Whether you have a new or old Prius having a quality set of tires on, it is a must. The Toyota Prius is known around the world as an eco-friendly vehicle. Your tires can quickly affect how economic and safe your driving experience is, though.
Finding the Best Tires for the Toyota Prius can be a daunting task. We are putting our top eight favorites head to head with one another in the following review. So, when it comes time for your next set of tires, you will know right where to start.
Contents
- 1 Best Tires for the Toyota Prius In 2022 On The Market Reviews
- 1.1 1 Milestar MS932 All-Season Radial Tire – 195/65R15 91H – Best Budget Tires for Toyota Prius
- 1.2 2 Westlake RP18 All- Season Radial Tire-185/65R15 88H – Best All Season Tires for Toyota Prius
- 1.3 3 Hankook Kinergy ST H735 all_ Season Radial Tire-195/65R15 91T – Best Mid-Range Tires for Toyota Prius
- 1.4 4 Michelin Defender T + H All-Season Radial Tire – 195/65R15 91H – Best Michelin Tires for Toyota Prius
- 1.5 5 Bridgestone DRIVEGUARD All-Season Radial Tire – 195/65-15 91H – Best Premium Tires for Toyota Prius
- 1.6 6 Cooper Evolution Tour All-Season 195/65R15 91H Tire – Best Value for the Money Tires for Toyota Prius
- 1.7 7 Yokohama Avid Touring S All-Season Tire – 195/65R15 89S – Quietest Tires for Toyota Prius
- 1.8 8 Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Touring Radial Tire – 195/65R15 91T – Best Winter Tires for Toyota Prius
- 2 Best Tires for the Toyota Prius Buying Guide
- 3 Looking for more car care and driving accessories?
- 4 What are the Best Tires for the Toyota Prius?
Best Tires for the Toyota Prius In 2022 On The Market Reviews
Name | Size | Speed Rating | Performance | Price | Rating |
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Size 195/65-R15 | Speed Rating 91H | Performance All Season | Price $ | ![]() |
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Size 185/65-R15 | Speed Rating 88H | Performance All Season | Price $ | ![]() |
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Size 195/65-R15 | Speed Rating 91T | Performance All Season | Price $$ | ![]() |
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Size 195/65-R15 | Speed Rating 91H | Performance All Season | Price $$$$$ | ![]() |
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Size 195/65-R15 | Speed Rating 91H | Performance All Season | Price $$$$ | ![]() |
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Size 195/65-R15 | Speed Rating 91H | Performance All Season | Price $$ | ![]() |
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Size 195/65-R15 | Speed Rating 89S | Performance All Season | Price $ | ![]() |
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Size 195/65-R15 | Speed Rating 91T | Performance All Season | Price $$$ | ![]() |
1
Milestar MS932 All-Season Radial Tire – 195/65R15 91H – Best Budget Tires for Toyota Prius
The first tire we will be looking at in this Best Tires for the Prius roundup is the Milestar MS932. Milestar’s MS932 is considered an all-season tire. You will notice the wide ribbed thread through the center of the tire that provides excellent traction.
This thread is non-directional. Thread life is more evenly distributed, thus increasing your tire’s overall life span. When it comes time to rotate or balance your tires, this type of thread makes it much more manageable. You can easily switch tires from one side of the car to the other if need be.
3D Siping…
We found this tire to perform exceptionally well on wet roads. The tread of the tire features what Milestar calls 3D Siping.
Throughout the tread of the tire, you will notice lateral lines that help push water away from the tire. It reminds how rain flows sideways away from your windshield when at speed. This 3D Siping leaves you aids in keeping reliable traction even in the heaviest of rain.
What about snow and ice?
While these handled well enough in snow and ice, you might notice that the occasional bit of slipping.
You will notice less road noise and excellent ride comfort while having these on your Prius. They even include a 50,000-mile warranty on the tread.
Pros
- Excellent wet weather traction.
- They wear evenly.
- Road noise is at a minimum.
Cons
- Ice and snow performance could be a tad bit better.
2
Westlake RP18 All- Season Radial Tire-185/65R15 88H – Best All Season Tires for Toyota Prius
The RP18 from Westlake is part of their touring line-up of tires. These all-season tires perform great on dry or rainy days. In rainy weather, the deep tread on the tires excels at channeling water away from them while providing optimal traction. Even on snow, you will still have a respectable amount of grip.
