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New Tires for Prius v Model 5. What's the Concensus?

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by prevee5, Aug 25, 2015.

  1. prevee5

    prevee5 Member

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    Approaching 40k miles on my 2012 v Model 5. In need of tires soon.

    So what's the 17" tire of choice?

    Combination of performance and gas mileage and noise level.

    No more pricey Toyo's please.

    I did read the numerous informative posts but was wondering if there's a "favorite".

    Thanks!
     
  2. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    Year round, all season, or dedicated snows?
     
  3. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    Michelin has a number of very good choices. My Energy Saver A/S have about 30K on them and lots of tread left. I expect they will last to 50-60K. Best tire for MPG there is.
     
  4. prevee5

    prevee5 Member

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    Oh yeah....well, I'm in California so no snow and little or no rain for that matter. So I think an all--season would probably be best.

    Thanks for asking.
     
  5. prevee5

    prevee5 Member

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    Yeah...I've had the best luck and satisfaction with Michelin. Have a set of Premiere A/S on an older Accord V6 sedan. Super quiet, comfortable and feel well controlled. I heard you may take a hit on MPG when used on the Prius v.

    I wonder how they compare with the Energy Savers? (MPG, Quiet, Handling)
     
  6. Chazz8

    Chazz8 Gadget Lover

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    I like my michelin premier a/s tires. After they were installed, I measured 5 decibels sound reduction, the ride feels less harsh on bumps and pot holes, and I'm not seeing any measurable reduction in MPGs on fuelly (after I had dragging rear brake fixed).

    I was hoping for more sound reduction, but the Prius v just is not insulated against sound very well and lets so much road and outside sound in. When I had the sound measuring app running and a noisy vehicle would pass me, the sound meter would register a new max decibel level.

    I enjoy the less jarring ride. One step closer to my old Lexus RX ride.

    I was expecting a %5 reduction in MPG, but I'm not seeing it. Running them at 42/44.

    The best feature of the michelin premier a/s tires is how they handle rain and snow. I hit a 1.5 car length puddle on the highway going 60 and never lost traction, just a surprise deceleration as the water shot out to the sides. I was able to take my Prius v out in Syracuse winter weather (and one blizzard) that would have absolutely disabled me on the old Toyo's.

    They are on the pricey end of the cost spectrum, but they should last long and keep me safe(r).
     
  7. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    OK, so A/S. What's your priority, LRR or tread life?
     
  8. prevee5

    prevee5 Member

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    My priorities:

    1. Low noise
    2. Good handling (snow not an issue)
    3. Smooth ride
    4. LRR
    5. Tread life
     
  9. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    Not aware that there is an objective noise rating. In addition to which, the reports here vary widely from owner to owner with same vehicle and tires.
     
    #9 Air_Boss, Aug 27, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2015
  10. Stevevee

    Stevevee Active Member

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    My OEM Yokohama tires are not very good on tread wear, so I try to stay in touch with tires. In my size, the 205/60R16, there are MIchelin Premier and the OEM ES tires, as well as Yokohama Avid Envigor and Ascend tires. The price difference at Tirerack is about 36% higher for the Premiers. The test results on the Premier seem to be great all-around. Treadwear should be an important component in the higher-priced tires, and the Premier seems to deliver it. Some article tested them, and seemed to confirm that the Premiers retained their wet traction ability even as they wear.

    Most of the time, OEM tires seem to have less treadwear life than the same model that isn't listed as OEM. I've had the Avid Envigors on three vehicles now, and they wear very well. I don't use them in the winter, and they are rated as a performance AS tire. Although not an LRR tire, we got consistently better mileage from them than we did on the Bridgestone LRR's on the Camry Hybrid. The Yokohamas are also $200 per set Less than the Michelins, so the Michelins better be a whole lot better.
     
  11. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    Food for thought:
    At projected tread life, a tire that can produce a 4mpg increase can pay for roughly 1/2 its cost over its life span. I did those calculations assuming $3/gal cost of gas.

    So tread life isn't the only consideration if it comes at the cost of lower MPG. But achieved MPG is, (like noise perception), and individual thing. One good LRR tire might produce different results for different people.

    The Energy Saver A/S handles rain very well, is far quieter and handles WAY better than the OEM Toyo 17" that came on my v. The improvement in handling and LRR was obvious and immediate.
     
  12. Ben in IL

    Ben in IL Junior Member

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    We recently swapped out the original Toyo's for the Michelin Premier A/S and went on a 2,900 mile road trip. No question that they are much quieter and better riding/tracking than the OEMs, and we noticed no real change in mpg over prior similar trips.

    On my wife's Prius, we put on the Continental PureContacts. In line with reviews we've seen, the Contis are a bit louder, but have a stiffer sidewall and handle a bit better. They've done well in moderate snow as well.

    There are several decent choices out there currently, and there have been some great rebates. Our local dealer price matched, plus we had their rebate on top of that.
     
  13. Stevevee

    Stevevee Active Member

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    I will probably be buying a new set next year. I lean towards the Premier for Michelin due to its propensity for better wet traction as they age, one of the primary reasons for changing. The road tests usually show modest differences in mpg between tires.

    So for me, performance in wet/dry plus tread wear I are the prime factors.