My wifes Prius came with 15" alloys with the plastic covers on. I never thought to take the covers off or check the wheels out. Once I got the car I gave it a thorough clean and when I took the wheel covers off I realised the wheels were rubbish. Just bagged a set of brand new 17" alloys off ebay, no tyres though. I plan to use the existing 15's as the tyres are pretty good. It will give me time to save and get some tyres for the new wheels.
Nice rims. Beware- the ride from the 17" low profile tires is much harsher than the cushy ride the 15" tires offer. I've had both on my 2012 Prius- the 17"s are very sharp, but for max mpg and comfort- the 15" are best.
+1 17's on a Prius may look nice but your MPG's will drop. Seeing as how this is your wife's car you may want to explain that to her before she notices a 3-4 mpg hit or more just for looking more stylish
The wheels are not rubbish, the one's on our car look rubbish I think I'll keep that as my dirty little secret, she won't notice anyway. Probably won't even know that the wheels have been changed lol
Smart move. If she questions the new look, explain she must be standing closer to the Prius. I'm also moving up to the Prius 5, 17" wheels. IMO, a nice set of wheels makes the most positive visual impact on a car. Less MPG, harsher ride, don't care as it's a small trade off for me. With a PIP, I can spare the few lost MPG.
The OE 17s are quite nice. Nice upgrade! Food for thought, you'll get better fuel economy with a 205/50/17 tire and the car will look nicer than with the OE sized 215/45/17. You'll gain a little ride height too instead of losing height. It's something to consider.
Thanks for the tip, and it makes sense. I ordered the 215/45/17s yesterday. Hopefully someone here will benefit.
These tyres any good? http://www.camskill.co.uk/m54b0s304p106921/Hankook_Tyres_Car_Hankook_K115_Ventus_Prime_2_Hankook_K_115_-_205_50_R17_93W_XL_TL_Fuel_Eff_%3A_B_Wet_Grip%3A_B_NoiseClass%3A_1_Noise%3A_69dB Fuel efficiency rating B and wet grip rating B
I believe that is one of the tires BritPrius (John) recommends for best fuel efficiency and wet grip. I would send him a message or check his LRR Euro tyre thread.
