Whats the all around consensus on an efficient 195-65-15 tire?

[Chris D.]

I have a 08 Corolla S manual trans..

I want to dump the aftermarket 17' boat anchors that are on it and run a lightweight 15" wheel and a low rolling resistance style tire combo (195-65-15)

Any consensus for what brand seems to work well for others?

I'm also hunting for some inexpensive 15" 5x100 wheels,
not sure where to start..
A friend mentioned that Rota Slipstreams were fairly inexpensive and lightweight. Anyone running these?

Thanks

*Chris

[roosterk0031]

I have 3 cars with that size tire. Kt's cobalt I have nokian wrg3, wanted the the best year round tire as I didn't want to do seasonal with it, about $95 online now. I have nitto SN2's on the Stratus winter tire but due to it's limited miles/week they will outlast the car. I have 2 WRG2 and 2 SN2 on my cobalt. I'm planning on trying Nokian Entyre come spring for my summer tires. Entrye 2.0 is out so first version is about $60 online.

Drove KT's cobalt yesterday on mixed Ice/slush and felt great. They claim LRR, if I was really motivated I could swap them to my car to test. I'll put them on the next Cobalt I'll probably buy to replace the Stratus or Altima. I think I paid $125 each for KT's as they were the new upgraded version.

[digital rules]

Have you considered the OEM alloy wheels? Efficiency wise, they are likely your best bet.

I just put Bridgestone turanza serenity plus on my 05 & like them so far. They seem to roll just as well as the previous Yokohama tires.

[HydroJim]

I had Bridgestone Ecopia EP422s on my Focus and I thought they were excellent tires even in Cleveland's winters.

Just go to tire rack and see which ones are top rated.

[roosterk0031]

Ran a pair of Ecopia's, hated them wet traction was terrible, wear and MPG were OK. But I was breaking the fronts loose at 40 mph in 3rd gear so maybe I"m expecting too much. Did the SN's last week, don't recall breaking the WRG2's loose as easy, but will be rotating them to the front soon. On the Stratus the WRG2 were great never heard of Nokian Tyres before wanting 15" wheels that came with almost new WRG2's.

[Chris D.]

Originally Posted by digital rules

Have you considered the OEM alloy wheels? Efficiency wise, they are likely your best bet.

I just put Bridgestone turanza serenity plus on my 05 & like them so far. They seem to roll just as well as the previous Yokohama tires.

My stock 15" alloys are dedicated snow tire status

[cyclopathic]

If cost is not an object Michelin Energy Saver A/S. They get much better MPG than Ecopia, ok grip in wet (at least until worn out 2/3) and passable in snow. Last longer than warranty. Their weak points are cost and paper-thin sidewalls which are easy to damage and will show cracks after just a couple years.

Had been running them on Prius for 140k, 6 pairs now.

[BabyDiesel]

Originally Posted by cyclopathic

If cost is not an object Michelin Energy Saver A/S. They get much better MPG than Ecopia, ok grip in wet (at least until worn out 2/3) and passable in snow. Last longer than warranty. Their weak points are cost and paper-thin sidewalls which are easy to damage and will show cracks after just a couple years.

Had been running them on Prius for 140k, 6 pairs now.

I second what cyclopathic has said. My fiance has Michelin Energy Saver A/S on her 05 Corolla S, Auto. They were around 1/2-2/3 tread when I met her, and now 2 years later are ready to be replaced (35k). She gets miserable mpg (30) but she is your typical driver I will say that her car rolls MUCH better in drive than my Escort does in neutral, and her tires are ~30 psi vs my 65 psi! With a hypermiler, they would be very capable tires. The sidewalls are cracking, showing their age very well.

Due to cost, she is going with Kumho Sense KR26 195/65R15. They are LRR, and $56/tire vs well over $100/tire for the Michelins.

[Miller88]

What about Prius wheels? Aren't those lightweight and aerodynamic - same bolt pattern and 15''

[cyclopathic]

If cost is an object H-rated RT-43 might be a good choice.

They are cheap, long lasting, good grip/handling in wet and snow (for A/S) tire, and low rolling resistance for non-LRR tire. Best part they rated at 51psi max, and actually handle well with 48psi pressure. What you loose on compound you gain with higher pressure.

They are ~$60/ea, and General had $50 rebate when you buy 4
https://www.tiresavings.com/tireShop...&sku=307141158