The video was meant to be 5 minutes, but it turns out we shot 15 minutes of talking. This has been edited down to 10 minutes at the loss of details on braking and aquaplaning, so be sure to check out the link in the description for the full details. Any questions please feel free to ask :)
Pro tip... Do these tests blind. Stay in the car (blind folded if you have to), have the tyres changed to an unknown size. Then test. Just removes bias. Try to guess the size that's on, just for fun. Same for any test you do. Be it brands or whatever.
17" Comfort - (++) Handling at speed - (-) Efficiency - (++) Price - (+) 18" Comfort - (+) Handling at speed - (+) Efficiency - (+) Price - (-) 19" Comfort - (- -) Handling at speed - (++) Efficiency - (-) Price - (- -) - Smaller rims provide greater comfort and the tyres for them are usually much cheaper. - Smaller rims provide better efficiency for energy or fuel consumption. - Larger rims provide better handling at higher speeds and some pick them up for the looks. Less rubber (low profile) makes you feel every bump on the road.
Except that it's not all conclusive. I hit a massive pothole on the highway going above 55 and all I got was a very small tire bubble. For reference, I drive a '16 GTI with 18's.
Yes but what I know, dont get cheap fake wheel on heavy vehicles, unless you like going threw mags more then tires, on light vehicles its not as much of a concern unless they are really really cheap.
I remember back in the 95 or 96 we tried this with a Clio 1.8 16v and the factory 185 55 r 15 tire was almost as fast in corners as the 195 45 r 16. Now the comfort was better with the smaller wheel and in the tight cornering also. The larger tire was better on long turns and at faster speeds. My friend opted for the larger ones just because of the looks.
An important factor to note is what size wheels the car was developed for. On a car developed with 17" wheels as a target, the suspension and damper tuning would typically reflect the additional damping from a thicker tyre profile. For example fitting high profile tyres and small wheels to a Golf GTI Performance would make the handling less predictable and precise, while fitting large wheels and low-profile tyres to a base Polo would cause it to become twitchy and less settled over rough surfaces. Great video, nonetheless. I wish every car creator on UA-cam was as well informed as you.
Good info - I always hear folks debating optimum tire size; but, as you pointed out, there are SO many variables. Much like choosing "the best tire", your vehicle, driving habits, road conditions, weather, needs, wants & expectations come into play.
@@RobertLeBlancPhoto Yes but the sidewalls have to made tougher with a tighter bead which costs more money and then there is supply and demand, economies of scale means the 17 inch ones are cheaper because more people will buy them whereas there is less demand for the 19 inch ones meaning the cost of production is higher.
18inch are the best compromise. Less impact issues but still good comfort and not ridiculously expensive for new tyres. Anything above is not worth it.
Planning on doing 17 inch on the Celica because the current 18 are too loud! :( Edit: The tyre threads have significant sound differences when it comes to manufacturers.
Great vid! Followed your advice and run 17's for my winter tires and 19's for my summer tires. The 17's rides very comfortable in the snow, slush and ice. When the hwy is dry in the winter, the 17" Falken winter tires are quiet and comfortable for a winter tire. In the summer, the 19" Goodyear tires provides great road feel and is spot on!
My car factory spec is 195-45-R15. Control is good. I fitted 50 series tyres to improve the ride on rough roads and did notice a slight reduction in steering feel. However the big issue is the wheels are prone to buckling the 45s were just too skinny. I ended up with steel wheels and the 50 tyres. They have not buckled in over 30,000 miles and will soon be getting a new set of 195-50-R15.
Just bought an '18 golf comfortline a couple weeks ago with 17" rims and I can agree they are comfortable. I could even go on a road trip with my new car!
I drive 18 inch with winter tires (live in Canada... winter is pothole season) and 19 inch with summer tires from late April until October, in my BMW 330 i. Works for me, but then again, maybe we fill in our pot holes more than a lot of other places. Living in Vancouver, we get a lot of rain, but a good summer tire that can handle rain makes it all work. So happy to get my winter ties off (fairly expensive Pirelli Sottozero 3s) off for the summer!
Thank you for doing these tests! As you mentioned, the same tires was used, but to be really precise you had to use also the same wheels. I weighed difference between 16" and 18" (the same company, different design) and the difference was 5 kg per wheel (20 kg of unsprung mass on a car). What I learnt from your video was that stifness of tire sides is more important than weigth...
Actual research in action. Top marks for the way you discuss the physics of the differences in performance in dry and wet conditions, your use of data and the clarity of your method.
Thanks for video and comments. Unless I am driving on a track, big wheels are pointless! Sure they look very pleasing but low profiles make for a very bumpy ride on real roads and expensive damage to tyres, rims, and wheel couplings is far more likely.
I stuck with the 18"s on my new Golf R and very happy I did so now. It does feel a lot more refined than my Scirocco on 19"s and a hell of a lot quieter. Great vid thanks 👍🏼.
Oh how true your comment that switching wheel diameters may not be your best first choice. I have helped many get what they desire in handling just by changing from the Original Equipment of Manufacture(OEM) tyres to a tyre from a different brand. OEM tyres are selected to help sell the car, not to be what you may decide you need for longer usage. Front Wheel Drive vehicles are absolutely brutal on tyres. It is so much easier to set up a rear wheel drive car with new tyres. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
I have driven BRZ's with 17, 18, and 19" all different brands and rims under different conditions. The best size I have experienced on the Stock suspension is ultra high performance summer rubber on the Stock 17" rim. Good ride, excellent traditions smooth progressive brake away. The 19s had more grip and transitioned at the limit just as nicely as the 17's The overall balance was just not as nice. On 17's the wet Braking performance on the BRZ is just a tad worst than dry. Its pretty amazing. The 19" do look sweet.
I found the same with 19" summer tyres v 17" winter tyres on my 3.0d X3 M Sport. The difference in road noise is amazing, plus the softer compound of winter tyres really suited the 4 wheel capability of the SUV. I remember taking corners and fast bends a lot quicker than other drivers in similar vehicles. Just wished it was down to driver competence :-)
Great tests and great car to test it in. I own a MK7 GTi Performance Pack. I honestly upgraded my rear sway bar, coilovers and kept the stock 18” wheels. I did upgrade the tires to 235 over 225. I have zero desire to go 19”. Esp with NYC potholes.
I know someone with big wheels who keeps having to replace tyres all the time where everyone else waits until they have 2mm they just don't seem to get it.
First video I've seen from your channel, and it was brilliant. It had the information I wanted to hear, explained clearly, and was well presented with fair tests, both objective and subjective. Liked and subscribed!
@@trido1986 well I mean, this is the clear conclusion I pointed out. And it's not just bla bla the information is interesting if you care, I was just poking fun at the pointlessness of the question in hindsight.