While on ice, you will want to be on the safe side and try not to break too suddenly just as you would with any tire. The design of the siping and grooves of the tire’s tread distributes pressure evenly throughout the tire. We noticed that the deep tire tread would pick up the occasional rocks or pebbles.
You will also notice…
The Westlake RP18’s will increase your gas mileage down the road. The ride comfort is excellent, and the RP18’s even aided in reducing road noise while at speed.
This is another tire that offers an H speed rating. For safety concerns, they can handle speeds up to 130 miles per hour.
High mileage warranty…
Westlake is confident in the touring ability of these tires and includes a 45,000 Limited Mileage Warranty with these tires.
This warranty lasts for the first five years or 45,000 miles from the purchase date. If you notice the tires wear down to the tread indicators in that time, Westlake will supply credit towards a new set.
Pros
- Comes with a 45,000 Limited Mileage Warranty.
- The deep tread patterns work well in removing water.
- Grip is superb, even in the snow.
Cons
- Rocks can quickly get stuck in the tread.
3
Hankook Kinergy ST H735 all_ Season Radial Tire-195/65R15 91T – Best Mid-Range Tires for Toyota Prius
Hankook’s Kinergy ST H735 is a tire that has been optimized for comfort. Driving down the road with these 195/65 R15 tires, you will enjoy just how quiet these tires are even at high speeds.
You will find that the design of the tread siping on these tires optimizes the pitch and reduces passing noise. The angle of the siping also helps to improve traction on snowy roads as well.
Some limitations…
We found that while this is considered a premium all-season tire, it does have its limitations just like any other tire. When you use these tires under heavy braking, you will definitely notice tire noise.
One other thing is that while this tire can handle some snow, it does struggle a bit once the snow starts to accumulate a lot on the ground. This was most noticeable when trying to corner and brake.
Improved handling…
The tires are constructed with steel belts and also feature a carcass liner. This makes the overall tread very stiff, thus providing better handling while reducing the possibility that the sidewalls might deform over time.
Overall, the tread life on these tires is superb and comes with a 70,000-mile warranty. They offer a speed/load rating of 91T, which matches the top speed of a Prius perfectly.
Pros
- A tranquil driving experience.
- 70,000-mile warranty.
- Speed and load rating of 91T.
- Constructed using abrasion-resistant material.
Cons
- Their cornering ability could be better in the snow.
4
Michelin Defender T + H All-Season Radial Tire – 195/65R15 91H – Best Michelin Tires for Toyota Prius
Michelin is an extremely well-known name in tires. We weren’t all that surprised to see it’s Defender T + H all-season tire in this Best Tires for a Prius roundup. This is a reasonably expensive tire, and with that, we expected excellent performance. We were not disappointed.
What is Total Performance?
Michelin calls this a TOTAL PERFORMANCE™ tire. This tire has a fantastic 6-year 80,000-mile warranty. The Defender T + H features MaxTouch Construction™ and incorporates Michelin’s EverTread™ compound.
How does that help you?
This basically helps in distributing weight evenly across the tire. You will definitely notice that you won’t be needing to rotate your tires as often when you have these on your Prius.
Driving on a sunny day is a pleasure with this on your vehicle. The grip is top-notch, and the overall road noise is kept to a minimum.
But there’s a catch…
You will notice that the groves on these tires are optimized at removing water away from your tire to prevent hydroplaning. We definitely felt that they did a reasonable job in light rain. However, in torrential downpours, we notice that the grip wasn’t as substantial.
This was most noticeable when going through puddles and cornering through parking lots. Snow also had a similar effect on these tires, so as with any tire, we would recommend caution in extremely inclement weather.
Pros
- Tread life warranty of 80,000 miles.
- They handle exceptionally well on dry surfaces.
- 91H rated.
Cons
- Tire skidding is noticed in heavy rain and snow.
5
Bridgestone DRIVEGUARD All-Season Radial Tire – 195/65-15 91H – Best Premium Tires for Toyota Prius
Bridgestone’s DriveGuard all-season tires provide excellent cornering and grip in wet or dry conditions.
Run-flat…
A puncture can happen at any time. In case you don’t have a spare tire available to use, these Bridgestone DriveGuard tires have your back. You can travel up to 50 miles after a complete loss of tire pressure with these tires. Your max speed will be limited to 50 miles per hour, though.
