When I got my Prius, I liked the idea of the "bigger" 16" tires. I found the 15" tires are almost an inch bigger around because the 16" is a low profile (15" - 65, 16" - 55). This means, I get 3 miles per gallon less (some on this forum thought it was because it is heaver but it's because it's smaller), my speedometer is 2-3 MPH fast, I get a rougher ride. The few times I've seen 16" Prius wheels for sale, they're usually for sale a long time. I can't think of any reason to have 16" wheels. Everything is negative. So many other cars (not Prius) have low profile tires and it seems to be desired. Is there any benefit to the 16" Prius wheels? Thank you, ebm
All Toyotas with standard tire sizes read mph fast by design to ensure the reading is not low. If you read the mph using a scanner or obd2 device it is more accurate. The two stock sizes are within 0.1% of each other based on diameter and circumference. Mph accuracy is essentially the same. Width increases and sidewall decreases providing a harsher ride. You could get higher profile 16” tires like the P205/60R16 a Prius v uses. Assuming they clear the wheel well. Diameter and circumference increases by 5%. This lowers mph reading. Sidewall increases 2.3% improving ride. You do have a bigger heavier and wider tire with more rubber on the road. Handling and weight carrying ability improves.
The 185/65 15 I wasn't paying attention a minute ago I think that's 24.6 or something like that diameter I'm running 225 65 15s on my lifted Prius that's a 26-in diameter that's 2 in larger approximately or 1 point something It looks two on the car and to be honest with you my gas mileage went down for the first few tanks I was pumping 37 mi to the gallon It's crept back up to 40 before the tire change I was getting about 42 on this 07 Prius with 250,000 mi on it so for raised 40 mm height Prius with these big tires on it that's not really bad to me especially being able to get in and out of the car a lot easier The 16s aren't going to cut your gas mileage You might be losing a little sidewall of your tire because of the profile which makes for a stiffer possible ride with some people think that's a good thing but other than that you're maintaining the same outer diameter with the 15 16 and the 17-in wheels on the Persona all of those tires and wheel packages can interchange there within a few tenths of an inch overall diameter so there's no real effect
With 15" wheels I find the Ecopia's at 35 front, 33 rear to be both noisy and pretty stiff. I'm not sure how a car can have a suspension that transmits sharp jolts from the road so well, yet is mushy in terms of handling, but somehow the Prius manages it. Making the ride worse than it already is would be a nonstarter for me. Also I think low profile tires look really stupid on a car, in the extreme, like somebody put old fashioned wagon wheels on the vehicle. Never seen a study to support this, but the common opinion is that the rims with low profile tires are more prone to damage from road defects, like potholes.
I have the 16 inch stock alloys on my gen 2, I’m in the UK. I have 195/55R16 tyres, again stock. I want to ‘upgrade’ to 15 inch steel wheels with 195/70R15 tyres. The 16 inch alloys aren’t bad, but, if you had a choice, I’d go 15 inch with larger tyres. My Prius is lifted too so.
You want to be real careful with your tire size I am messing with this right now and your total outer diameter of the factory wheels that come on the car with tires on them oh Christ I can't remember 24.6 something like that total outer diameter You want to stay if you can within 1.1 in of that factory outer diameter If it's not 24.6 that I posted above Just Google 185 6515 OD and it'll give you the OD of the factory wheel and tire setup. My freest generation 2 is lifted 40 mm which is said to be about 1.7 in I put 225 65 15 tires in place these are approximately 26-in OD outer diameter your gas mileage will drop to about 37 mi to the gallon with this tire setup. My next move is to pull the struts off the front of this car slice the lifting blocks to 20 mm in the front cut one in half and put the 20 lift on the front only and bring the tire size back to something like 215 60 15 and that'll put me just under an inch oversized and will probably get my gas mileage back above 40 just a thought
Thank you for the reply's. I have done so much research. I have found so much stuff. There are parts that are different on the front end of a 15" then a 16". One is the struts are longer on the 15" then the 16". Shouldn't be a problem, but it is different. People say you get less gas mileage with the 205 then the 195. Actually that's not true. It just seams like it. With the 205 every mile you drive, the wheel goes around 14 times less then the 195. Your car "thinks" it's not gone as far as if did, so it "shows" less MPG. It's interesting that the tire calculator sites show that the stock 195 air pressure is 33 in rear, 35 in front for our Prius. If you go to a 205, the pressure is 28 in back, and 31 in front. Guessing that doesn't go over well with some, but that's what the tire calculator sites say. I can understand the reasoning behind it. The thing I want most is to go to a 15" with bigger sidewalls, but I think I'll settle on 205/55R16. The 15" aluminum stock wheels are expensive if you can find them. In the cold, I've only been getting 37mpg. If I get the 205, that might "show" mid 30's. My last car was a full size, huge, Park Avenue, V6. I got 30-32 in the highway. It is a disgrace I have a pop can with a lawnmower engine, with a hi-bird battery that will be in the 30's. I've had my car for a year. I've ran 35psi both front and rear (stock is 35/33). My ride is so harsh. I took out 2psi to 33 all around and the ride improved tremendously. I could hardly believe just a 2lb difference could make that much of an improvement but it did. Thank you for the input I received. ebm
Yes but a park Ave is like driving a couch .comfy . Just don't be upsetting things that v6 is a known mpg maker. It's not mess. The height but the width thats what's sticking to ground . I noticed tire road contact goes up mileage go down . Too sticky a tyre is also a problem .... fine balance
Not positive about strut height or tallness that'd probably be handled by spring height. Or it must be few tenths of inch . All the quality parts far as struts list only the one height all same
Found out more tonight. My car has really good quality "summer" tires. Summer tires are a lot stronger sidewall then all season or winter. If I got the same size (195/55R16) in a all season, it would be softer ride then what I have now. Now I have to decide between a 195/55R16 all season-softer sidewall or a 205/55R16 all season. The all season stock size makes going to a 205 not as much different. Hayslayer, do you have 205's on your Prius? What do you like, dislike? Thank you, ebm