When I first started buying performance tires back in the 70's the ONLY source of this kind of info was an occasional article in Road & Track. People buying tires based on price and wear have no idea the vast impact really well selected tires can have on your cars comfort and performance. You are right to point out the difference between brands and models is HUGE! Tire Rack is now the #1 source of tire info. Read the reviews. Choose wisely based on your real world driving conditions. Excellent video.
Thanks :) Tirerack are amazing, and for the UK and european market there's the Tyre Reviews website which offers very similar functionality and info :)
Wonderful test, thanks! I've found dropping rear tire pressure by 2-4 psi adds more comfort too - car labels in NA generally state the full load pressure only (for safety), unlike EU where you'll frequently see normal and full load - most people rarely drive at full load
Not always as it depends on the car imo and application. My Toyo TR1s are brilliant in the wet but for cornering at high speed in the dry they don't inspire confidence. I suspect that it's because of the soft sidewalls. For general driving they're great but for sporty driving I'll be looking into something else next time.
I drive BMW 735 IL e38 I changed from 18 inch to 16 inch and what a huge difference!!! The comfort i have now is awsome! Never going back to 18 inch!!!
GREAT video! I've been waiting for a vid like this for a long time. I put 17's on my R32, and am very happy. I don't drive like a maniac, and the comfort level and decent handling I get with the 17's is perfect for me. Over the years, i've had Fulda, Falken, Dunlop, and Good Year 17's on the car, which now has 209,000 miles on it!
Great Video , very informative and well deserve a good thumbs up ! I'm detail type of guy myself, would like to see a video of comparison "wheel offset " and "J" in how affects the daily use , I think the real point to this video is not the 17" 18" or 19" wheels, but the 45" 40" or 35" tyre wall size , in other words , the "40" it's the best choice for sportiness without compromising a lot to the comfort side of things. Here in England I recommend "45" due to poor road conditions and build quality!
Thanks :) A few people have commented the same so I'd like to do a wheel weight, offset and tyre width video. These things take time, but keep an eye on the channel and hopefully I'll get it done in the not too distant future :)
At current UK prices the 17” Asymmetric 5’s are around £25-30 cheaper per corner over the 18” version, may swing it for some. Smaller rims are also less prone to cracking and distorting if you drive on shitty pothole-filled roads, and less expensive to replace if a wheel is trashed. Something to think about if you’re currently on 17” rims and thinking of upgrading.
I enjoyed the test and thought it was a very balanced report covering the various conditions and how it affects the cars handling and perhaps, the driver's confidence.
Great review! Finally a reviewer who understands that tyre choice is a compromise, with sometimes quite a small difference in characteristics between two products and how important is to get your priorities straight, when choosing a right tyre. Keep up a good work, old boy :)
Terrible sorry if I had offended you :) It could just be me having a habit of a middle-aged men to call everybody old boy :) Keep up a good work! Idea for a test - real-life endurance test of winter tyres, to see how their characteristics change during the life cycle... ( ...Michelin would not be happy with a result... ;) )
17 inch best comfort at expense of cornering, generally better mpg. 18 inch best handling at expense of comfort. 19inch no advantage for road use, easy to damage so best avoided.
I have 225/45R18 Michelin Pilot Super Sport A/S 3 because it does have such a nice stiff sidewall for great steering and very little difference in the 18".
205/55/16 is the best overall size for pretty much anything 1100-1500kg and 100-200hp, It's cheap and gives good balance of handling, comfort and consumption
Spot on that comment ! Funniest on a Range Rover all rim no wall on an off roader and the cost of that upgrade to Bonkers but they do it . Here in UK roads now so bad, low profile is a death wish for your Wallet Like going out with a Super model or Ms Hayek you soon see the flaw in long use !
Amazingly helpful. I bought a 2015 GTI recently, and thought about going down in wheel size, since the city I live in doesn't have the greatest roads. Definitely will be looking at what tires I can by rather than changing the wheel size. Great review.
I own the same car in the same kind of streets with imperfections as the rule and love the change I made from 17 to 18 inch wheels, with OEM rims. Considering setting in 19 inch just to enjoy for a while and having the experience , but riding with 18 inch wheels has been perfect!
Came from 205/50 R17 and upgraded to 215/45 R18 I just have a slightly lower PSI on my rear wheels to 'ever so slightly' increase stability and comfort. Thanks for helping me make the decision.
In India we hardly see 17 , 18 , 19" in normal cars , because of poor road conditions here manufacturers use 15 , 16" . Sometimes you can see 14" as well on base models.
This is a very informative report and confirms a lot of information I already knew. But fashion and looks comes first for many motorists. They just feel better when they have a racing car or at least one with S, SS or even R badges all over it, intead of a boring practical comfortable car. You see, who are you going to impress if your car doesn't look like it can handle the smooth (no pot hole) surfaces and ideal standards of a famous car racing track. I see ordinary men and women in their 50's and 60's every day driving these impressionable looking fast family cars. I ask them are you a racing driver?. I haven't had one person say yes yet. When I was a teenager it was all about noise and performance for me but when I grew up, by the time I was about 25, I had bought and settled down to spending less money on extremly quiet and comfortable riding safe luxurious cars. The only person I needed to impress was my self and impressing others was just a big waste of time and money. The inside comfort of my car where I spend my time will not be sacrificed by the flash appearance of the outside. The only wheel I can see when I am driving my car is the steering wheel.
this is a great review, and goes along way to explain relative dry/wet/nvh benefits, scaling up or down diameter sizes. The one thing stopping it from being 100%, is the complete lack of reference to relative unsprung weight of the naked 17/18/19 rims. I have a Golf R on 19" flow forged Pretoria rims, and previous had exact same model, but fitted with 18" cast Cadiz rims. the 19" wheel and tyrs combo fitted with excellent Michelin PSS is about 2 Kg a corner lighter with the 19"s, than was the 18" package. This affects primarily the relative bumps/crash handling and rebound ride comfort. My perception is that the 19" wheels perform better every where than did the 18"s, with the sole exception of high wet steering and balance, where the softer wall of the 18" makes car a little more relaxing in steering response. My caveat is also to go for the lighest alloy that is appropriate. 19" cast diamond cut alloys are weighty things. Top review anyway.
Thank you :) I agree I should have discussed wheel weights, it was a rushed days testing and filming and somethings were left out. Weights have been pasted in a few comments now, here they are again :) 17” -> 19.92kg (10.82 rim + 9.1 tyre) 18” -> 22.41kg (13.28 rim + 9.13 tyre) 19” -> 20.61kg (11.5 rim + 9.11 tyre)
The wheel and tire combination can also be looked at as a sprung/unsprung weight system in its own right with the tire tread in contact with the road being the unsprung weight and the rest of the tire and wheel being the sprung weight. On a comfortable tire the unsprung weight may be 50 to 300 grams - the lower the % of the total tire/wheel sprung weight the better. . This low tread unsprung weight is ideally suited to absorbing high frequency road imperfections but it's ride improvement effectiveness depends also on sidewall stiffness and air pressure amongst other things.