This should provide you enough time to get home or to the nearest service station safely. When driving on run-flat tires, you may notice that they are a bit stiffer than your standard tire. They have reinforced sidewalls that don’t absorb as much road vibration.
The exception…
Bridgestone has made these DriveGuard tires the exception. While driving, we found them to be very comfortable and able to reduce road noise all at the same time.
The only surface we had trouble with was snow. These tires perform reasonably well, but when braking, we felt they felt a bit weak, in our opinion. Tread life is up there with the best, and Bridgestone even includes a 60,000-mile warranty. As far as speed and load go, you will have a 91H rating on hand.
Overall, what did we think?
For a run-flat that not only performs as comfortably as a stand radial tire and we were very pleased using these throughout our testing.
Pros
- They can run flat for 50 miles at speeds up to 50mph.
- Very comfortable.
- Tread life is excellent and even comes with a warranty.
Cons
- Traction is greatly diminished if these tires do not have air.
6
Cooper Evolution Tour All-Season 195/65R15 91H Tire – Best Value for the Money Tires for Toyota Prius
The Cooper Evolution Tour tire is another 91H rated tire for all-season use. This tire specializes in increasing your fuel efficiency on the highway. It features Cooper’s 3D MICRO-GAUGE™ SIPING technology. Whether you are braking hard or taking a fast corner, the tire holds its shape allowing for greater traction.
The Evolution Tour tire has a 5-rib tread pattern. Weight is distributed evenly across the tire, and this will lead to a more extended amount of time before it needs to be rotated or replaced.
Rain, Snow, or Shine…
This tires tread pattern with help from the 3D MICRO-GAUGE™ SIPING technology allows for exceptional performance no matter the weather. In the dry, these tires utilize what Cooper calls STABILEDGE™. You will notice small groves in between the tire treads.
These allow for the tire tread to stay open even at high speed. This gives you more surface area overall and leads to a more stable overall feel while driving.
We also really liked…
While driving in the rain or light snow, we didn’t notice any slippage, either. The only time we did was when it was snowing heavily. This also only occurred from a dead stop and taking off. Grip held well throughout the corners and even when braking.
Pros
- Increases your vehicle’s gas mileage.
- Consistent grip on wet, dry, or even snowy surfaces.
- Steering response is top-notch.
Cons
- You will notice a bit of road noise while driving.
7
Yokohama Avid Touring S All-Season Tire – 195/65R15 89S – Quietest Tires for Toyota Prius
The Touring S all-season tire from Yokohama provides excellent stability. They are speed and load rated at 89S. Traction is supplied adequately, whether it is raining or sunny out.
There are tapered channels in the tread that allow for better evacuation of water from underneath the tire to help prevent hydroplaning.
What’s also great?
Driving with these in snowy conditions is also great. The siping on these tires are angled across the tire. You will find the edging on the siping increases the grip in rain or snow compared to standard tread. The sidewalls of these tires have rubber inserts that allow for better absorption of vibrations caused by bumpy surfaces as well.
Silent Shoulder…
Yokohama has incorporated a variable tread block and also uses extra siping on the edge of the tires. On the center of the tread pattern, you will notice a two-rail stability rib. These two great features decrease tread pattern noise. They are about as quiet a tire as you can get, in our opinion.
All of the tread on offer is made from a triplex compound. These tires are also covered under a 65,000 limited tread life warranty. This warranty might come in handy. From our experience, the tread seemed to wear quicker than we would have expected.
Pros
- Silent shoulder eliminates road noise.
- Responsive handling even in the snow.
- 89S speed and load rated.
Cons
- Tread life could have been better.
8
Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Touring Radial Tire – 195/65R15 91T – Best Winter Tires for Toyota Prius
Finishing off this roundup of the Best Tires for the Prius, we have an offering from Pirelli. Pirelli is a well-known name when it comes to tires for racing, but they also manufacture excellent touring tires as well.
The model we are looking at is the P4 Four Seasons Touring model with a 91T rating. The tread of this tire is packed full of silica, which lessens unnecessary resistance while driving. This will even help increase your gas mileage.
Phenomenal handling capabilities…
There are two decently sized channels running down the tire. The siping of the tread patterns has an asymmetrical design as well. The traction and handling available at highway speeds were phenomenal. When you slow down to turn the corner, the tires handle well and do not squeak.
