Wow! Now that is very interesting Nash. I find that worth looking into now. I say this not to challange you or prove you wrong. I say this as I have been in the racing world for years and I find that improved handling is not always associated with higher tire pressures.

I have a client who is an engineer for Toyota. I will call him for his input and report what the Mfg. position would be. I will also let you in on anything he has to add from a personal stand point.

 

I can confirm what Nash is saying. When I first got the car I felt like the steering really sucked on corners. After reading around here, I increased the psi to 38 - 40. It was a major improvement. Of course I did this for better mpg too.

The ride did get rougher as mentioned. But no big deal for me coming from driving a truck for 5 years....

 

Factory suggests 32 psi for a reason... it does not only involve comfort, but is also optimum air pressure for handling, braking, steering, rolling resistance, etc. etc. If you overfill the tires to 40 and (dangerously so) 49 psi - yes, you are reducing rolling resistance but are increasing the chances that your handling will be affected adversely, especially in inclement weather. Think of it this way - if you see a pot hole, would you avoid it if you could? Why?? You want to prevent the tire and wheel from slamming against your chassis and causing potential damage, right? So by inflating your tires to those extremes, you are effectively making your wheel behave like a sledge hammer, but not just when going through a pothole, but even when going over smaller road nuances which would otherwise be minor irritations. You are wearing out your shocks and struts way-y-y too quickly. Now, ask youself if it is wise to save a few bucks on a couple more mpg's then spend a couple thousand on new shocks and prematurely worn struts??? Or are you only planning on keeping the car for a couple of years then jumping on the next hybrid bandwagon, which is again, penny-wise, but pound-foolish. Best way to inflate tires, IMHO, is to go a pound or two over manufacturer recommendations to compensate for temperature changes. And, check tire pressure when cold, for cripes' sakes!!!