LRR tires vs. Regular Tires. Is the extra cost worth it?

Tires are not cheap, but a good set can last 50 to 70 thousand miles or more. I got about 54,000 miles out of my OEMs. Should get a lot more miles from the Pirellis , compared to the original Yokohamas. Just make sure that when you decide on a tire, that it will meet your driving needs. There are some tires out there that can be less than inspiring on wet surfaces, and worse if you have to drive into snowy areas. Choose wisely!

 

those cheap LRR options don't last long. unfortunately you can't have it all. they used to say: consider good traction, LRR, and longevity. you can have 2 of those, pick and choose. you can also consider price as a 4th dimension here.

 

The most fuel efficient tire you can buy in the U.S. is the Michelin Energy Saver AS. On the 2nd set, 195x65x15, mpg increased 2-4 mpg over the factory Yokohama on our 2010 Prius.

If anyone knows of a more fuel efficient tire you can buy in the U.S. please let us all know....

 

I suspect the Bridgestone Ecopia EP20 would give it a run for it's money. The BIG downside to EP20 though: they ONLY come in 195/65R15, which is kinda strange.

 

+1
We also shifted from Yokahamas to Energy Savers , and I THINK the increase is also 2-4 mpg, but I have not refueled often enough and factored out the effects of seasonal temps to be sure of that figure in our case. (Psi constant at 40).

 

I had always been skeptical about buying non-LRR tires for the prius since it would affect MPG. I kept researching and couldnt really find any input on non-LRR tires and how much they affect MPG. My comparison is based on OEM 15 to 17s.

Here's my situation. I have 2 Prius.
2010 Silver with OEM 15" rims and tires. - Mine. 46-47mph avg
2011 White with OEM 15" rims and tires. - Wife's 47-48mpg avg

I'm going to assume that the reason wifes gets 1-2mpg better than me is driving style and the type of driving conditions. But on average, those are our numbers. As far as my driving style, I'm not anal about my MPG, so I smash on that gas if I need to and I dont watch and conserve to get the best MPG for each tank.

For the 2011, I ended up mounting 17x7 FRS wheels with pretty much brand new Michelin 215/45/17 on it. The Average dropped to about 45-46mpg. Just a couple Mpg diff per tank. Not too bad. Its a difference that I can accept.

A few months later, for the 2010, I ended up getting a set of Enkei PF01 17x7.5. I debated on what tire size to get since I kinda wanted a smoother ride on this one. So I thought I'd opt for a 205/50/17, giving a little more height to the tire. I was being a cheapskate and didnt want to spend $400+ on a set of tires. So I got a deal on some whatever brand, called Delinte. So far I've had a few tanks on this tire and my avg is about 44-45mpg. I guess I can deal with that. Its about the same 2-3mpg difference as with the FRS wheels and LRR Michelin tires.

I guess I'll see how long these tires last. So far the ride has been good and MPG wasnt really affected much. For me, I'm sold that I don't necessarily have to buy an LRR tire that is $120+, when this full set was only $240.00

 

Is it worth it?
I surely believe arguments as to why any financial gain between a LRR set of tires and a "regular" set of tires isn't worh it can be made.

But the way I look at it is I bought a Prius because it was a hybrid. To enjoy the hybrid benefit, which surely does include stellar fuel economy.

Buying tires that don't support this benefit, seems counter productive to one of the primary reasons I invested into Hybrid Synergy Drive.

Safety and Quality are the primary aspects of a tire I want, but with that, with a Prius I also want fuel efficiency. The best way I can see to support this, is to invest into a good quality set of LRR tires.

Will I get my money back from the fabled hybrid premium paid either for the vehicles or for the tires? Maybe not. But in a way, that really isn't the point. I want to be driving as efficiently as possible, that's why I bought The Prius.

 

+1 to T.E.M.
(I cannot say it any better than The Electric Me has already said it.)