Handling 15" vs. 17" wheels

My wife and I bought a Prius IV about two months ago, and the first thing we did was swap out the original wheels & tires for a set of Enkei RS-M (17x7.5) wheels and 215/45ZR-17 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tires (see pictures below). There is a a dramatic ride/handling difference as far as I'm concerned. As you might guess from my login name, my other car is a Corvette, and I have been a road race and autocross enthusiast for over three decades now. When fitted with the new wheels/tires, the Prius is MUCH more stable at highway speeds, doesn't "wobble" as much during lane changes (or those wonderfully fun 270 degree highway entrance ramps), has dramatically better traction in the wet, and the ride quality is almost unchanged.

While I won't be taking the Prius to the track any time soon (it is my wife's car and she was NOT amused when I suggested we both attend a track day last month ), the car is SAFE. To me, that is the bottom line. If a car handles so poorly that it spins out at the slightest provocation (remember the Pinto?), can't stop, or simply slides off the road because the tires, chassis, and suspension are junk, then the car is unsafe. Toyota has managed to create a good combination of safe handling, comfort, ride quality, and fuel economy. Kudo's to Toyota!

Now, if they can get the horsepower up to 500, pull 1.0 lateral g's, and have it still get 50+ mpg...

 

Your wife's car looks great with the 17" wheels/tires AF-Vette.

 

Thanks, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE correct your post. My WIFE's car looks great with the 17" wheels/tires. While we are seeing quite a few 2010 Prius on the road in the northern VA and DC area, not many have custom wheels/tires. Even non-Prius people have complemented the car.

 

My bad! Corrected the mistake as requested. Hope your wife isn't too disturbed by it.

 

I have the V (AT) with the stock tires/wheels. I find handling vastly better than with my Gen II. I haven't driven any of the 15" models, so I can't offer any comparison. I can say that I really like the increased steering sensitivity (less lock-to-lock steering wheel turns with the V), and I find cornering much better. I would expect this because the 17" V's have very stiff sidewalls. That alone would offer a nice cornering advantage to the V.

 

Thanks for the correction. Now, she said she MIGHT let me drive her car this weekend (after I wash it).

The cooler temperatures are starting to arrive and, in a week or two, we plan to cruise the Shenandoah National Park to admire the fall colors. In addition to the spectacular fall scenery, there are also a couple twisty segments on Skyline Drive that can be fun at relatively low speeds. Hopefully we won't get stuck behind a motor home so I can see how well the Prius holds on to the road. I will let y'all know how it goes.