How to Improve Your Crossover/SUV's Efficiency with the Right Tires

Installing the right set of tires on yer car is just as – if not more – important than getting the right pair of shoes on your feet. Shoving on a set of dime store flip-flops in the wintertime all but guarantees a trip to the hospital after one falls face over apex upon encountering the year’s first icy patch. This is Exhibit A of why most drivers in the Snow Belt elect to mount winter rubber when the weather turns foul.

Not as widely discussed, but no less important for those of us who don’t like throwing money away, is the specter of improving fuel efficiency with help of simply having the right set of tires. This advice is applicable to just about everyone in the country, unlike winter-tire articles which are bypassed by the fortunate sods living in places like Arizona and New Mexico. Although, it must be said that certain swaths of the Copper State do get their fair share of the white stuff.

In terms of crossover/SUV efficiency, tires can play a major role squeezing every penny in the family budget. After all, those four fist-sized patches of rubber are technically the only things on a vehicle which actually touch the road; if those contact surfaces are worn or of the wrong type, all the safety or fuel-saving features on one’s car are arguably not being used to their maximum efficiency.

Some tire brands market and manufacture tires whose directive is specifically to offer low rolling resistance to save on fuel. We all know that an aerodynamic vehicle slices through the air better than one shaped like the broad side of a barn door, and tire makers have long clued in to this reality as well. Whilst an auto manufacturer’s tools for their goal are aero items like active grille shutters and smart shaping of body panels, a tire manufacturer seeks to improve their aero (read: lower rolling resistance) through redesigns of tread patterns, smart choices in assembly, and tricks in their super-secret mix of ingredients for the rubber compound.

Remember, the definition of tire rolling resistance is the energy a vehicle must send to its tires in order to initiate or maintain movement. In simple terms, is the effort required to keep a tire rolling. Experts suggest tires with low rolling resistance can improve fuel efficiency by 2 to 4 percent annually over the life of the tire. This naturally depends on the specific tire you selected, road conditions, and one’s own driving style. On highways, tires are said to account for a stunning 25 percent of rolling resistance, compared to city driving where that figure is pegged around 15 percent. With this in mind, we are confident in asserting that highway commuters could see the greatest benefit from tires with low rolling resistance.

Circling back to the top of this post in which we spoke of winter tires, running that type of rubber in warm weather is a sure-fire way to scupper efficiency. The gummy and grippy rubber compound used in these hoops is designed to work most efficiently when temperatures are under 45 degrees Fahrenheit, staying pliable as the thermometer plumbs its own nether regions. However, that same trait which is useful in the cold tends to increase rolling resistance when the weather is warm, causing the things to wear more quickly and fuel efficiency to drop like the heaviest of stones. Sure, it costs a few shekels at the garage for a seasonal changeover but the expense is quickly recouped in the form of longer tire life and smaller fuel bills.

Like those flip flops, it’s always helpful to have the right equipment for the job or climate.

[Images: Blackhawk Tire]

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