Wheels... 15s vs 16s vs 17s vs 18s

[pizza4breakfast]

So I am trying to learn about wheels and tires for my baby, and I am wondering what sort of performance, driveability, and mpg differences you all see with different sized wheels and tires.

All I understand is, a smaller, lighter wheel will have better acceleration and mpg due to less mass and rotational inertia. But handling might suffer. And a larger wheel might "look" better and handle better.

What do you guys all think?

[themajesticone]

It is a bit relative - based on driver circumstances. I take it you are looking for something that looks proper but also provides function for daily driving and occasional track events?

It took me a while to decide myself but I based my reasoning similar to what I wrote above with function being primary to the wheel/tire change. Imo I would stick with 17x8+

I think there are some tools online that can calculate the change in Speedo reading, MPG, etc. based on the size of the wheel and tire vs. oem

[NWFRS]

Unless you're going for something very specific, I'd stick with 16"s or 17"s. Toyota put a lot of time and money and engineering into this car, and I'm thinking they chose 16"s and 17"s for their all-around performance across a variety of conditions. Middle of the road so to speak.

Shedding weight never hurts though, as long as you're not jumping curbs.

Just my $.02c

[pizza4breakfast]

Thanks, the more I research this I am convinced I want 16s. Specifically, light weight with a throwback look... I love the RPF1 and also the Classic Porsche style wheel that is black spokes with a silver rim.

[NWFRS]

Originally Posted by pizza4breakfast

Thanks, the more I research this I am convinced I want 16s. Specifically, light weight with a throwback look... I love the RPF1 and also the Classic Porsche style wheel that is black spokes with a silver rim.

Awesome.

I went with a 16x7.5" wheel myself very recently.

Personally-and this is just me-I feel like I'm not giving much up in terms of cornering and handling performance in day-to-day driving, but gained quite a bit in terms of comfort and ride quality.

I've only had about a week to judge so far, and it's totally subjective, but I think I like it better, and a lot depends on the tire we buy.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80935

[troek]

i track on 16x7" with 205/55 rs3s, and put down similar lap times to wider tire set ups. this is on fuji speedway with long straits and what not. but point is, 205-225 16 or 17 for amateurs like us, we wont notice a difference. i stuck with 16s cause i already had the tires, and its cheap to buy new ones. i can get a set of rs3s over here for 400 even.