I’ve been running 225/60-R18 all-season tires and 235/55-R18 studded winter tires since about 50,000 miles, on my 2018 GT PHEV. There has been no issue other than slight speedometer inaccuracy.
The car has been in almost constant use as my fulltime Uber vehicle since new, so goes through roughly one set of tires per year.
Almost as soon as I took it home from the dealership, I began to hate the factory 225/55-R18 Toyo A24’s. They were too loud and the ride was harsh. So within 5,000 miles I swapped them for what I was told was the most plush-riding all-season tire, the Michelin Premier, in the same 225/55-R18 size as the original Toyo’s. These were significantly quieter than the Toyo’s and gave a much more cushion-y ride. The Premiers were also phenomenally immune to hydroplaning when going through standing water, even at freeway speed—an important consideration in Seattle.
The first winter snowstorm, I went to my local bargain tire shop, and the only studded winter tire they had left was a set of 225/60-R18’s. So I bought those and discovered, to my great surprise, that even with the noise of the studs these winter tires were quieter than the 225/55-R18 Michelins.
Wondering if the winter tires’ larger size (taller sidewall height) might be the cause, when it came time to replace the Premiers I asked for size 225/60-R18 but, alas, the Premier was not offered in that size. However, Michelin did offer the Premier LTX in the desired 225/60-R18 size, so I bought those.
The 225/60-R18 Michelin Premier LTX gave the same cushion-y ride as the smaller Premier and provided the same excellent resistance to hydroplaning. However, they had two faults: at freeway speed, hitting a protruding expansion joint made the car bounce wildly up and down. This “porpoising” was a real nuisance, especially on one particular bridge on I-5 which curves right and downhill. The sidewall of those tires wasn’t stiff enough. The second fault was, at only 40,000 miles they became too noisy.
So, when those tires needed replacing, I asked the tire shop manager if there was a similar tire but with a stiffer sidewall. He recommended the Michelin Primacy Tour all-season, and I bought them (in 225/60-R18). I liked these tires very much. Their ride is stiffer than the Premier LTX but still acceptable, and the handling these tires provide is remarkable. The way the car tracks dead-straight must be felt to be appreciated. Unfortunately they do not have as good of grip on wet pavement as the Premiers.
When I went to replace my first set of Primacy Tours, there was a significant delay in expected arrival time due to the covid lockdowns, so I decided to try the Pirelli Scorpion Verde III. This turned out to be a horrible tire for this vehicle. It transmitted every road jolt big or small to the car, right through the steering wheel into my hands. And also, it seems, into the car; during the approximately one month I had the Pirelli’s on, my water pump failed, its gasket shook loose.
The second set of studded winter tires I bought are Federal Himalaya’s from Les Schwab (a Pacific Northwest tire shops chain). These are in 235/55-R18. It’s what’s on the car right now.
My second set of Primacy Tours are almost due for replacement. I have inquired of Mitsubishi through my local dealership and Mitsubishi says a 235/65-R18 tire will fit, so my next set of all-season tires will be in that size. Going by the online ratings from Tire Rack, with emphasis on wet performance, noise, and ride, I will probably select either the Vredestein HiTrac or the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherAdvantage, or maybe the Pirelli Scorpion Plus III.
