High MPG Tires Could Save You $900+
You noticed your old tires were getting dangerously bald. So you started shopping for a new set. Suddenly, you see tires promising better fuel economy. The big question: Are the high mpg tires worth the upcharge? The answer is yes — but only if your current setup isn’t very efficient. Here’s the math.
When the University of Michigan studied “low rolling resistance” tires in 2014, it found the difference between the best and worst tires tested was just 1.3 mpg. Many outlets have used that number ever since.
The catch? The study only compared already-efficient tires.
When Consumer Reports compared low rolling resistance tires to all tires it reviews, the gap grew larger. CR reported that tires engineered for efficiency could improve fuel economy by one to two mpg.
The average new 2021 internal-combustion vehicle’s fuel efficiency was 25.4 mpg. Let’s say your vehicle is on aggressive off-road or winter-oriented tires. Swapping to low rolling resistance tires could bump fuel economy from 25.4 to 27.4 mpg.
If you drive the national average of 13,596 miles per year, you would save 39.1 gallons annually. At $3.29 per gallon, that’s about $129 each year. Run those tires for 60,000 miles, and you save roughly $568 at the pump.
When the savings really add up
If your vehicle and tires already run more efficiently than the above example, a two-mpg gain won’t save much money. But inefficient setups tell a different story.
Say you drive a truck on knobby off-road tires that returns 20 mpg. Conservative low rolling resistance tires might improve fuel economy well beyond two mpg. But even a modest bump to 22 mpg adds up fast.
At 13,596 miles per year, you would save 61.8 gallons annually. That’s about $203 per year. Over 60,000 miles, the savings climb to roughly $898.
If you drive a lot, currently run aggressive tires, or stretch a set of low rolling resistance tires beyond 60,000 miles, you could easily save $1,000 or more.
Is it worth it? Maybe, maybe not. If you run aggressive, low-mpg tires all winter and are on the fence about a dedicated set of summer tires, investing more might save you money in the long run.
Next time I drive my truck west for a camping trip, I might mount a cheap used set of low rolling resistance tires. I’d toss my off-road tires in the bed and see if the swap pays for itself. Next, read up on why over-inflating your tires doesn’t actually improve MPG.