Good review and a well reasoned collusion. Some years ago Car & Driver Mag. did a similar comparison on a VW Gulf that included acceleration runs as well. With aluminum weighing more then rubber, basic physics applied and the 17" was the fastest and the 19" wheel was the slowest in the acceleration runs. For those of us who drive on poorly maintained roads, the taller side wall makes more since too.
One thing I noticed about wider tires with lower profile side-walls on taller rims is how easy - some times too easy! - they are to steer. Almost twitchy. To me, handling isn't just about how easily a vehicle can be steered, but how well it tracks a straight line when steering isn't required. And 'old school' narrow tires with higher profile side-walls fit that bill quite well. I feel more weight when I steer narrower tires, given same overall diameter of tire+wheel package.
So how does the tire sizes affect handling in SNOW? your information for dry / wet scenarios is excellent, but Snow is completely different variable and I'd love to see your take on that.
0:31 : Yes, someone has done those tests before. They are called "Swiss police" and wanted to know which tire/wheel combination would perform the best. Their answer, lower inched wheels, that will be lighter with a good amount of tire flange, that will provide better traction and grip, especially in changing conditions. The flatter the tire, the more griploss will occur on a non-perfect road (on a racetrack, the conclusions would be different, but roads are not racetracks).
I had 13" on my first car, an '86 Subaru GL AWD wagon. It had really tall sidewalls and I think they were about 175 wide. That thing went over everything without ever any worry about the wheels. Loved it.
I changed 235/45R17 Continental Sport Contact 3s to 225/50R17 Sport Contact 2s in a Passat and there wasn't any huge difference in comfort. The noise is a bit better with the narrower and higher tire but the biggest improvement was that the ruts in the road are not trying to steer the car with the narrower tire, and the difference in this was quite amazing.
Anything over a 17" wheel on a car is ridiculous. I've got 18" wheels on my porsche and hate it. People think that larger wheels are used for thinner sidewalls, which isn't the case, they're used for two main reasons. Larger brakes, and styling.
This is a great general compairison for when all things are pretty equal. Some other things to keep in mind though is tire quality, and weight/manufacturing process. You can have a 19 inch wheel that weighs signifcantly less than an 18 inch whee(especially if the 19 is forgged or flow formed), and that change could balance out the smoothness of the ride a bit... as unsrung weight is reduced. You might also skip a bit of the ride , and wet handling penalty in upsizing wheels depending on the tire category(summer, all season, winter, touring, uhpas etc) and Manfacutrer of tire you put on. Theoretically you could most likely achieve the best combination of everything in the 18 inch diameter(if everything is speced perfectly) BUT it is not a garauntee. A low budget 18 inch setup is unlikely to perform a well though out higher priced 19 inch setup if wheel choice and tire are chosen wheel (and likely not cheap). You can have a 20 pound forged, or flow formed 19 inch wheel vs a 18 inch 28 pound cast wheel. The differnce in weight should negate much of the ride quality penalty, while inproving dry performance, and maintainng good wet performance IF specked correctly. One thing is for sure, you are likely to pay signifcantly more for the 19 inch setup. Wheel width can also play a huge roll as a more narrow 19 inch tire may best a wider 18 inch tire in the wet....again depending on what tires you run.
I have 19” on GTI performance, hate them, mainly because its almost impossible not to damage them even turning around a rough road or cobble street, so lots of places they can get marked up the santiagos are soft, so looking to get forged alloys in the near future !
Tyrane Lewis, Stay, You don't want to go any lower profile then that. Unless it's only about aesthetics and not performance. (performance then read my comment in the main page)
@@johngraydon506 Thank you for the confirmation John. I went looking for 19" and sales person tried to sell me on 20" because 19" is odd size to get in tires. I'm glad I held off. I'll keep 18" on this MK7.5 and lower it. I'll just exchange out for 18" more to my liking
Tyrane Lewis, Trying to sell you a 20" .. What with spinners 🤣🤣 Wise choice, one very mild pot hole and kiss goodbye to a wheel... Yeah lower offset will look good...
My quick research shows that for a given size wheel, going from a steel wheel to an alloy wheel results in a lighter wheel (a big benefit of alloys). I also found that a 18" alloy wheel weighs more than a 17" alloy wheel; going from 18" to 19" alloy adds even more weight. This is important because the ideal is to have a minimum of unsprung weight; that is to say that the lower the total weight of the wheel/tyre/brake package, the better. In general, reducing unsprung weight improves acceleration, braking, and even ride quality. A heavier wheel takes more torque to accelerate and more braking to slow down. A lighter unsprung weight allows the suspension to react more quickly (less inertia to overcome), resulting in a more compliant suspension and a better ride, and keeps the tyre on the road where it belongs.
I have 18's on my Audi A3. Which is basically an all wheel drive gti sedan. 18's are perfect for this platform. 19's are good for looks I guess.. but overall 18 is where it's at
THANK YOU!! Honest to Pete I have spent hours today learning more about tires than I had in all the years of my life combined. Part of the dilemma was size selection. There were 17, 18. 19 choices in the build and I went with the 18 but the run flats all weather will only be used a few months as it doesn't get that cold here. The remainder of the year will be on some size non run flat performance oriented summer tires and I had picked the tire (finally) and just couldn't decide whether I should go up/down in size.....based on your findings, I am sticking at 18 and calling it a day.
I've always felt that the 225/45R17 tire was near perfect for a street car on normal roads. The 225?40R18 rides worse and was much louder in my experience even with the same brand and type. To me a 19" wheels and tire on any car the size of the GTI is silly or stupid for the street, but may be great for the track with a smooth surface. I drive the mountains and canyons all over the western USA and my 225/45R17 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires have proven to be amazing and I'm on my 2nd set now. On normal roads the 225/40R18 doesn't give enough sidewall to protect the rim on many roads.
Thanks! My GTI came with 18" Hankooks (ventus noble)...I had the same hankook in 17" on my previous golf--the 17's were quite bad b/c soft sidewalls. The 18" Hankook was much better than the 17", but the 18" Hankook felt similar to a 17" Continental DWS. So when I put winter tires on my 17's, and put a quality summer tire on my 18's, everything will be right in the world!
So some of this has turned out Golf-GTI-specific! In my world (challenging mountain roads and sometimes excessively wet conditions), the wet handling is a decider. I think what may be happening there is that the deeper sidewall in the 17" is asking less of the actual tread in cornering distortion and water clearing. I have been avoiding larger wheel sizes and very low profiles for several decades but I am a great fan of overbraced narrower tyres and those have done a really good job of keeping me alive. (And the wheels and tyres have been cheaper!) The top reason for moving to a bigger wheel is to provide space for bigger brakes. However, in the real world, the tyre has to be on the ground before it can grip or brake so all these wider wheels and tyres and bigger brakes creating huge amounts of unsprung weight may not work out well.
