# Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus 235/50/17



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I switched out the tires on my Cruze Eco a few months back, right before the Lordstown tour. Figured I'd post some impressions. 

I discovered some of the secret in the Eco's fuel economy ability. Tires. I didn't realize just how big of a difference those make. The OE tires start with 9/32" of tread depth and weigh only 19lbs each. That allows them to have a very low rolling resistance and low rotational mass. The unfortunately side effect is that they're awful in the rain, awful in the snow, and very spongy in the corners unless you increase tire pressure. I had my eyes on the Turanza Serenity Plus for quite some time, and knew I wanted a more aggressive looking tire. On paper, they have a 70k mile warranty and a 12/32" tread depth, which is the most of any touring tire I've seen. They are labeled as LRR (low rolling resistance). 

In practice, they are the opposite of the Eco tires. I noticed an immediate drop in fuel economy. These tires weigh 28lbs apiece, which I'm sure will reduce as they wear down. I saw a solid 3-4mpg drop in fuel economy over the Eco tires, but are much more comfortable, much quieter, and have much better traction in wet conditions. It's a trade-off I'm willing to make. Admittedly, I didn't absolutely need to go to a 235 wide tire, given the OE tire is 215 wide, but I like the appearance, the extra curb protection, and the extra traction on my tuned Cruze during acceleration. I haven't been able to break the tires loose once since I installed these. Contrast to the OE tires, which I could spin in wet pavement in 2nd gear. 

Here are some pictures of how they look on my Cruze.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I actually considered these when I went with the Perellis. I had Bridgestone Turanzas on my Montana and they are absolutely the best tires I have ever ridden on. What tipped it for the Perellis was the comparisons for fuel economy impact.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Great write up. Always good to receive real-world feedback from someone who's judgement you trust

Xtreme - were there other tires you considered beyond the Bridgestone?


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


>


Nothing like smashing that good ol flag with rocks and bugs. See you just put it on


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Tomko said:


> Great write up. Always good to receive real-world feedback from someone who's judgement you trust
> 
> Xtreme - were there other tires you considered beyond the Bridgestone?


I suspect the fuel economy hit is from the deep tread. Remember, all of these ratings are from brand new tires. 

I considered the continental PureContact and the Michelin Premier AS. The Pirelli wasn't on my radar.

My biggest deciding factor was the tread depth. Recent research showed that tread depth was critical for heavy rain wet traction. Tire rack tested a new tire against the same model on the same car with 4/32nds and saw stopping distance increase from 190 feet to 290 feet. That's still a ways above the legal limit. Having a deeper starting tread means I can get more *safe* life out of the tires.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

It's funny what a new set of tires will do for your car. 

My Tahoe PPV came from the factory with Eagle RS-A tires. Five of them. I rotated them religiously and got smooth and consistent tire wear out of them. When the time came I replaced them with the exact same tire. I was astonished how much better the vehicle drove over the same neighbourhood streets on the new tire compared the the worn tire. 

I was sure the Tahoe was out of alignment. The steering wheel needing many corrections to go down a straight 50 mph roadway that I drove everyday. Then the same day with the new tires, but again the same model tire, the vehicle was straight and solid. 

An important learning experience for me. And proof that any new tire will make the vehicle drive better than even the best worn tire.


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

> I suspect the fuel economy hit is from the deep tread. Remember, all of these ratings are from brand new tires.


 I suspect the wider tires are also contributing to the reduced MPGs.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

blk88verde said:


> I suspect the wider tires are also contributing to the reduced MPGs.


To a lesser degree, sure. They aren't that much wider and the actual frontal area isn't a significant increase.


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## 170-3tree (Nov 4, 2014)

I love the serenity tire. It's a very nice one. I doubt the tread depth causes much economy loss, but adding the weight at the outside of the wheel is probably a better portion of it. It does grab very well and is also a performer in wet.
It's not the greatest in snow, compared to something with a more standard tread pattern, but I haven't heard many people hate them either. 

We have actually found a small quantity of Lexus larger cars that they aren't the best at, but its more of a vehicle issue than the tire. 

I hope they continue to do you well. Keep them rotated and balanced and you should see their life go over the 80k warranty unless you track at all.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I suspect the fuel economy hit is from the deep tread. Remember, all of these ratings are from brand new tires.


I think the flex in the tread blocks is a larger factor. Flexible tread blocks will generate more resistance because of their compression and lateral tensions as they flex. Stiffer tread blocks will keep their shape better. Consider which is easier to move across a carpet when pushed from an oblique angle above - a hard sided toy block or a soft sided toy block. It's the same concept.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

obermd said:


> I think the flex in the tread blocks is a larger factor. Flexible tread blocks will generate more resistance because of their compression and lateral tensions as they flex. Stiffer tread blocks will keep their shape better. Consider which is easier to move across a carpet when pushed from an oblique angle above - a hard sided toy block or a soft sided toy block. It's the same concept.


