Best tires for the C-Max??

[mnrobitaille]

Am curious, especially after getting getting new tires, but in your experience what are the best tires available for the C-Max? Why do you feel that way & what proof is available those tires are the best?

[mtb9153]

I'm not looking for tires for awhile I hope but when I do, I'm going back with the factory tires from Michelin.  I looked at them on Tire Rack and so far they are wearing well and I have no qualms with getting them again as my first replacement tire set.  Realistically getting wider or more performance rated tire seems a waste cost wise on a car I will never use them on.  Don't see myself ever getting enough speed up to warrant a Z-rated tire.  I like the lower profile and more aggressive looking tread design on a Z-rated tire, but feel the extra cost to get them would be a waste on a CMax.

[fotomoto]

Well it comes with some the best LRR tires currently being made.   How many miles do you have on the originals?   I'm hoping for at least 50k.   Anyway, here's what I gleaned from the PriusChat forum I still frequent.  They have a lot of experience that shouldn't be discounted just because they own a different brand.  I have personal experience with the first three listed but they were on three different cars so I can't really compare.  

 

 

 

 

For those who just want to be told what to get here it is:

Michelin Energy Saver A/S = The ultimate in mpg, good wear but lacking in performance. Good wet braking. not great in snow. Low noise and comfortable. The hypermilers dream tire! My personal favorite!

Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max = Great mpg but behind the others in road noise, handling, and overall road manners and performance. Great tread wear but lacking wet traction. Good snow/ice traction but behind the EP422, barely.

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 = Great mpg! It is behind the Energy Saver A/S but higher than the Fuel Max. Good wet traction, great snow traction, poor handling tire but lacking in dry braking and cornering ability. Comfortable and low noise. Tread wear average.

Continental PureContact with EcoPlus = Better fuel economy than the ProContact, very high tread wear, excellent wet braking and handling, great steering feel but rides a bit rough.

Continental ProContact with EcoPlus = Least mpg of those listed above (just behind Fuel Max by a few 10ths) but what it loses in mpg it makes up for with excellent handling and wet traction, very high tread wear warranty (but some say they wear out fast), low price, and low noise.

[CarpeNivem]

For me, snow traction is very important, so while the Michelin Energy tires that came on our cars are highly favored for their MPG ratings, I wanted to replace them anyway, and did so by purchasing a set of Continental PureContact with EcoPlus tires (which I haven't mounted yet, so can't I describe them; I'm still waiting for the order, which was just placed on Saturday). My decision was influenced heavily by this chart of user-reported surveys - http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=GTAS - but also in part by the myriad of articles and posts (including the comment immediately above this one, for example) which always seem to agree with those numbers.

 

If I didn't live in an area where snow traction was important, I probably would've left the OEM tires in place. They certainly seem good enough, especially if MPG is your top priority, and buying a CMax, it makes sense that it would be. For me though, high MPG was just a priority, but not necessarily my top one. ;)

[wab]

For me, snow traction is very important, so while the Michelin Energy tires that came on our cars are highly favored for their MPG ratings, I wanted to replace them anyway, and did so by purchasing a set of Continental PureContact with EcoPlus tires (which I haven't mounted yet, so can't I describe them; I'm still waiting for the order, which was just placed on Saturday). My decision was influenced heavily by this chart of user-reported surveys - http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=GTAS - but also in part by the myriad of articles and posts (including the comment immediately above this one, for example) which always seem to agree with those numbers.

 

If I didn't live in an area where snow traction was important, I probably would've left the OEM tires in place. They certainly seem good enough, especially if MPG is your top priority, and buying a CMax, it makes sense that it would be. For me though, high MPG was just a priority, but not necessarily my top one. ;)

 

I use Tire Rack, NTB and Discount Tire for research.

The UTOG gives me the most info.

Michelin's have a UTOG of 480AA for about $179 each it's a 55000 mile tire

Continental ContiTouringContact CV95 360AA for about $199 each :spend:

Yokohama AVID Ascend 740AA for about $141 each 65000 mile tire :)

If I was ready to buy the Yokohama would be a NO brainer more milles lower $'s, almost or better MPG

 

Here's my list from Tire Rack, Low Rolling Resistance only (show ONLY LRR ) ='s the 18 tires I'm interested in.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?filtering=true&width=225/&ratio=50&diameter=17&autoMake=Ford&autoYear=2013&autoModel=C-MAX%20Hybrid&autoModClar=SEL&sortCode=49700&tireIndex=0&wtpackage=false

[CarpeNivem]

 

Here's my list from Tire Rack, Low Rolling Resistance only (show ONLY LRR ) ='s the 18 tires I'm interested in.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?filtering=true&width=225/&ratio=50&diameter=17&autoMake=Ford&autoYear=2013&autoModel=C-MAX%20Hybrid&autoModClar=SEL&sortCode=49700&tireIndex=0&wtpackage=false

 

And from that list, personally, I "deselect all" from the Summer category, then "deselect all" from the Winter category (because while great in the snow, they're awful in the not-snow), thus leaving only All Season. That trims the list from 120 to 68. I then change the "sort by" option from "price" to "customer reviews", and now we've got the tires I'm interested in. ;)

 

Top of the list is the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus, followed by the Continental PureContact with EcoPlus. The specs are very similar. Speed rating, UTQG, price, class, etc. So between those two, it seems the Pirellis would be the way to go. So, why didn't I? Why did I choose the tires that customers voted second best, over their top favorite?

