Growth in Fuel Efficient Tyre Interest: Study

(Tire Review) Tyre companies are hawking the fuel efficiency of their latest tyres, and the buying public is apparently warming up to the concept. According to a new Babcox Research survey of independent tyre dealers in the USA, 66 per cent of tyre buyers view a tyre’s fuel efficiency as at least “important” in their tyre selection process, up from only 47 per cent in 2008. Eight percent said fuel efficiency was their “most important” criteria, up from just 1 per cent last year. Another 35 per cent see a tyre’s fuel efficiency as “important” to them (up from 31 per cent in 2008), and 23 per cent see it as “pretty important,” up from 15 per cent last year. Still, 44 per cent rate fuel efficiency as “not very important” or “not important at all,” down from 52 per cent in 2008.