UK Tyre question..

I'm assuming that you have a very early hatchback version, not a late-model saloon. If you do have the first-generation car then my advice doesn't apply quite so much.

The stock tyre is Bridgestone Turanza ER30 but I think it's a terrible fit for the Prius. My feeling is that the tyre is designed to run quite hot - it's described as a summer tyre and is standard fit on Mercedes and BMW cars - and that the Prius suspension geometry doesn't work the tyre enough for it to heat up. As a result it doesn't grip very well. It is not a low-rolling-resistance tyre.

The mechanic is probably just trying to upsell you. Resist. If you want the Michelins, and they're available in the right size (195/55 R16), buy them. The load rating should be at least 87, and the speed rating at least T (118mph - the car can do about 110) though H (130mph) might be better to give some extra safety margin.

I've heard of some people switching over to Nokian WRG2 tyres, which are an all-season tyre that should work better in the colder UK temperatures. I can tell you that the Bridgestones were not fun at all in the snow we had last winter. I'm not sure where they found the Nokians, though.

It's very hard to give tyre advice because the geometry of different cars is so different, working the tyres differently; tyres of the same name can perform differently across the range of sizes and load and speed ratings; and actual scientific testing seems so thin on the ground. Frankly I wouldn't trust any kind of user review site, because the response is so subjective - and self-selective. In the end the makers are banking on their brand.

 

High ikkles. If it's low rolling resistance that you're after then the "Bridgestone Ecopia EP100" measured very well in the lastest tirerack tests.

When Round and Black Becomes Lean and Green

You might want to check if they're readily available locally.