Great video, many thanks for the comparison. Interesting that I've had fewer punctures from cars with wider sidewalls than cars with much lower profiles too
Thank you very much for this video, it confirms some of my real world experiences with an OEM 18" vs. an Aftermarket 20" Tire. Specifically the part about Dry vs. Wet performance. With a brand new tire, the OEM 18" could cruise at very high speeds during a rain storm and not even feel like it is driving on wet roads. Where as the 20" is quite twitchy, and requires much more concentration even at half the speed. One other thing I'd love to see from tire tests in the future (and I don't think anyone has done this) is straight line highway stability. By which I mean the 18" (thinner) tire actually felt more glued to the road, and able to brush off small bumps and imperfections on the road without disturbing the ride. Whereas the wider 20" was superior in cornering, the straight line stability of the car was notably affected and you feel more twitchy at 20-30 mph slower than the softer and thinner 18" tire.
Glad our findings match :) Straight line stability certainly is affected by wheel size, and you also tend to get more tramlining / issues with road camber the larger you go.
Yes! I never knew the word (just googled / UA-camd it), but there's a place on the way home with uneven road and it always pulls to the right when I brake. Thanks.
I have 17' alloy wheels and live in nyc king of pot holes . 150k miles and i've hit many but wheels are still perfect . had i got 19' or above that be a different story
The big thing about larger wheels as in rims, is the increased area for break pads that results in better braking, especially on bigger sporty vehicles
Thats true but most car makers come with standard 16 or 17 inch wheels and offer 18 and 19 as an upgrade but that doesn't mean they're going to install larger brakes for you.
It doesn't help braking one bit the brakes have not been the limiting factor on stopping power for a long time its still the tyres. All bigger brakes are going to do is reduce the potential for brake fade on a track.
Really it just shows that its drivers choice on what terrain they drive most. I had 15s on a commodore that did alot of unsealed roads, definitely wouldn't of gone larger in rim size as tire would act as a damper for pot holes. Now I have moved and drive all sealed roads, I now drive a lowered falcon with 18s for better control and grip. As you can see from this, one better for unsealed and the other better for sealed. BTW try hitting a pothole with 22s $$$$$ for replacment.
Bruh, I got a Commodore wagon on superlows with 17's. Unsealed roads are a nightmare I sometimes have to slow down to 10kph if it's bad enough. Mistakes were made.
boy638 it would be great if they did, but I imaging that level of information for the general consumer would only add a lot of confusion and admin. This is very niche :)
The video was meant to be 5 minutes, but it turns out we shot 15 minutes of talking. This has been edited down to 10 minutes at the loss of details on braking and aquaplaning, so be sure to check out the link in the description for the full details. Any questions please feel free to ask :)
15 minutes of good educative talking. Thank you!
Thank you for the kind words!
Pro tip...
Do these tests blind.
Stay in the car (blind folded if you have to), have the tyres changed to an unknown size. Then test.
Just removes bias. Try to guess the size that's on, just for fun.
Same for any test you do. Be it brands or whatever.
Tyre Reviews michelin pilot super sport would be best for the test
19RedLineR74 you re joking , right? can you drive blind folded?
Quality content, no clickbait, no all caps title, subscribed!
Thank you :)
Well it clickbait me, better title for this video is: The differences between 17, 18 and 19 inch RIMS tested and explained
that pretty much sums up youtube
It's shit
Same.
17"
Comfort - (++)
Handling at speed - (-)
Efficiency - (++)
Price - (+)
18"
Comfort - (+)
Handling at speed - (+)
Efficiency - (+)
Price - (-)
19"
Comfort - (- -)
Handling at speed - (++)
Efficiency - (-)
Price - (- -)
- Smaller rims provide greater comfort and the tyres for them are usually much cheaper.
- Smaller rims provide better efficiency for energy or fuel consumption.
- Larger rims provide better handling at higher speeds and some pick them up for the looks. Less rubber (low profile) makes you feel every bump on the road.
More likely o get rim damage with larger wheels. May not look as good but go for 17's!
17s you get tire bubbles over pot holes, 18s you pop tire, 19s you crack rims, if you live around shitty roads remember this.
A unique way of looking at it!
Except that it's not all conclusive. I hit a massive pothole on the highway going above 55 and all I got was a very small tire bubble. For reference, I drive a '16 GTI with 18's.
weight of the car and different suspension setups obviously factor in, its a generalization.
I suppose as a generalization, it's true. Especially with smaller cars with bigger wheels where what gets sacrificed is sidewall height. Good tip.
Yes but what I know, dont get cheap fake wheel on heavy vehicles, unless you like going threw mags more then tires, on light vehicles its not as much of a concern unless they are really really cheap.
Have 18 on now and had 17 before. Driving normal roads to work and all day driving, the 17 are by far the best.
lighter rims could mean faster acceleration and faster breaking
and 16s are even better!
I remember back in the 95 or 96 we tried this with a Clio 1.8 16v and the factory 185 55 r 15 tire was almost as fast in corners as the 195 45 r 16. Now the comfort was better with the smaller wheel and in the tight cornering also. The larger tire was better on long turns and at faster speeds. My friend opted for the larger ones just because of the looks.
An important factor to note is what size wheels the car was developed for. On a car developed with 17" wheels as a target, the suspension and damper tuning would typically reflect the additional damping from a thicker tyre profile. For example fitting high profile tyres and small wheels to a Golf GTI Performance would make the handling less predictable and precise, while fitting large wheels and low-profile tyres to a base Polo would cause it to become twitchy and less settled over rough surfaces.
Great video, nonetheless. I wish every car creator on UA-cam was as well informed as you.
Finally there's these kind of tyre videos on UA-cam! Thank you!
Thank you, I'm happy I'm finally making them! Lots more to come!
exactly the video i've been looking forward - was feeling peer pressure to go to 19s (lol) but now I'll be sticking with 18. thanks!
Good info - I always hear folks debating optimum tire size; but, as you pointed out, there are SO many variables. Much like choosing "the best tire", your vehicle, driving habits, road conditions, weather, needs, wants & expectations come into play.
17" = no rim damage
18" = slight rim dent
19" = destroyed rim and suspension
It depends in with car tho this doesn’t apply for every vehicle
any size in Montreal = destroyed rim, suspension and car
I don't get it
How do I avoid the slight rim dent?
@@josem1596 don't drive at all
that is the only way
also worth mentioning that 17" tires are the cheapest to replace and 19" the most expensive.
Always a good point!
Yes, and isn't that odd since if the circumference remains the same, the 17" tire actually has more material than the larger wheeled tires. 🤔
Not a expert but i recall someone saying that the bead of the tire is the reason for the cost vs material.
@@RobertLeBlancPhoto Yes but the sidewalls have to made tougher with a tighter bead which costs more money and then there is supply and demand, economies of scale means the 17 inch ones are cheaper because more people will buy them whereas there is less demand for the 19 inch ones meaning the cost of production is higher.
