Do Tires Affect MPG?

With gas prices going up, you might be brainstorming different ways to maximize your efficiency on the Salt Lake City roads, including shopping for an entirely new-to-you car or figuring out how to control mpg in your current car. Do tires affect mpg? Yes, they do! Besides impacting the gas mileage, they also will impact the performance of your vehicle. Get the full scope as the team at National Auto Plaza answers the following questions and more in this guide: 

• Do bigger tires affect mpg?
• Do bigger wheels affect mpg?
• How much does tire weight affect mpg?

Do Bigger Tires Affect MPG? What is Rolling Resistance?

So, do bigger tires affect mpg? They do, and we have to answer “Why do bigger wheels affect mpg?” to get to the bottom of these questions. When you put your vehicle in drive, “rolling resistance” is the force that slows down your tires. Rolling resistance is the friction between your tires and the ground. So, more resistance equates to poorer fuel economy. Larger tires have more rolling resistance, so essentially, they have poor rolling resistance. 

Along with tire size, air drag, road quality, and other factors will dictate how much resistance is being put on your tires in your Draper drives. If you want to boost your mpg, you can explore low-resistance tires with thinner sidewalls, lower weight, and shallower treads.

How Much Does Tire Weight Affect MPG?

How much does tire weight affect mpg? Find out here:

• Since a smaller object takes less energy to move than a larger one, larger tires require the engine to burn more fuel to move the vehicle. 
• Smaller tires and wheels require less engine output and handle stop-and-go city traffic better. 
• Do larger, heavier tires have any benefits? Of course! Larger tires are great for heavy-duty vehicles and cover more distance once they’re rolling. This is a solid mpg boost if you mostly travel on the South Salt Lake highway!

Learn More About Tire Care with National Auto Plaza

At National Auto Plaza, we have all the tire tips that we’d love to share with you. From how many miles tires should last to how to put chains on them and more, we will teach you how to take better care of your car tires in the Sandy area. Find out more today!