Consumer Reports has a longstanding history of testing tires for safety, durability, and efficiency. As the tire market has evolved, we have ensured that our members have access to resources to find tires that are right for them.
Automakers understand that consumers want vehicles that deliver lasting value, and they meet these expectations, in part, by equipping new vehicles with tires that are both efficient and safe, which helps drivers save fuel. By including tires that have lower rolling resistance, automakers can achieve higher fuel efficiency figures, attracting consumers who are looking to reduce fuel consumption, whether for financial or environmental reasons.
When it comes time to replace tires, consumers have a wealth of factors to consider, such as the different tire types, speed ratings, safety ratings, treadwear grades, or cost. Overwhelmed with choices, consumers often default to tires most readily available at their dealer and lower upfront costs, but in the tire market this can be misleading. While upfront costs can be an important consideration, a more efficient tire will often deliver significant savings through reduced fuel costs. Unfortunately, there is often a lack of transparency on tire efficiency, or rolling resistance, which can make it hard for consumers to make truly informed decisions.
While efficient tires often cost slightly more than less efficient alternatives, the data shows that they typically pay for themselves many times over. Data from NHTSA estimates that the incremental cost of choosing a set of replacement tires that matches the efficiency of tires typically placed on a new vehicle is only about $26.* By choosing replacement tires that are more efficient, drivers of gasoline vehicles in California are saving $184 in gasoline costs over the lifetime of a set of tires, while drivers of electric vehicles are saving $161 in electricity costs over the lifetime of a set of tires. This results in about a 6 to 7x return on investment for purchasing more efficient tires.
This begs the question – why don’t replacement tires offer the same levels of efficiency as those that came on the car when it was new?
In 2003, the California legislature attempted to prevent the sale of inefficient replacement tires by passing Assembly Bill 844, which required the, now, California Energy Commission (CEC) to establish tire efficiency standards for the state. The state has yet to act on this directive, and, 20 years later, the CEC has yet to undergo proceedings to establish these standards that have the ability to save drivers in the state over $1.1 billion annually in avoided fuel costs.
The message was simple then and continues to be simple now – tire manufacturers should provide consumers with replacement tire options that are as good and efficient as the tires that come on new vehicles.
By establishing minimum efficiency standards, policymakers can ensure that consumers would no longer need to worry about potentially purchasing tires that would reduce their vehicle efficiency below what was originally advertised by automakers. Rather, they would be able to focus on other factors, such as safety ratings and treadwear grades, keeping the peace of mind that their replacement tires will not be costing them money in unnecessary fuel costs.
What can we do?
As of today, the CEC has yet to establish a timeline for when they expect to take up tire efficiency standards. Consumer Reports urges the CEC to promptly move forward with their directive and establish minimum efficiency standards for the purchase of replacement tires in the state.
In doing this, California should also maintain important safety components by establishing a minimum wet grip requirement in addition to a rolling resistance standard.
Finally, for consumers in states outside of California, we urge policymakers across the country to consider adopting policies that will set minimum efficiency standards for replacement tires while maintaining critical safety and durability components.
At a time when consumers are eager to save and California is working toward its climate goals, minimum tire efficiency standards can both cut costs and reduce emissions statewide.
* Incremental cost estimates are generally consistent with analysis performed as part of CEC’s rulemaking, which showed there are efficient replacement tires available on the market today at low price points (about $100 per tire) and that there is no apparent correlation between rolling resistance and price (see Appendix B, Figure B1). Smithers Test Report, pp. 21–27.