Then let me say that this very broad generalized statement that you have made here is clearly false, and certainly not true for all vehicles and tires.

You can definitely get more than just a stiffer ride with over-inflated tires. Reducing the tire's resistance can adversely affect steering, and I'm confident that the effectiveness of braking would be less as well. I clearly noticed a much more difficult time steering when I tried going to a higher higher PSI with my Prius and its factory tires.

Most people are NOT driving on performance tires, as you are. Performance tires are not cost effective for most consumers. They generally cost more, and have a much shorter tread life. Many offer no tread warranty of any kind at all, compared to very affordable tires on the market today that are rated for 40,000, 50,000, even 60,000 miles.

I even took a look at the Sumitomo tire that you mentioned earlier that you use on your Honda. But I found that it is not even made in the tire sizes used by either the Prius, or the Prius touring edition. So the tire you are using is not even available for any Prius owners to drive on.

Perhaps for your own particular car/tire combo, your statement is indeed true. But to claim that it is some kind of general truth that applies to all vehicles and tires is definitely not. You generalized statement is in no way accurate.

Lance