@J name That would be even cheaper since the sidewalls do not need to be as strong and since there is more demand for 16's
18inch are the best compromise. Less impact issues but still good comfort and not ridiculously expensive for new tyres. Anything above is not worth it.
Planning on doing 17 inch on the Celica because the current 18 are too loud! :(
Edit: The tyre threads have significant sound differences when it comes to manufacturers.
Great vid! Followed your advice and run 17's for my winter tires and 19's for my summer tires.
The 17's rides very comfortable in the snow, slush and ice. When the hwy is dry in the winter, the 17" Falken winter tires are quiet and comfortable for a winter tire.
In the summer, the 19" Goodyear tires provides great road feel and is spot on!
Glad to hear it!
My car factory spec is 195-45-R15. Control is good. I fitted 50 series tyres to improve the ride on rough roads and did notice a slight reduction in steering feel. However the big issue is the wheels are prone to buckling the 45s were just too skinny. I ended up with steel wheels and the 50 tyres. They have not buckled in over 30,000 miles and will soon be getting a new set of 195-50-R15.
Another great review. Direct, honest and detailed in such a way that pleases the average car driver and also the enthusiast. Keep the great work!
This is the most detailed review in this kind of topic I have ever see. Gratulation.
Glad you enjoyed it :)
Just bought an '18 golf comfortline a couple weeks ago with 17" rims and I can agree they are comfortable. I could even go on a road trip with my new car!
I drive 18 inch with winter tires (live in Canada... winter is pothole season) and 19 inch with summer tires from late April until October, in my BMW 330 i. Works for me, but then again, maybe we fill in our pot holes more than a lot of other places. Living in Vancouver, we get a lot of rain, but a good summer tire that can handle rain makes it all work. So happy to get my winter ties off (fairly expensive Pirelli Sottozero 3s) off for the summer!
I would go with 17 inch. Because comfort is my priority and it is also able to achieve enough sporty characteristic for my driving conditions.
Thank you for doing these tests! As you mentioned, the same tires was used, but to be really precise you had to use also the same wheels. I weighed difference between 16" and 18" (the same company, different design) and the difference was 5 kg per wheel (20 kg of unsprung mass on a car). What I learnt from your video was that stifness of tire sides is more important than weigth...
He can't use the same wheels obviously
Channels like this is what the car community need!
I'm glad I could fill a niche :)
you can fill my niche anytime 😉
That's why i love this channel. Good quality , ENOUGH details to answer the question . A remarkable content as always. Great job and keep it up.
Zaharia Nicolae thank you :)
...and engagement with the viewers , on top of that. Cheers !
Actual research in action. Top marks for the way you discuss the physics of the differences in performance in dry and wet conditions, your use of data and the clarity of your method.
Thank you, appreciate the feedback :)
Thanks for video and comments.
Unless I am driving on a track, big wheels are pointless! Sure they look very pleasing but low profiles make for a very bumpy ride on real roads and expensive damage to tyres, rims, and wheel couplings is far more likely.
What a superb video. And the reviewer was straight to the point. Loved his delivery. Spot on.
Asif Farooqui thank you, really appreciated :)
Tyre Reviews Any time Sir 👍
Excellent video. Quality content. Very good to know how the car behaves with the change in rim size.
Cleber Melo thank you, I appreciate the kind words
I stuck with the 18"s on my new Golf R and very happy I did so now. It does feel a lot more refined than my Scirocco on 19"s and a hell of a lot quieter. Great vid thanks 👍🏼.
Glad you're happy with your choice, and great car!
I was thinking of upgrading from 18 to 19 on my scirocco but idk
Oh how true your comment that switching wheel diameters may not be your best first choice. I have helped many get what they desire in handling just by changing from the Original Equipment of Manufacture(OEM) tyres to a tyre from a different brand. OEM tyres are selected to help sell the car, not to be what you may decide you need for longer usage. Front Wheel Drive vehicles are absolutely brutal on tyres. It is so much easier to set up a rear wheel drive car with new tyres. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
Glad you found some tyres which work for you :)
I love this channel, tires are underrated!!
We agree!
I have driven BRZ's with 17, 18, and 19" all different brands and rims under different conditions. The best size I have experienced on the Stock suspension is ultra high performance summer rubber on the Stock 17" rim. Good ride, excellent traditions smooth progressive brake away. The 19s had more grip and transitioned at the limit just as nicely as the 17's The overall balance was just not as nice. On 17's the wet Braking performance on the BRZ is just a tad worst than dry. Its pretty amazing. The 19" do look sweet.
We were hoping to do this test using a BRZ / GT86 but sadly it didn't work out!
I found the same with 19" summer tyres v 17" winter tyres on my 3.0d X3 M Sport. The difference in road noise is amazing, plus the softer compound of winter tyres really suited the 4 wheel capability of the SUV. I remember taking corners and fast bends a lot quicker than other drivers in similar vehicles. Just wished it was down to driver competence :-)
It could be down to both ;)
I love this video, it helped me a lot. I have 17s and was going to go 19. Thanks to this video I am for sure going to get 18s.
Glad it was useful :)
The most thorough and potentially real world evaluation I've yet come across. Not the most televisual of subjects, so - well done !
Thank you :)
TL;DW on the tyre used in this test (Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3), the 18" tyre is the best all-rounder with the car tested (VW Golf Mk7 GTI).
Great tests and great car to test it in. I own a MK7 GTi Performance Pack. I honestly upgraded my rear sway bar, coilovers and kept the stock 18” wheels. I did upgrade the tires to 235 over 225. I have zero desire to go 19”. Esp with NYC potholes.
I know someone with big wheels who keeps having to replace tyres all the time where everyone else waits until they have 2mm they just don't seem to get it.
First video I've seen from your channel, and it was brilliant. It had the information I wanted to hear, explained clearly, and was well presented with fair tests, both objective and subjective. Liked and subscribed!
Thank you very much, really appreciated :)
"what's the best wheel size overall?"
*10 minutes later*
"It really doesn't matter nearly as much as what tyre you choose."
Agreed.I found out almost all video review just bla bla bla..then not a clear cunclusion at all.
@@trido1986 well I mean, this is the clear conclusion I pointed out. And it's not just bla bla the information is interesting if you care, I was just poking fun at the pointlessness of the question in hindsight.
He's wrong
When I first started buying performance tires back in the 70's the ONLY source of this kind of info was an occasional article in Road & Track. People buying tires based on price and wear have no idea the vast impact really well selected tires can have on your cars comfort and performance. You are right to point out the difference between brands and models is HUGE! Tire Rack is now the #1 source of tire info. Read the reviews. Choose wisely based on your real world driving conditions. Excellent video.
