Advice? I want to swap out my 16" aluminum wheels because they're expensive to replace if bent

If you can balance them to a tolerable vibration level that would lead me to believe they are repairable. I have a good friend of mine who has repaired dozens of aluminum wheels that have been damaged. My point is search locally for someone to repair your wheels if you haven't already. Start with aftermarket wheel shops and go from there.

 

Going from the 17 inch to the 16 inch should not be an issue. The touring vehicle did not have larger rotors or a different setup, so you should be able to just swap. Point to consider if you are hitting those kinds of potholes then most likely you will bend these wheels as well. You should always have your wheels checked out if they are bent. Just because you can balance them does not mean there is no structural damage done. These are cast as I recall so they are not as strong as a forged wheel? I am thankful that I live in the shake and bake area of the US and not where the roads are torn up so badly. Keep your tires inflated perhaps even a bit higher than standard to insure that they hold up well when they do drop into a pot hole. Perhaps a set for the winter and a nice set for the summer. They do repair these holes?

 

If wheel damage and hitting potholes are both "inevitable" then you should move to steel 15" wheels and use 185/65-15 tires which is the tire size for the non-Touring Prius. Those tires provide additional sidewall to cushion the impact of hitting potholes compared to the Touring low-profile tires.

Then if you are concerned about resale value, buy the correct wheels and tires for the car when you are ready to sell it.

Do not continue to keep damaged wheels in service.

 

Low profile tires are all the rage, today, basically, "just for looks."

Higher profile tires give you a better ride and more resistance to pot holes. At the beginning of the automobile industry, low profile tires were all they had due to the expense of rubber and limited manufacturing technology.

A smaller sized "steel" wheel might weigh less than a larger sized aluminum wheel and actually reduce unsprung weight.

 

You can buy 2nd hand wheels on eBay for about $100 ea. Damaging 3 rims since 2007 isn't that bad. Replacing a set of shocks is 10x that amount

 

I would look for original Toyota prius rims 15" and put 195/65-15 tires on there. Basically a set from a 3rd Gen would be perfect. I did that on my 07 and I love it.