Good explanation, and I agree with you. I suspect that once I'm down to 9/32," I'll have seen my fuel economy climb back up. I will have lost some rotational mass in addition to having smaller tread blocks.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

170-3tree said:


> I love the serenity tire. It's a very nice one. I doubt the tread depth causes much economy loss, but adding the weight at the outside of the wheel is probably a better portion of it. It does grab very well and is also a performer in wet.
> It's not the greatest in snow, compared to something with a more standard tread pattern, but I haven't heard many people hate them either.
> 
> We have actually found a small quantity of Lexus larger cars that they aren't the best at, but its more of a vehicle issue than the tire.
> ...


I have a set of Blizzaks on steel wheels for the winter, so I wasn't at all concerned with snow/winter performance. I'll have these tires on this car for a very long time.

One thing I haven't mentioned yet is how paranoid I am of curbing these wheels. They are expensive to replace and I very much like them. Having not only a wider tire, but also curb protection built into the tire, is a huge benefit to me.


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## 170-3tree (Nov 4, 2014)

I feel the same way about my nurburgrings. So I made sure to use a 245 instead of the stock 225 tire. And I just don't have a habit of curbing anymore.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

170-3tree said:


> I feel the same way about my nurburgrings. So I made sure to use a 245 instead of the stock 225 tire. And I just don't have a habit of curbing anymore.


Does the little woman ever drive your car?


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## 170-3tree (Nov 4, 2014)

Not even if she existed. Lol


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## tunes (Jun 18, 2015)

So what if I change only my rear tires from 215-55-17 to 235-55-17? Are there any sensors or anything else working off the rear tires? I also may have to lower the rear of the car 1" or so, because I'm going for a Mini SS look. Lol


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

tunes said:


> So what if I change only my rear tires from 215-55-17 to 235-55-17? Are there any sensors or anything else working off the rear tires? I also may have to lower the rear of the car 1" or so, because I'm going for a Mini SS look. Lol


What will end up happening is you'll have more traction on the back and less on the front, so the car will be more likely to understeer. If you're going to replace tires with a different size, replace all of them. It's a front wheel drive car anyway. Using bigger rear tires just doesn't make sense.


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## tunes (Jun 18, 2015)

Yeah, You're right. I was just going for the look of it. Tks for the response.


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## 170-3tree (Nov 4, 2014)

Actually it will not jive well with your abs system since it would throw off the speed too going to a taller tire.


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## tunes (Jun 18, 2015)

That's an interesting point that I never thought of. Thanks. I have a fairly new diesel (8K miles) and I just ordered a Scan Gauge II for it, but I won't worry about tires for awhile. I like what Xtreme Revolution did, but I don't like the mileage hit; so I"ll probably just go back to stock when the time comes. We'll see.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

170-3tree said:


> Actually it will not jive well with your abs system since it would throw off the speed too going to a taller tire.





tunes said:


> That's an interesting point that I never thought of. Thanks. I have a fairly new diesel (8K miles) and I just ordered a Scan Gauge II for it, but I won't worry about tires for awhile. I like what Xtreme Revolution did, but I don't like the mileage hit; so I"ll probably just go back to stock when the time comes. We'll see.


I didn't notice you said 235/55. That is indeed a taller tire. I wouldn't ever run that tire in the back of our cars. 

As for fuel economy, again, it's a trade-off. Refer to my initial post. The OE goodyear tires leave much to be desired with regard to road noise, wet traction, and ride stability. It's a trade-off. You can't have it all. These tires are quieter and smoother even than the tires on the 2015 Impala 1LZ sitting in my driveway (media fleet loan car from GM).


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## KarlZap (Jun 30, 2015)

Interesting thread folks. Thank you for all of your experiences and insight.


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## jmlo96 (May 2, 2015)

Thanks everyone for suggesting these. I have had them for about 1k to replace my worn out Conti PureContacts. The ride the Turanzas give is fantastic. I forgot what it was like to not feel every bump. Plus these tires are probably the quietest tires I've ever heard. They basically transformed my Cruze into a different car. Hopefully these ones last a long time like everyone says. You really do get what you pay for!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

jmlo96 said:


> Thanks everyone for suggesting these. I have had them for about 1k to replace my worn out Conti PureContacts. The ride the Turanzas give is fantastic. I forgot what it was like to not feel every bump. Plus these tires are probably the quietest tires I've ever heard. They basically transformed my Cruze into a different car. Hopefully these ones last a long time like everyone says. You really do get what you pay for!


Mine have been on for about 16,000 miles and they still have over 10/32" of tread on them. I agree that they are very quiet, and the wet traction is also very good. When it comes time to replace the tires on our van, I'll be using these for sure.


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