The XW60 Prius took a departure from previous generations of Prius by going with a larger 17" and 19" wheel package with a large overall diameter. The factory tire is a 26.2" diameter with the 195/60R17 size which is exclusively used on this generation of Prius so the tire selection is very poor. There are no all weather tires available in this size yet and only low rolling resistance all seasons are available. Michelin, Toyo, and Pirelli also do make a 17" winter tire in the factory size.
However, given the Vancouver/Richmond climate where we have a very mild Winter, all weather tires are a great solution to leave on year round. We sought out to find a all weather tire to work for our customer and we decided on the 215/55R17 Michelin Crossclimate 2 which is one of the best all weather tires on the market. The factory wheels are 17x6.5 +40 and 215/55R17 tires are rated to fit on wheels between 6.0" and 7.5" so it is perfectly suitable. This 215 width tire is a very common size for midsize sedans like the best selling Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, so finding all weathers in this size is much easier. We found that with this wider tire, there is no issue with strut or fender liner clearance. There is over an inch of clearance between the tire and strut.
For the dash cam, we went with the Blackvue DR970X-2CH Plus which offers excellent video quality and a sleek design. We think it's a great match for this newer streamlined Prius. As Toyota hybrid models run a very small 12V battery, we always recommend adding a battery pack for parking mode dash cams. We installed the Thinkware iVolt BAB50 under the driver's seat.