Thanks :) Tirerack are amazing, and for the UK and european market there's the Tyre Reviews website which offers very similar functionality and info :)
Wonderful test, thanks! I've found dropping rear tire pressure by 2-4 psi adds more comfort too - car labels in NA generally state the full load pressure only (for safety), unlike EU where you'll frequently see normal and full load - most people rarely drive at full load
This is the in-depth tyre content us nerds have been praying for! Awesome video. However totally useless for someone on 20 inches! ;)
Dat GTR life
Yep!! 20s are TOTALLY useless!!! ;)
P Taushick, depending on the Vechicle. 20's are EXTREMELY useful and help the car perform BEAUTIFULLY.
but to be really nerdy .....now u need 10 drivers to get use to all 3 sizes and than do blind tests
I have 21s on my A7
Wet grip is more important than dry, they all perform reasonably in dry conditions, in wet the difference is more obvious.
Not always as it depends on the car imo and application. My Toyo TR1s are brilliant in the wet but for cornering at high speed in the dry they don't inspire confidence. I suspect that it's because of the soft sidewalls. For general driving they're great but for sporty driving I'll be looking into something else next time.
I drive BMW 735 IL e38
I changed from 18 inch to 16 inch and what a huge difference!!! The comfort i have now is awsome! Never going back to 18 inch!!!
Glad the switch worked out :)
Comfort vs handling.....I'll take the latter
GREAT video! I've been waiting for a vid like this for a long time. I put 17's on my R32, and am very happy. I don't drive like a maniac, and the comfort level and decent handling I get with the 17's is perfect for me. Over the years, i've had Fulda, Falken, Dunlop, and Good Year 17's on the car, which now has 209,000 miles on it!
209k! That's crazy! I love the sound of the R32, must have the best v6 note ever
I hear that a lot (pun intended)!
Thank you for providing such a comprehensive comparison video!!
17 inch = bumpy 18inch = bumpier 19inch = bumpiest
Great Video , very informative and well deserve a good thumbs up ! I'm detail type of guy myself, would like to see a video of comparison "wheel offset " and "J" in how affects the daily use , I think the real point to this video is not the 17" 18" or 19" wheels, but the 45" 40" or 35" tyre wall size , in other words , the "40" it's the best choice for sportiness without compromising a lot to the comfort side of things. Here in England I recommend "45" due to poor road conditions and build quality!
Thanks :) A few people have commented the same so I'd like to do a wheel weight, offset and tyre width video. These things take time, but keep an eye on the channel and hopefully I'll get it done in the not too distant future :)
At current UK prices the 17” Asymmetric 5’s are around £25-30 cheaper per corner over the 18” version, may swing it for some. Smaller rims are also less prone to cracking and distorting if you drive on shitty pothole-filled roads, and less expensive to replace if a wheel is trashed. Something to think about if you’re currently on 17” rims and thinking of upgrading.
I enjoyed the test and thought it was a very balanced report covering the various conditions and how it affects the cars handling and perhaps, the driver's confidence.
Thank you :)
Great review! Finally a reviewer who understands that tyre choice is a compromise, with sometimes quite a small difference in characteristics between two products and how important is to get your priorities straight, when choosing a right tyre. Keep up a good work, old boy :)
Thank you but less of the old :(
Terrible sorry if I had offended you :) It could just be me having a habit of a middle-aged men to call everybody old boy :) Keep up a good work! Idea for a test - real-life endurance test of winter tyres, to see how their characteristics change during the life cycle... ( ...Michelin would not be happy with a result... ;) )
17 inch best comfort at expense of cornering, generally better mpg. 18 inch best handling at expense of comfort. 19inch no advantage for road use, easy to damage so best avoided.
M James The 19 is good at driving slowly playing loud rap music.
I have 225/45R18 Michelin Pilot Super Sport A/S 3 because it does have such a nice stiff sidewall for great steering and very little difference in the 18".
😂😂😂 I have 19s on my 3 series fuck the cost they look too good just dont drive like a cock on shit roads
205/55/16 is the best overall size for pretty much anything 1100-1500kg and 100-200hp, It's cheap and gives good balance of handling, comfort and consumption
True, I'm agreed with you, I already test 16',17',18' on my lancer 16' is the best of all
I agree sir ,but 16its too small for GTD for example😬
19 for Track, 18 for Drift, 17 for Daily! ;P
20" for posing
Thanks for the opinions and advise.
You don't want low profile for the track, because the sidewalls have to be stiffer the lower the profile is, making the car feel edgy.
I use 16" for off-roading
Spot on that comment ! Funniest on a Range Rover all rim no wall on an off roader and the cost of that upgrade to Bonkers but they do it . Here in UK roads now so bad, low profile is a death wish for your Wallet
Like going out with a Super model or Ms Hayek you soon see the flaw in long use !
THIS is what I was looking for as a new car buyer. THANK YOU
Amazingly helpful. I bought a 2015 GTI recently, and thought about going down in wheel size, since the city I live in doesn't have the greatest roads. Definitely will be looking at what tires I can by rather than changing the wheel size. Great review.
I own the same car in the same kind of streets with imperfections as the rule and love the change I made from 17 to 18 inch wheels, with OEM rims. Considering setting in 19 inch just to enjoy for a while and having the experience , but riding with 18 inch wheels has been perfect!
Came from 205/50 R17 and upgraded to 215/45 R18
I just have a slightly lower PSI on my rear wheels to 'ever so slightly' increase stability and comfort.
Thanks for helping me make the decision.
In India we hardly see 17 , 18 , 19" in normal cars , because of poor road conditions here manufacturers use 15 , 16" . Sometimes you can see 14" as well on base models.
One problem you can't fit anything below a 17 on a GTI with the PP.
that's if your lucky enough to find a road 🤣 small wheels and a soft suspension is what you need 👌
True. Always small rims will be the better confort and also overall better for the car and rims!
Such an under-rated channel, hopefully you guys hit 100k subs!
This is a very informative report and confirms a lot of information I already knew. But fashion and looks comes first for many motorists. They just feel better when they have a racing car or at least one with S, SS or even R badges all over it, intead of a boring practical comfortable car. You see, who are you going to impress if your car doesn't look like it can handle the smooth (no pot hole) surfaces and ideal standards of a famous car racing track. I see ordinary men and women in their 50's and 60's every day driving these impressionable looking fast family cars. I ask them are you a racing driver?. I haven't had one person say yes yet. When I was a teenager it was all about noise and performance for me but when I grew up, by the time I was about 25, I had bought and settled down to spending less money on extremly quiet and comfortable riding safe luxurious cars. The only person I needed to impress was my self and impressing others was just a big waste of time and money. The inside comfort of my car where I spend my time will not be sacrificed by the flash appearance of the outside. The only wheel I can see when I am driving my car is the steering wheel.
Was looking for this exact video for 225 options. Super helpful!
this is a great review, and goes along way to explain relative dry/wet/nvh benefits, scaling up or down diameter sizes.
