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What Difference Does Car Wheels Size Make? Know Here!

ByTsukasa Azuma-November 13, 2018

If there were no tires, you wouldn’t have able to move your car a bit. The tires are those elements that keep the car running, wherever you direct the steering wheel to. Have you noticed that not all cars have the same size tires? If yes, you may have wondered what difference does car wheels size make? Here is an answer to all your perplexing perceptions!

How Car Wheels Size Impact Overall Performance?

There are many people around, who opt for car wheel size modifications. While you may think it is just for enhancing the cool looks, there are some other technical reasons too. Let’s explore the difference that the wheel size intends to make.

1. The Impact of Plus-Sizing

It is essential to understand that when the car’s wheel has a large diameter, the sidewall of the tire should diminish in sizing, to maintain an overall balance. Many people opt for larger wheels, only for improving on the overall car looks. That is one practice one needs to avoid, as larger the car wheels size, less is the acceleration and the corresponding fuel economy.

The only benefit of choosing the larger wheels is the intensity of stability you would get. As an add-on, when you apply brakes, the braking distance range would also reduce. On the contrary, one should not ignore the downfalls as they overpower the benefits. The bigger wheel should be the last option, as they also tend to increase the load on the car and is an expensive investment to make.

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Truth about car wheels size

2. Why Choose Smaller Wheels?

The smaller the wheel, the superior is the overall ride experience and the grip at the sharp ends. There is a parameter called “NVH,” i.e., Noise, vibration, and harshness. When you opt for smaller rims, you get an advantage over NVH, which means that the wheels that are smaller will produce less noise and would be less harsh.

The smaller wheels make the ride comfortable when one needs to maneuver through potholes or bumpy road surfaces. The fuel economy and the acceleration also do not suffer when smaller tires are installed on your vehicle. The disadvantage of opting for a smaller tire reflects in them not filling the wheel arches, which, in turn, may hamper the looks of your car. You could also refer to maintenance tips for more interesting facts on car tires.

3. The Comparison Chart

Here is the comparison chart that lists how the tire size difference impacts the overall performance of the car.

Wheel Size

Analysis

  1. 17 Inch’ Wheel

  • Apt for wet road conditions

  • Best ride quality

  • Moderate stability

  • Comfortable and bumps impact free

Inference: Best in terms of comfort

  1. 18 Inch’ Wheel

  • Lowest noise production

  • The best balance between ride quality, handling, and noise making

  • Apt for both dry and wet roads

Inference: Best in maintaining overall balance

  1. 19 Inch’ Wheel

  • Not suitable for bumpy or rough roads

  • Fastest on dry roads

  • Expensive to install

  • Looks elegant and cool

Inference: Feels sporty and looks elegant

Various ways to do car wheels size

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Wrapping Up

If you are planning to change your car’s tires or buying a new car, knowing how car wheels size affect performance is a must. If you wish to add to the looks of your car and improve traction, the bigger wheels are all you need. On the other hand, if better fuel economy and overall handling are what you seek for, go for smaller wheels. After all, the choice is entirely yours to make!

Tsukasa Azuma is an awesome car blogger of Car From Japan. He owns a car repair shop at downtown Osaka, and he put all that experience to good use in his sharing posts. Tsukasa’s blog is one of the best resources for information about keeping your favorite imported car running smoothly. Moreover, because of being passionate to learn about the recent happenings in auto industry, he doesn’t only provide great car maintenance tips, he also always updates latest trends in among car brands and share them in his own interesting viewpoint.

Comments

Itayi20:37 November 21, 2018
Reply

If you increase the tire diameter from say 205/65R16 to 255/70R16 does that change the reading on the odometer. Do you still record the same distance as when u where using the smaller one?