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Upgrade Tires
HSD Prius comes with standard, run-of-the-mill tires. In other words, they are fairly typical. So some owners are pleased with them
and others choose to upgrade.
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PSI
HSD Prius is average weight, exactly what you'd expect a vehicle that size to weigh. It does not
need special tires, since there is nothing extra to support. (In other words, XL rated tires are not
required.)
Like with many vehicles, a minimum of 35 PSI (2.4 bar) is required for tire-pressure. Less than
that will cause premature wear.
42/40 PSI (2.9/2.8 bar) is what many Prius owners recommend, since it increases the handling
abilities and allows the tread to last its longest. (That's 42 front & 40 back, since a 2 PSI bias is
required for the front tires.) The standard tires, as well as many other tires, support a maximum
cold pressure of 44 PSI (3.0 bar). So using 42/40 is no big deal. In fact, some owners even use
44/42 PSI (3.0/2.9 bar).
LRR
HSD Prius comes with standard tires. There are not LRR (Low Rolling Resistance), as many
people believe. If you desire, you may switch to LRR tires. That will maximize MPG, offering a
minor improvement over most standard tires.
Treadwear
460 is the treadwear rating for the standard HSD Prius tires. That's what many typical family
vehicle tires come with. 800 is what you'll find on the ultra-long-life tires. So there is an obvious
upgrade opportunity, if you want a set tires to last as long as possible.
The rating number represents the wear resistance of the tire. It does not correlate directly with the
amount of mileage you'll be able to drive. Don't rely exclusively on this value when selecting a
tire. Check the warranty, it will usually state an approximate distance expectation.
Revs
Revs (Revolutions per Mile) indicate the precise "rolling" size of the tire. This measurement is
needed since not all tires with the same specification are actually the same.
855 is the Revs value for the standard HSD Prius tires. When selecting an alternate, a number very
close to that is required to insure the speedometer and odometer remain accurate. (Being off by a
small amount is acceptable since that value will change as tread wears down anyway.)
Size
185 / 65 R15 is the standard size tire for HSD Prius. You'll find a wide variety of choices available
for this size.
Wider sizes may also be used. But keep in mind that larger widths will reduce your traction on
snow. A normal tire is better for digging through down to the road itself.
Prius User-Guide 20 of 45 Last Updated: 2/07/2006