 

Because in Tire Rack's own testing - http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=171 - the Continentals performed quite a bit better than the Pirellis, especially in wet conditions.

 

Again though, that's for my needs, which involve snow confidence. There's absolutely nothing wrong with making decisions based solely on initial purchase price, overall longevity, and MPG impact. Nothing wrong at all. I totally get that. But for other forum members who might be doing their own research, and might value snow confidence similarly to how I do, those are the tires I picked, and why.

[mnrobitaille]

The tires we went with are: Toyo Ultra Z900 from Les Schwab. So far we've noticed better handling compared to the Michelin tires Neytiri came with.

 

MPG rating is comparable with the Michelin tires.

[Tdefny]

How many miles did you get on your Michelins?

 

One of the first things I liked about the C-Max is that it has real tires. I hate how quickly my Prius eats tires. The early ones had very small tires that wear too quickly. The tire is simply too small for the car and needs a a high load rating to hold the weight. The high load rating and unusually small tire (175/65-14 81S) is barely used anywhere else and so not many manufacturers make them in the right load rating. This was fixed in later generations.

[BIG ROCCO]

Yeah - it's funny how some cars eat tires.  I had a 2005 Lincoln LS V-6 that I drove pretty conservatively and lots on the highway, and tried 4 different tires, the OE Contis and 3 different Michelins, and none lasted more than ~25K miles.  My daily driver is a 2012 LaCrosse with ~ 28K miles, and I don't think they're 1/2 worn yet...same driving conditions as the Lincoln.  Another thing I found interesting is that when I had Eldorados in the 90s, the first 2 I had came with S rated tires - they only lasted about 25K miles.  My '97 Eldo came with H rated tires - those and the replacements always lasted about 40K.  I think it goes to what you wrote - basically that the tires need to be a good match to the car and the way it's used.

 

 

How many miles did you get on your Michelins?

One of the first things I liked about the C-Max is that it has real tires. I hate how quickly my Prius eats tires. The early ones had very small tires that wear too quickly. The tire is simply too small for the car and needs a a high load rating to hold the weight. The high load rating and unusually small tire (175/65-14 81S) is barely used anywhere else and so not many manufacturers make them in the right load rating. This was fixed in later generations.

[mnrobitaille]

How many miles did you get on your Michelins?

One of the first things I liked about the C-Max is that it has real tires. I hate how quickly my Prius eats tires. The early ones had very small tires that wear too quickly. The tire is simply too small for the car and needs a a high load rating to hold the weight. The high load rating and unusually small tire (175/65-14 81S) is barely used anywhere else and so not many manufacturers make them in the right load rating. This was fixed in later generations.

On the Michelins we got 38,000 miles on them.

 

For the Toyo Ultra Z900 we went with as listed for manufacturer recommendation for size.

[HotPotato]

I read a Tire Rack LRR tire comparo and our stock tires were the best overall: dry grip and tread life are high, and road noise is low. The Ecopias were second, but with significantly better wet grip, so maybe they're the way to go if you live in the wet. They're both top-quality name-brand tires so they don't come cheap, but both are available at the Tire Rack and Costco, which eliminates the price problem!

[mike884]

Has anyone put Non-LRR tires on the c-max? I had a focus ses prior and while the stock Michelins seem OK for the application and 5/10's driving... these bad boys aren't up for spirited driving and go down howling in discontent as they understeer across the county line. 

[ptjones]

I got 65K from my Michelin's and I think they handle plenty good enough for me. Have 10K on the new ones now and wouldn't give up MPG's for anything else. IMHO :)

 

Paul

[fbov]

...these bad boys aren't up for spirited driving and go down howling in discontent as they understeer across the county line. 

Interesting report... but inconsisent with my experience.

 

I found the ES/AS to be a rather quiet tire approaching the limit, and the car's handling is neutral at that point, as FWD drivetrains go. Unfortunately, it's not possible to explore suspension behaviour at cornering limits in car's with RSC (roll stability control). The car intervenes when it senses the tires sliding, applying the brakes when the driver wants them least. It's the one thing I hate about my C-Max.

 

Have fun,

Frank, whose inital tire wear data says "they'll last 40K."

[CarpeNivem]

One year and almost 30k miles later, I can say that our Continental PureContact with EcoPlus tires are holding up great. They're quiet, comfortable, perform reasonably well* in the snow, and we've been averaging 41mpg on them, which I know isn't among the best, but it's certainly not bad either. The tread still looks deep enough to last another winter at least, and probably even another whole year.

 

All in all, I'm happy with my purchase, and will continue to recommend them.

