Michelin Cross Climate - fuel economy impact?

Faults and Technical chat for the Kia Niro
AlanW55
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Post by AlanW55 »

I'm down to 4mm on the front 18" Michelin Pilots after 20,000 miles, 22 months, so should be ok until late summer when I think I'll go for the cross-climates. Now, should I have the new ones swapped with the back (6mm) , or put on the front? May be a pointless question as I understand that reputable fitters will always recommend putting new tyres on the rear.
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niroal
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Post by niroal »

You could do a front rear swap now & then all your tyres will be ready to swap at a similar
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djbobbins
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Post by djbobbins »

AlanW55 wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2019 6:25 pm I understand that reputable fitters will always recommend putting new tyres on the rear.
Any idea why this is - other than to reduce the risk of the rear tyres on a FWD car that only does average mileage dying of age rather than tread wear?

Instinctively my gut says that the front tyres do the steering, traction and well over 50% of the braking so that’s where I’d want tread!
niroal
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Post by niroal »

Understeer is easier to control than oversteer so best grip at rear reduces the chance of the car spinning.
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jerrytaff
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Post by jerrytaff »

niroal wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2019 1:34 pm Understeer is easier to control than oversteer so best grip at rear reduces the chance of the car spinning.
So, I gather. When I started driving, perceived wisdom was to put the best rubber on the front. I don't know when the advice changed to putting it on the rear, but personally, I don't necessarily go along with it. I think it depends on the handling characteristics of the car.

if oversteer is considered to be a safety issue why are cars not designed so that they don't oversteer? (retorical question) - best handling is achieved when the car has an equal propensity to under or over steer.

According to the autocar review, that is what Kia have achieved with the Niro. They don't like the lack of grip from the 16" Michelin Energy Savers, but they concede that at least, the car is balanced.

My Jag X type Diesel was very front heavy, and very hard on its front tyres. They needed replacing twice as often as the rears. A rear tyre blew out at 70mph (the seam to the inner sidewall failed suddenly). with a full load (4 adults and suitcases)
My only indication was a change in the road noise. A blow-out on the front would have resulted in very different and scary outcome as the car would have been very difficult to handle.

By contrast, my DS5 was better balanced, and got through both fronts and rears at the same rate (changed after every 34k miles).

So, my approach is simple. I put the new tyres on whichever wheels wear their tyres the fastest, as those are the ones doing the work, and that is where I believe I need the grip.
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djbobbins
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Post by djbobbins »

That sounds like an eminently pragmatic approach as far as I am concerned.

For what it’s worth, I think I have only ever experienced oversteer once in a front wheel drive car - in wet conditions when I was a younger and more foolish chap, deliberately going quick around a roundabout in the wet to test the limits. Even under relatively spirited driving I doubt it would be likely to arise in everyday weather conditions.
niroal
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Post by niroal »

ESP has vastly reduced the problem of lift off oversteer. Near home is a dual carriageway with a tightening right turn slip road joining the main road. Nearly all the signs & a couple of the lamp posts have been flattened by various cars. Wet roads & budget tyres may not help the case.
Without ESP the Niro may be prone to lift off oversteer. Search Niro elk test on YouTube to see what I mean.
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janesdsg
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Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:39 pm

Post by janesdsg »

Had my front tyres changed last week after nearly 24k. Went for Michelin Cross Climates, garage advised to put these on the front and keep OEMs on the rear. Don't know yet about any fuel economy impact but it's noticeably quieter in the cabin.
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niroal
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Post by niroal »

I did a full change to Cross Climates, would be quite nervous having non winter spec tyres on the rear if the conditions were slippery.

Agreed they are much quieter than the OEM Michelin Energy tyres, only thing I've noticed is they wear a bit quicker, but for the all weather piece of mind it is a small price to pay.
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h2onorth
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Post by h2onorth »

Hi all just changed 2 front tyres on 2017 Hybrid Niro for M cross climate. I decided after a puncture that with 3 to 3.5 mm on front at only 21000 miles that I may as well prepare for winter and 'save' the cost of a repair!
I would have preferred Goodyear as I have heard they are quieter and also cheaper. However dealer promised me I would like the Michelins!
Initially I was horrified at how noisy they were compared to my 'old tyres' and felt I had made a mistake in taking Michelins! I decided, after reading up about this elsewhere, to up the tyre pressures to about 2 psi over the 36 psi recommended at cold ie 38psi.
The difference is amazing and I am a lot happier than I was.
The noise of course, I accept, tends to be generated by the heavier tread, softer rubber, than the ECO tyres.
MPG seems no different after 500 miles
h2onorth
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