Larger wheels give the car a more aggressive stance and greater stage presence, which is why automakers are installing oversized rims on concept cars. They look cool.
Whether you’re getting them as an option on a new car or as aftermarket wheels on a car you already own, going larger has its benefits, but also its drawbacks. When you move to a larger wheel diameter (e.g., from 17 inches to 18 inches), you need new tires to match. These tires need a lower profile (or sidewall height) to maintain enough clearance over bumps and potholes, which allows the suspension to fully compress and bounce. If the wheel diameter increases by one inch, the height of the tire should be lowered accordingly to compensate, in order to keep the overall diameter the same.
For example, if the original tire size was 215/65R17 and you bought an 18-inch wheel, the size that would fit the larger wheel might be 225/55R18. The difference is that the wheel diameter is larger, the tread is wider (225 mm instead of 215), and the profile is lower, 55 instead of 65. This means that the sidewall height is 55% of the tread width.
If you switch to a larger wheel without taking the sidewall height into account, you not only risk damaging the suspension, the wheel or the tire, you also get incorrect speedometer readings because the wheel is turning at a different speed than before. By matching the size of the low profile tires to the larger diameter wheel size, the speedometer and odometer readings should only change very little, if at all. With larger wheels and smaller tires – and the resulting shorter sidewalls – they are stiffer and have less air and rubber pads than before, increasing the chance of hitting a large pothole that could damage the tire, the wheel or both.
While larger diameter wheels and tires should improve handling and high-speed performance, lower-profile tires also tend to have a firmer ride and may be noisier than smaller standard rubber.
Some of the potential performance benefits may be offset by the extra weight of larger tires and wheels. For example, an 18-inch tire may weigh at least a few pounds more than a 16- or 17-inch tire. This may also be true of larger wheels. Steel wheels are heavier than aluminum wheels, so the latter improve performance by reducing unsprung weight. However, replacing a standard 17-inch alloy wheel with an 18- or 19-inch alloy wheel adds weight-unless it’s an expensive lightweight type.
Bigger wheels cost more money. The bigger you buy, the more expensive the wheels and tires will be. If you buy larger wheels as part of a new car option package or as standard equipment on a higher grade, the initial cost may not be too high. However, when it comes to replacing damaged wheels or tires (or just replacing tires when the tread wears out), the additional cost can be significant.
For example, when Cars.com compared the replacement cost of some wheels and tires, the standard 16-inch steel wheels on the Toyota Camry cost $172 to replace at the dealership. The 17-inch alloy wheels on the Camry XLE, however, were $379. For the 18-inch alloy wheels on the Chevrolet Traverse, one dealer quoted us $371, but for the optional 20-inch wheels, the price was $569.
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One morning on your way to work, as you step on the gas to run a green light, you spot a pothole big enough to swallow a Scion iQ – but too late to avoid it.
You cringe at the dreaded “clunk” and the ensuing bumps, hoping your tires will survive the impact and spare you the replacement cost, because generally speaking, the bigger the tire, the more expensive it is to replace.
However, tires may not be your biggest concern (or expense). If the wheel the tire is mounted on is bent or otherwise damaged, it can cost hundreds of dollars to replace it if it’s the type of aluminum installed on a growing number of vehicles. Over the past 15 years, automakers have steadily increased the diameter of wheels and tires on most vehicles, so that the standard size for compact cars is now usually at least 15 inches. 16-inch wheels are the smallest size on midsize cars, and the smallest size on many SUVs is 17 inches. Larger wheels and tires equate to higher replacement costs, and alloy wheels are still more costly – in some cases much more.
The Honda Accord LX used to come with steel wheels, but now the standard wheels are 16-inch alloys, which dealers say cost $425 to replace. Tires range in price from $123 to $138.
SUVs tend to go bigger to enhance their muscular appearance, and 18- and 20-inch wheels and tires are common.
When purchasing a vehicle, whether new or used, consumers must accept whatever wheels and tires are installed on the vehicle (unless they are willing to pay more for different wheels and tires). To avoid buying a vehicle with alloy wheels and larger tires, they must choose a less expensive trim level such as the Camry LE over the XLE. This will likely mean giving up other features such as a sunroof, navigation system or other features not offered on the base model.
The Ford Fusion Titanium is available with optional 19-inch wheels, organically machined or dark stainless steel wheels for an additional $695 on the car price. However, the cost to replace a tire (Continental ContiProContact) is $244 to $292. A wheel? It could be more than $500.
For example, Berry said that on a 2012 Mercedes C63 AMG (photo above), one wheel would cost $1,880 and the tire … $530.
