03 April 2012
With fuel prices at a record high, choosing more fuel-efficient tyres to help you car achieve better fuel economy (mpg).
Keep tyre pressures up
One way drivers can make sure their car isn't costing more than it should to fill up is by keeping tyre pressures at the recommended levels. Tyre manufacturer GT-Radial claimed under-inflated tyres could be costing drivers 10% more in fuel.
Motorists should keep tyre pressures topped up (to ensure safe handling and braking as well as to save fuel), research suggests that buying more fuel-efficient tyres is likely to save more money at the pumps.
Choose the right tyres
Testing some popular tyres on a Peugeot 308, we measured an increase in fuel consumption of around 3% when we dropped tyre pressures by a substantial 15PSI (one Bar). The same exercise showed drastic changes to handling and braking, making running with the correct pressures a must for a safe journey.
But your choice of tyre can actually make a bigger difference to fuel economy - so it's important to choose thebest tyres from the outset and then maintain them properly.
'Eco' tyres can save 6% on fuel
In our latest tyre tests, one of the sizes we assessed was 205/55 R16V - one of the UK's most widely fitted tyre sizes. The tyres which came top for fuel economy were the Pirelli Cinturato P7s and the Hankook Kinergy Eco K425, which both beat big names like the Continental PremiumContact 5, Goodyear OptiGrip and Bridgestone Turanza T001 for rolling resistance.
In fact, fitted to a car returning 40mpg, either the Pirelli or the Hankook would give you an extra 2.4mpg (around 6%) compared with the worst tyre in our test for rolling resistance, the Nexen N8000. That equates to around £50 a year at today's record fuel prices.
And given that the Pirelli was among the lowest priced tyres in our test batch (at £68 each), you'll be saving money from the moment you visit the tyre retailer.
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