I have recommended these on this site before, but nobody trusts me....try the Hankook Optimo H727. Very quiet, mileage is good, and they have a 100,000 mile warranty!! Check them out.

 

The stock Michelin MXV4 S8's are cruddy on performance. I have never driven a car with so much tire squeal in my life. The TCH already has way too much body roll, but these tires seem to add to that problem.

I make quick right turns starting from a dead standstill and these tires squeal. The road grip is just not there... and this is on dry pavement. I do push this car, but taking turns at a lot slower speed than any other similar vehicle I drive. To add more insult, the sidewalls on these tires is already beginning to crack from age (18 months). They are the last choice of replacement tires on my list. But I'd still buy a Michelin brand... just not this model. All my other fleet vehicles have Michelins -- including a full-sized van -- and they perform very well.

 

Sorry you had bad luck with the Energy S8 tires. How much air did you run in those tires. I'm running 42 psi cold and have never heard a squeal yet. The tread still looks new at 10,000 miles.

I read this Energy S8 tire was the lowest of the low rolling resistant tires. I'm not sure if that was in consumer reports or elsewhere.

I use to use the tire that the Pilot replaced. I remember getting 75,000 miles from the first set and 70,000 miles out of the second. This was on a '94 Corolla I had. I ran 35 psi cold in those tires. I remember they were manufactured in Canada. I bought them from Sam's Club where I could pick out my own tires.

I'm with you on sticking with the Michelin tires.

 

It isn't the tires. It's the vehicle.

The TCH has a lot more low-end torque than any gasoline-powered vehicle you have ever driven. DC electric motors produce their maximum torque at zero RPM. Gas motors have to be going several thousand RPM before they reach max torque, and they have very little torque at low RPMs. The result is that even a small electric motor can squeal a tire when starting from a stop, especially when you turn immediately.

This is inherent in every electric-powered vehicle, just because the torque at zero RPM is inherent in every DC electric motor. These vehicles require a slight adjustment in driving style. Just don't stomp the gas fully down until you are going a few miles per hour. Instead, push it down gradually over a period of a second or two. You will get there just as quickly, and you will get better fuel economy in the bargain.

 

I have all tires at about 35 PSI. Toyota recommends only 30 PSI I think... a little too low in my book, so I conservatively add a few more PSI onto any manfacturer label recommendations.

Steve. Thanks a bunch for your great explanataion on why the TCH tires squeal. Yeah... guilty, guilty as charged. I'm a lead foot -- but a safe one -- in many respects. Your description is right on! I try to adjust driving the TCH a little differently then my ICE Mazda, but I admit to the rabbit lead foot and slolam cornering!!!! Hehehe. I'll give the Energy S8 tires a break... but I am seeing some sidewall cracking -- due to being out in the sun all day I imagine. They need some more UV stabilizers.

 

I bought a set of michelin-X tires for my wife's 91 Dodge Shadow. She went to discount tire to have them rotated and balanced. The discount employee walked out to have a look. She had mentioned something to him about small dry cracks on the tires and them being only a year old.

He got under the car enough to look in behind them. He said that michelin had had some cracking problems with the X tire. These also had that problem. He gave her 4 news ones for a small adjustment price. She traded the car off about 6 months later for a used Ranger pickup.

 

Thanks to all for the feedback.

I ended up with the Michelin MXV4 S8. So far they seem quieter, but I'll report back with more info, including mileage, after my next trip (in June).

I suspect the Yokohama Avid TRZ tires are even quieter, but since they are T rated, I was concerned about warranty issues (Toyota claims the warranty is void if the car is involved in an accident wearing less than V rated tires.) I'm hoping that when these wear out, there will be more V-rated choices with low rolling resistance.

 

Your best bet is to keep the tires at 35 psi cold. I ran that pressure in mine for about 500 miles for the tire break in, then went to 38. I ran 38 psi for a month or so. I read some others were having good luck at 40 psi. I gave it a try and was amazed, these tires still ride smooth at that pressure. Maybe a little more solid over a railroad track but i'm usually going slow anyway.

The last few months I have run 42 when the winter weather has been cold here were I live. All of a sudden Spring and were in the mid 80's. Tonight when its cool out I will let them back down to 40.

 

As long as we are talking tires in this thread....
I'm at 38k on my Bridgestones and am starting to think about replacing them.
I'm probably going to go with Michelin this time but I'm trying to decide between the Energy MXV4 S8 and the Primacy MXV4.

Does anyone know much about the Primacy (Has anyone used it? Is it LRR? Snow traction? Anything else I should be considering?)

 

The Michelin Primacy MAV4 must be a really new tire. Looking at the tire rack site, the customer reviews only had from 200 to 1000 miles on each report. It is not listed yet in the Grand Touring All-Season Survey Results.

Looks like this tire is very similar to the S8. Each tire shows to weigh one pound more. They may last longer as the UTQG shows a higher number.

Use the tirerack.com/ site. Choose, tires by brand, michelin to read more details on this new tire.