ware steadily while the backs do not seem to ware measurably in the same distance. The Ecopia 001s is now available in 205/55/16 and this is a good size to use on the gen2 Prius. That said unless the fuel saving is enough to warrant the extra cost, and lower millage expectation I will stay with the Hankook Eco Kinergy tyres I am presently running. These look good for at leased 45,000 miles (over 72,000 km) not bad for a so called budget tyre with RR rating B, and wet grip B.

John (Britprius)

 

I agree , but it is difficult to give an accurate assessment on the basis of projected ware life on one set of tyres. The Bridgestone er300 OEM tyres are not LRR tyres rated E for RR and C for wet grip or F/B rated depending on speed and load rating. They are also noisy at 72db and get even more noisy with use. The level of 72 db will be above the legal maximum for new tyres in 2014 within the EU, 70 7b being the new maximum. Priced in the UK at £90 each are at the top end of the price range. Your millage on these is not to bad however at around 38,000 mlies.
The Hankook 205/55/16 in my opinion a better tyre in every respect is £55. I am trying hard to find a better tyre at a reasonable Price, but as yet cannot justify a price difference of between £35 to £40.

John (Britprius)

 

From you description everything sounds fine. The most common symptom of out of alignment is ware on one edge of the tyres. Please keep us informed.

John (Britprius)

 

The best Goodyear I can find in the 215/45 size is rated E for economy and A for wet grip at £93.50. The best Hankook in the same size is rated B for economy and B for wet grip at £76.50.
This makes the Hankook not only a better tyre for fuel economy, "the fuel savings over the Goodyear should pay for the tyres" they are also near 25% cheaper. The wet grip of the Hankook is marginally down on the Goodyears, but still very good compared with most other tyres.
Hankook tyres a few years ago were not good for tread life, "putting it mildly" but have improved dramatically in recent years, and are now fitted by many manufacturers as OEM. The Hankook's I have fitted look good for at leased 45,000 miles making them excellent value tyres at £55 each.

John (Britprius).

 

I will be very interested in the results of the Goodyear EGP tyres at only £4 per tyre more than the Hankook's and having B A ratings and less noise. So please keep us updated. If the ware rate compares well with the Hankooks they are another excellent choice of tyre in the 205/55/16 size.
The Bridgesone Ecopia 001s although very good on paper rated A A are expensive at £86 and are more noisy than the Goodyears. The other big downside "although on a sample of one set at the moment" is the rapid ware rate reported, expected to be only 18,000 miles.
Prices quoted are supply only.

John (Britprius)

 

Thanks for Tony the conformation on the Bridgestones 001s as this all adds to our pool of knowledge.
Are the Ultragrips you are using 195's or 205's?

John (Britprius)