I'm trying to purchase some new tires through Costco right now. They have almost no V rated tires available. Can I put on the Energy Savers rated for H load instead of the V load tires? It's either that or buy the new CrossClimate tires which I've read drop MPGs about 15-20%. I'd really prefer the Energy Saver line. Anyone have any experience with the H load tires on a Prius V wagon?
I can imagine that some owners would actually prefer the H-rated Energy Saver A/S to get the 65,000 mile treadwear warranty over the V-rated tire's 55,000 mile warranty. If you search these boards, though, you will find that many PriusChatters report that their local Costco Tire Center refuses to install any tire with a speed rating lower than that specified by Toyota. Costco does sell the Energy Saver A/S for your car (Item #591203, Michelin #10484), although they show it as "Temporarily Out of Stock" right now. The current $110-off promotion runs through May 18th, so if you're not in a rush, it's probably worth checking with Costco to ask when they're expecting to get them in again. We bought the 17-inch version of this tire at Costco for our 2014 Prius v Five (Item #751091, Michelin #72288), and are quite happy with them so far. Had them installed in February, 2020, and they still look brand-new. Of course, 2020 wasn't exactly a high-mileage year for us (still over 1000 miles until our first tire rotation). Good luck!
Hi Harry, thanks for the response. I found a Costco installer who said Michelin will allow users to step down one speed level. I'm hoping we can get it done tomorrow, but have had bad experiences in the past with Costco on similar issues. I'm crossing my fingers Costco will do it for me! Have an appointment tomorrow.
Just FYI for future folks finding this thread, here's an explanation of tire load ratings (2-digit number) and speed ratings (single letter): https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35 As Harry says, "H" speed rating should be fine for any Prius....
Though some tires are only available in higher load ranges and speed ratings, such as the Continental PureContact 225/50R17 98V we run on our 2012 v Five -- which we highly endorse on LRR, wet and dry handling, ride quality, and road noise basis.
H and V designations are not "load" ratings but SPEED ratings. Somehow I doubt that your Prius is capable of exceeding 130 MPH of the H's, on the flat.
@onlypurchases whats your location? Note that the Energy Savers (without A/S suffix) are summer rated, not even all-seasons.
Do the CrossClimate 2 tires really drop the mileage by 15-20%? The reason I ask is that I too am in the market for new tires for my 2015 Prius v Three. I looked to see which tires were available at the Costco stores near me, in MI, but it boils down to the CrossClimate 2's, the BF Goodrich Advantage Control or Advantage TA Sport, or the Bridgestone Turanza EL400-2. I am open to suggestions from those of you who have experience with any of these tires. The reason I looked at the CrossClimate 2's is due to the fact that we do get our share of snow here in MI and I do plan on traveling up north in the wintertime too. Thank you in advance.