In the snow, they also held up with the best tires we have tested. Any tire slippage we noticed was very minimal. On a stormy day, you will also feel very secure in your handling and braking with these tires as long as you don’t drive too aggressively.
90,000 miles…
Driving comfort is pleasing but could be softer, in our opinion. Tire noise overall is also at a minimum with these Pirelli’s overall no matter the weather conditions.
Pirelli is offering the most extended warranty that we have seen so far. They are protected for up to 90,000 miles. The tread wears extremely slow on these tires. We wouldn’t imagine you having to change out these tires for a new set any time soon.
Pros
- Perform equally well, no matter the weather.
- Incredible 90,000-mile warranty.
- Tire tread wears slowly.
Cons
- Riding comfort could be softer.
Best Tires for the Toyota Prius Buying Guide
When you venture to your local tire shop, you will most likely have a lot of options to choose from that will fit your Toyota Prius. In this buying guide, we have included a few things we think you should consider before making your next tire purchase.
Comfort and Handling
Not all tires are created equal. A lot of manufacturers will incorporate silica and different tread styles in their tires. The tread of your tire will affect your wet and dry weather handling. Tire tread features groves and siping that push water away from the tire while keeping optimal traction in the rain or snow.
You will also notice…
That your tread even affects how smooth your car drives. If the sidewalls are too stiff like those usually incorporated in run-flat type tires, you will notice that bumps and vibrations are more noticeable.
Another thing you may notice while driving down the road is noise coming from the tires while making contact with the road. Some tires have inserts and soft shoulders to minimize this.
Tread life
Tread life will vary from tire to tire, but fortunately, tire manufactures do provide a warranty with their tires. Warranty periods can differ from one manufacturer and model.
With good tire tread, you will notice that your car feels all the more stable while driving no matter the weather conditions. A top tip is also to make sure your tires are properly inflated. Then they can even improve your average gas mileage.
Tire Size
A Toyota Prius can accommodate a few different tire sizes. When you look at a tire, you will notice a few numbers like 205/70 R16 on the sidewall. We will use these numbers as an example below.
The first three numbers 205, for example, is the distance from sidewall to sidewall. The second set of numbers, 70, is the tires aspect ratio. On a 205/70 tire, the 70 means that the height of the tire is 70% of the width of the tire. Both the width and the aspect ratio is measured in millimeters.
What does that mean?
The last set of numbers refers to the radius of the wheel. So, for our example, the radius is 16 inches. If your tire rim is 16 inches, then you need a tire with the same radius.
In our review, we chose 195/65-R15 tires. We found them to be the best overall fit while supplying excellent traction, handling, tread life, and comfort.
Speed Rating and Load Index
You will also notice two letters and a number after the tire size like 81S, 95T, or 105S, for example. The first two numbers describe the load index of the tire. A load index of 81 means the tires are to handle 1019lbs. If you have a 104-load index, it can handle up to 1984lbs.
When your car is set up on four tires, these tires share the weight between them of not only the vehicle but also the passengers and even any cargo you might have in your car. While the load index shouldn’t really concern you that much while driving your Prius, it is still essential to know.
What do the letters mean?
The letter that comes after the two-digit load index is the tires speed rating. Speed ratings can vary from Q, R, S, and T to just name a few. While a Toyota Prius is limited to 112mph, you will want to make sure that your tires can handle that amount of speed.
A tire with a Q rating is made to withstand speeds up to 99mph. At the same time, a V rated tire is made for speeds of up to 149mph. When replacing your Prius tires, it’s best that you have the same speed rating throughout all four tires if at all possible.
Just be careful…
If you are only replacing one tire and can’t find an exact match, you will want to make sure it has a speed rating equivalent to or higher than the rest of the tires.
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What are the Best Tires for the Toyota Prius?
Overall, we felt that the…
Cooper Evolution Tour All-Season
…took the win in this Best Tires for the Toyota Prius roundup. The Evolution Tour sat at a reasonable price point. It even performed just as well, and if not better, as some of the more expensive options we looked at!
The handling was superb. Cooper’s STABILEDGE™ and 3D MICRO-GAUGE™ SIPING technology incorporated on this tire performed above and beyond our expectations.
No matter the weather conditions…
We felt the grip that was provided great. For all-season type tires, snow can be a concern but not with this tire.
The speed and load rating is more than adequate. You may notice a bit of road noise, but besides that, you can’t go wrong with these great tires from Cooper.
Happy driving!