2021 Prius Prime Limited - Recently placed Falken Aklimate tires, know about the hit to mileage, but has anyone else used these during winter and are they as good as they say they are? and worth the loss in overall mileage???
I'm now looking to get a new set of tires for my Gen3. I have Goodyear Assurance, which have been fine. The Falken Aklimate seems highly rated (on TireRack) for things I care about but I don't see anything that says they negatively impact mileage. Where do you find that info? I know they are not low rolling resistance but I didn't see anything to say they reduce MPG. Is it because they "meet industry severe snow service requirements?" Other tires that came out high in my search are: Kumho Solus 4S HA32 Nokian Encompass AW02 Vredestein HiTrac All Season What I liked about the Aklimates over these was the higher reviews for winter driving. We don't get a ton of snow and ice here in NJ, but enough to warrant a good tire. Plus we go to VT a bit.
I had little or no mpg impact even from running full-blown winter tires year-round. I highly recommend upsizing to 205/65R15, speed rating T, and an XL load index around 96-99. Expecting a heavier vehicle, then the tires last much longer. Michelin X-Ice3 lasted 63K miles at 50psi, but are no longer available. I will no longer buy tires limited to 44psi, only 51-51 for running them at 50. Note that I know how to drive. Don't suddenly put your kid on 50psi tires if they know only 36psi tires. Note that XL load tires reach their load rating from around 42psi to the max psi show on the sidewall. Regular SL tires reach their load rating from around 36psi to their max. I am currently experimenting with a pair of Continental VikingContact7 and a pair of General Altimax Arctic 12. The Continentals are great (not as great as the Michelins were, but close) and seem headed for 50K miles. The Generals are about equally durable, but nowhere near as grippy as the others. Long story short, great Michelin and Continental winter snow/ice tires are incredibly superior to all-season and all-weather tires in winter. Plus, I find they outperform most all-season tires even in summer, at least at high inflation. Ice, rain, 117F temps, hard cornering on hairpin-filled mountain roads, speed runs, they do well at everything. I would not push my luck on stock-sized, stock-load, stock-speed tires only marginally OK for the rather heavy Prime fully loaded. But on 205/65R15XL 99T top-tier Michelin or Conti winter tires, I fear nothing, in any season on any road, or even way offroad.