---
 

*To be fair, my wife did get stuck going uphill on ice one particularly terrible winter morning last year, but we were not the only ones having trouble that day, which means I have to wonder if any tires would've been adequate. That might've been an "AWD or stay home" kind of day, and we were fine absolutely every other day. Remember, we're in Colorado, so we saw our fair share of snow. Studded tires probably would've gone right up the hill that day, but then again, studs can't be used year-round, and they'll never average 41mpg, so again, it depends on your priorities, but if your needs match ours, I think these are the way to go, at least 99% of the time.

[ptjones]

CarpeNivem what happened to your Michelin's and how did they compare to the EcoPlus tire? As mentioned before I got 65K mi. on original Michelin's and drove them in all kinds of bad weather.  The MPG's are very good too. :) 

 

Paul

[CarpeNivem]

I sold the Michelins immediately after buying the CMax, without even trying to drive on them in the snow, simply because reviews led me to believe they would not perform as well in the snow as the Continentals. In hindsight, I suppose I could have tried the Michelins first, to see how right or wrong the prevailing opinions really were, but then I would not have been able to sell them as "brand new". ;)

[mike884]

 

 

I found the ES/AS to be a rather quiet tire approaching the limit, and the car's handling is neutral at that point, as FWD drivetrains go. Unfortunately, it's not possible to explore suspension behaviour at cornering limits in car's with RSC (roll stability control). The car intervenes when it senses the tires sliding, applying the brakes when the driver wants them least. It's the one thing I hate about my C-Max.

 

 

Could always just pull the fuse and give it a whirl? In fact, I may try that. 

[fbov]

If you read any of the car magazines, when they do skid pad testing, they pull the fuse, as does anyone with traction control who plows snow.

 

For my part, I only hit RSC once, despite a lot of spirited cornering, but I also settled on a route that doesn't include the corner where I activated RSC. In thinking aobut it, I've realized that corner is slilghtly banked, due to road crown, and I'd hit the turn perfectly...

 

Still very happy with the car's balance and stability when cornering, despite the high roofline.

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[NavyRuss]

Talking general all-season tires-- I was delighted to see that the car came with the Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires.  I'm curious if someone has also used the Premier A/S tires on a CMAX.  Michelin's site seems to rate the Premier all season with the same or higher numbers in virtually every category but fuel efficiency.  (Primacy has a 9 but Energy Saver has a 10).  When it comes time to replace the tires on my used CMAX, would I want to try the Primacy A/S instead of the Energy Saver A/S?  Will the loss of fuel efficiency be so great on the primacy that I will want to stick with the energy saver model?

[ptjones]

Talking general all-season tires-- I was delighted to see that the car came with the Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires.  I'm curious if someone has also used the Premier A/S tires on a CMAX.  Michelin's site seems to rate the Premier all season with the same or higher numbers in virtually every category but fuel efficiency.  (Primacy has a 9 but Energy Saver has a 10).  When it comes time to replace the tires on my used CMAX, would I want to try the Primacy A/S instead of the Energy Saver A/S?  Will the loss of fuel efficiency be so great on the primacy that I will want to stick with the energy saver model?

Has anyone done any testing? I really hate to give up any MPG's and with 90Kmi I can't complain about the tires in any conditions, snow, rain and Hot. :)

 

Paul

[drdiesel1]

Talking general all-season tires-- I was delighted to see that the car came with the Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires.  I'm curious if someone has also used the Premier A/S tires on a CMAX.  Michelin's site seems to rate the Premier all season with the same or higher numbers in virtually every category but fuel efficiency.  (Primacy has a 9 but Energy Saver has a 10).  When it comes time to replace the tires on my used CMAX, would I want to try the Primacy A/S instead of the Energy Saver A/S?  Will the loss of fuel efficiency be so great on the primacy that I will want to stick with the energy saver model?

The only way to know is to try em. Tires are a personal preference and most people have such a difference

of opinion, it's hard to know without testing them for yourself. IMO, MPG's are more important.

It's a green car that handles well, but it's not a race car. Why worry about 2% better grip with a higher MPG hit.

 

I purchased mine for an economical purpose, so the OE tires will be replaced with the same, unless

something better comes along by then. These tires a perfect for my use and they seem to be wearing

good @ the 4K mark. I run 55 to 60 psi.

[ptjones]

The only way to know is to try em. Tires are a personal preference and most people have such a difference

of opinion, it's hard to know without testing them for yourself. IMO, MPG's are more important.

It's a green car that handles well, but it's not a race car. Why worry about 2% better grip with a higher MPG hit.

 

I purchased mine for an economical purpose, so the OE tires will be replaced with the same, unless

something better comes along by then. These tires a perfect for my use and they seem to be wearing

good @ the 4K mark. I run 55 to 60 psi.

You mean at 4K you actually have tire wear, LOL, I got 64K out of mine. :lol: :lol2:

 

Paul

[drdiesel1]

You mean at 4K you actually have tire wear, LOL, I got 64K out of mine. :lol: :lol2:

 

Paul

:lol:  Okay!  Lack of wear :hat_tip:

[mtb9153]

I have 35k on Maxus and plenty of tread left, I plan to buy more of these tires when the time comes.

Edited February 7, 2015 by mtb9153