19" wheels easily dented?

Don't think it would matter if the design is right, but I would guess a rougher ride.

 

Do not get worried about bent rims or wheels. I've driven for over 15 years on 19in wheels I've driven in pothole prone areas of San Francisco. But I do so at a lower speed. Freeway potholes were unavoidable. There was a really rough area of the freeway around an international Airport in the bay for what seems like 10 to 12 years.

Your alignment will go off before the wheels get bent.

Curb rash will be higher as there is less rubber so wheels will be more exposed. But in my opinion, Curb rash should be a thing of the past. All new toyotas should be purchased with parking sensors and the self parallel parking system often puts the vehicle 4 to 8 inches away from any curbs.

The biggest issue with 19in wheels are tire costs and a harsher ride. But with good suspension, harsh ride is a thing of the past.

Just enjoy the vehicle 19in or 17in. 17 should be the standard all around in the industry in my opinion.

 

I'm going to believe that Toyota's 19" rims will be made of the strongest materials. That being said, my experience with rims over 17" is exactly what you fear. I constantly had to have front end alignments done. Fractures and cracks happened and then I had to have the cracks welded. Eventually the rims would warp out from the constant beating they would endure. With these new rims, time will tell.

 

Actually, I take it back. Tires at 19in and 17in will be cheaper than our old 15in Prius tires.

I think with a more narrow tire size, it is better on environment and on the amount of rubber used for each tire.

Used to be 15in were large wheels. But standards improve as the automotive industry matures. Now hybrids are affordable and considered a standard option for all automobiles.

Just like safety is no longer an option but a standard, I think larger wheels and thus larger tires will actually be cheaper overall on 17 and then on the 19 inch wheels.

Just my 2 cents.

 

No, larger diameter, low profile tires always cost more than smaller diameter, larger profile tires.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

What I am saying is the the industry appears to be moving to larger diameter wheels and thus lower profile tires.

So as more and more vehicles come standard with 17in instead of 15in tires, cost should come down.

Another thing I have heard is that rubber is becoming more expensive. And with less rubber on larger diameter wheels, larger diameter wheels should eventually drive costs lower.

Less rubber = cheaper.

Something about the vast majority of rubber on a tire being unused and wasted is also an concern for the environment. So a larger diameter wheel will have less rubber than a smaller diameter wheel because there is rubber replaced by steel now.

 

If that’s true, it’s some time in the future, because the 2023 tire sizes aren’t even available yet.
It’s a risk to hope or speculate that supply will go up and prices will come down.
Right now, good 15” tires are pretty cheap

 

YES. Absolutely right.