The one thing stopping it from being 100%, is the complete lack of reference to relative unsprung weight of the naked 17/18/19 rims. I have a Golf R on 19" flow forged Pretoria rims, and previous had exact same model, but fitted with 18" cast Cadiz rims. the 19" wheel and tyrs combo fitted with excellent Michelin PSS is about 2 Kg a corner lighter with the 19"s, than was the 18" package. This affects primarily the relative bumps/crash handling and rebound ride comfort.
My perception is that the 19" wheels perform better every where than did the 18"s, with the sole exception of high wet steering and balance, where the softer wall of the 18" makes car a little more relaxing in steering response.
My caveat is also to go for the lighest alloy that is appropriate. 19" cast diamond cut alloys are weighty things.
Top review anyway.
Thank you :) I agree I should have discussed wheel weights, it was a rushed days testing and filming and somethings were left out.
Weights have been pasted in a few comments now, here they are again :)
17” -> 19.92kg (10.82 rim + 9.1 tyre)
18” -> 22.41kg (13.28 rim + 9.13 tyre)
19” -> 20.61kg (11.5 rim + 9.11 tyre)
The wheel and tire combination can also be looked at as a sprung/unsprung weight system in its own right with the tire tread in contact with the road being the unsprung weight and the rest of the tire and wheel being the sprung weight. On a comfortable tire the unsprung weight may be 50 to 300 grams - the lower the % of the total tire/wheel sprung weight the better. . This low tread unsprung weight is ideally suited to absorbing high frequency road imperfections but it's ride improvement effectiveness depends also on sidewall stiffness and air pressure amongst other things.
Good review and a well reasoned collusion. Some years ago Car & Driver Mag. did a similar comparison on a VW Gulf that included acceleration runs as well. With aluminum weighing more then rubber, basic physics applied and the 17" was the fastest and the 19" wheel was the slowest in the acceleration runs. For those of us who drive on poorly maintained roads, the taller side wall makes more since too.
This is true and over all grip is also better with lower unsprung weight.
One thing I noticed about wider tires with lower profile side-walls on taller rims is how easy - some times too easy! - they are to steer. Almost twitchy. To me, handling isn't just about how easily a vehicle can be steered, but how well it tracks a straight line when steering isn't required. And 'old school' narrow tires with higher profile side-walls fit that bill quite well. I feel more weight when I steer narrower tires, given same overall diameter of tire+wheel package.
thank you for an honest comparison of 17 and 19 inch wheels. That was my personal concern of downsizing wheels for my honda accord
What a fantastic video! Real Eye opener for me im seriously considering getting myself a set of smaller 18" alloys for the winter now!
Thank you!
So how does the tire sizes affect handling in SNOW? your information for dry / wet scenarios is excellent, but Snow is completely different variable and I'd love to see your take on that.
Lesser width ads more weight per squareinch on the tiresurface, which gives better grip in snow. The same goes for wet roads.
0:31 : Yes, someone has done those tests before. They are called "Swiss police" and wanted to know which tire/wheel combination would perform the best. Their answer, lower inched wheels, that will be lighter with a good amount of tire flange, that will provide better traction and grip, especially in changing conditions. The flatter the tire, the more griploss will occur on a non-perfect road (on a racetrack, the conclusions would be different, but roads are not racetracks).
and i'm still rocking my 13"
Old school respect
14 here
I had 13" on my first car, an '86 Subaru GL AWD wagon. It had really tall sidewalls and I think they were about 175 wide.
That thing went over everything without ever any worry about the wheels.
Loved it.
They're cheap, I got four decent quality Falken tires mounted and balanced for $490 on my 13" wheels!
Kent Witham thats expensive. I can get those same falkens in 18in for same price.
A most excellent, honest, informative and thorough review. Definitely coming back for more.
Thank you :)
I changed 235/45R17 Continental Sport Contact 3s to 225/50R17 Sport Contact 2s in a Passat and there wasn't any huge difference in comfort. The noise is a bit better with the narrower and higher tire but the biggest improvement was that the ruts in the road are not trying to steer the car with the narrower tire, and the difference in this was quite amazing.
I'm glad your change worked out
Anything over a 17" wheel on a car is ridiculous.
I've got 18" wheels on my porsche and hate it.
People think that larger wheels are used for thinner sidewalls, which isn't the case, they're used for two main reasons.
Larger brakes, and styling.
billybobjoe198 mostly styling!
This is a great general compairison for when all things are pretty equal. Some other things to keep in mind though is tire quality, and weight/manufacturing process. You can have a 19 inch wheel that weighs signifcantly less than an 18 inch whee(especially if the 19 is forgged or flow formed), and that change could balance out the smoothness of the ride a bit... as unsrung weight is reduced. You might also skip a bit of the ride , and wet handling penalty in upsizing wheels depending on the tire category(summer, all season, winter, touring, uhpas etc) and Manfacutrer of tire you put on. Theoretically you could most likely achieve the best combination of everything in the 18 inch diameter(if everything is speced perfectly) BUT it is not a garauntee. A low budget 18 inch setup is unlikely to perform a well though out higher priced 19 inch setup if wheel choice and tire are chosen wheel (and likely not cheap). You can have a 20 pound forged, or flow formed 19 inch wheel vs a 18 inch 28 pound cast wheel. The differnce in weight should negate much of the ride quality penalty, while inproving dry performance, and maintainng good wet performance IF specked correctly. One thing is for sure, you are likely to pay signifcantly more for the 19 inch setup. Wheel width can also play a huge roll as a more narrow 19 inch tire may best a wider 18 inch tire in the wet....again depending on what tires you run.
thank you on this very informative video. it help me decide to stay with the 225/40/18 size versus moving up to 19" or 20"
I have 19” on GTI performance, hate them, mainly because its almost impossible not to damage them even turning around a rough road or cobble street, so lots of places they can get marked up the santiagos are soft, so looking to get forged alloys in the near future !
Tyrane Lewis, Stay, You don't want to go any lower profile then that. Unless it's only about aesthetics and not performance.
(performance then read my comment in the main page)
@@johngraydon506 Thank you for the confirmation John. I went looking for 19" and sales person tried to sell me on 20" because 19" is odd size to get in tires. I'm glad I held off. I'll keep 18" on this MK7.5 and lower it. I'll just exchange out for 18" more to my liking
@@roknroller6052 Thank you i will stay with 18" I'll just change wheel design and maybe a lower offset (ET35 or ET38) for aesthetics.
Tyrane Lewis, Trying to sell you a 20" .. What with spinners 🤣🤣 Wise choice, one very mild pot hole and kiss goodbye to a wheel... Yeah lower offset will look good...
These videos become addictive 😁 you learn so much
Glad you like them!
My quick research shows that for a given size wheel, going from a steel wheel to an alloy wheel results in a lighter wheel (a big benefit of alloys). I also found that a 18" alloy wheel weighs more than a 17" alloy wheel; going from 18" to 19" alloy adds even more weight. This is important because the ideal is to have a minimum of unsprung weight; that is to say that the lower the total weight of the wheel/tyre/brake package, the better. In general, reducing unsprung weight improves acceleration, braking, and even ride quality. A heavier wheel takes more torque to accelerate and more braking to slow down. A lighter unsprung weight allows the suspension to react more quickly (less inertia to overcome), resulting in a more compliant suspension and a better ride, and keeps the tyre on the road where it belongs.
Assuming the design of the rim is the same.
Learnt a lot from this video.
I'm glad
I have 18's on my Audi A3. Which is basically an all wheel drive gti sedan. 18's are perfect for this platform. 19's are good for looks I guess.. but overall 18 is where it's at
THANK YOU!! Honest to Pete I have spent hours today learning more about tires than I had in all the years of my life combined. Part of the dilemma was size selection. There were 17, 18. 19 choices in the build and I went with the 18 but the run flats all weather will only be used a few months as it doesn't get that cold here. The remainder of the year will be on some size non run flat performance oriented summer tires and I had picked the tire (finally) and just couldn't decide whether I should go up/down in size.....based on your findings, I am sticking at 18 and calling it a day.
Sounds like a good choice :)
Extremely useful video! Thanks, also to Goodyear!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent, excellent video! Thanks for the great lesson on tire sizes!
Wonderful
Informative
Video
👌👌👌
I've always felt that the 225/45R17 tire was near perfect for a street car on normal roads. The 225?40R18 rides worse and was much louder in my experience even with the same brand and type. To me a 19" wheels and tire on any car the size of the GTI is silly or stupid for the street, but may be great for the track with a smooth surface. I drive the mountains and canyons all over the western USA and my 225/45R17 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires have proven to be amazing and I'm on my 2nd set now. On normal roads the 225/40R18 doesn't give enough sidewall to protect the rim on many roads.
TLDR: 09:16
Thank me later :D
I should definitely put that in the description!
It's now later. Thank you.
Nuno the real MVP
Thanks
Shouldn't it be TLDW;? :-)
Thanks! My GTI came with 18" Hankooks (ventus noble)...I had the same hankook in 17" on my previous golf--the 17's were quite bad b/c soft sidewalls. The 18" Hankook was much better than the 17", but the 18" Hankook felt similar to a 17" Continental DWS.
So when I put winter tires on my 17's, and put a quality summer tire on my 18's, everything will be right in the world!
And track day tyres on a 19... ;)
So some of this has turned out Golf-GTI-specific! In my world (challenging mountain roads and sometimes excessively wet conditions), the wet handling is a decider. I think what may be happening there is that the deeper sidewall in the 17" is asking less of the actual tread in cornering distortion and water clearing. I have been avoiding larger wheel sizes and very low profiles for several decades but I am a great fan of overbraced narrower tyres and those have done a really good job of keeping me alive. (And the wheels and tyres have been cheaper!) The top reason for moving to a bigger wheel is to provide space for bigger brakes. However, in the real world, the tyre has to be on the ground before it can grip or brake so all these wider wheels and tyres and bigger brakes creating huge amounts of unsprung weight may not work out well.
If has been tested before and (surprise!) the 18" had the best grip of them all and the 17" was fastest 0-100 km/h.
Great video, many thanks for the comparison. Interesting that I've had fewer punctures from cars with wider sidewalls than cars with much lower profiles too
This seems to be a trend as there's less deflection in the apex and shoulder
Thank you very much for this video, it confirms some of my real world experiences with an OEM 18" vs. an Aftermarket 20" Tire. Specifically the part about Dry vs. Wet performance.
With a brand new tire, the OEM 18" could cruise at very high speeds during a rain storm and not even feel like it is driving on wet roads. Where as the 20" is quite twitchy, and requires much more concentration even at half the speed.
One other thing I'd love to see from tire tests in the future (and I don't think anyone has done this) is straight line highway stability.
By which I mean the 18" (thinner) tire actually felt more glued to the road, and able to brush off small bumps and imperfections on the road without disturbing the ride.
Whereas the wider 20" was superior in cornering, the straight line stability of the car was notably affected and you feel more twitchy at 20-30 mph slower than the softer and thinner 18" tire.
Glad our findings match :) Straight line stability certainly is affected by wheel size, and you also tend to get more tramlining / issues with road camber the larger you go.
Yes! I never knew the word (just googled / UA-camd it), but there's a place on the way home with uneven road and it always pulls to the right when I brake. Thanks.
Good video! Thanks for taking the time to make!
At last ! A commentator with a very good command of the English language.
I definitely struggle for words way too much, but thank you :)
there is another thing you didnt mention, if you hit a big bump the cance of deforming the 17' is a bit lower
SXsoft99 agreed, I should have mentioned it!
Agreed. That's why I run my winter set as 1" smaller wheel and a taller profile tire than my summer set. 😁
I have 17' alloy wheels and live in nyc king of pot holes . 150k miles and i've hit many but wheels are still perfect . had i got 19' or above that be a different story
The big thing about larger wheels as in rims, is the increased area for break pads that results in better braking, especially on bigger sporty vehicles
Braam Human , true!
Thats true but most car makers come with standard 16 or 17 inch wheels and offer 18 and 19 as an upgrade but that doesn't mean they're going to install larger brakes for you.
It doesn't help braking one bit the brakes have not been the limiting factor on stopping power for a long time its still the tyres. All bigger brakes are going to do is reduce the potential for brake fade on a track.
Really it just shows that its drivers choice on what terrain they drive most.
I had 15s on a commodore that did alot of unsealed roads, definitely wouldn't of gone larger in rim size as tire would act as a damper for pot holes.
Now I have moved and drive all sealed roads, I now drive a lowered falcon with 18s for better control and grip.
As you can see from this, one better for unsealed and the other better for sealed.
BTW try hitting a pothole with 22s $$$$$ for replacment.
Jason Lewis what the hell is a sealed and an unsealed road anyway?
Bruh, I got a Commodore wagon on superlows with 17's. Unsealed roads are a nightmare I sometimes have to slow down to 10kph if it's bad enough. Mistakes were made.
@@GreatGrandmasterWang Sealed road = tarmac, unsealed road = gravel.
You deserve so many more subs, content is amazing!
Thank you! It's growing slowly.
Tyre Reviews: Top review, thanks a lot.
Thank you for your kind words :)
I'm sure manufacturer have done such tests, and so I wished they will mention which size rims is the recommended one for comfort/performance/wet grip.
boy638 it would be great if they did, but I imaging that level of information for the general consumer would only add a lot of confusion and admin. This is very niche :)
Victortrotska what about rims that weigh the same but are different sizes?
boy6
Very informative, thanks
Alan Booth thanks for the feedback
This was great video, thanks for including objective and subjective thoughts!
Thank you :)
Please make more videos like this. Educational
I liked the review a lot , its was very detailed and well prepared.
Thank you :)