I was just curious as to which size wheel has better MPG (on average, if anyone has any idea). Also, whether the 16", as I had read on a post on here, has better handling/agility? Just having a brainstorm. Thanks.

 

Well, if the wheel/tire combo still have the same weight, then the mpg should be exactly the same. The 17" wheel as a lower profile tire, thus making the outer diameter the same as the 16" wheel.

However, most of the 17" wheels are much heavier than the 16". That might be offset by the added rubber weight, but I'm not sure.

The 16" wheels are also narrower wheels which, theoretically, would reduce rolling resistance and help improve mpg (at the expense of road stickiness).

Really, I don't think it would make that big a difference.

Anyone out there know any official numbers?

 

I just went from 17" to 16" as an experiment and can tell you that there is a big difference in how it feels.

However, take my experience with a grain of salt, because the 17" wheels have runflats on, the 16" have Hankook Ventus on them.

It will be interesting for me when I get around to putting non-runflats on the 17's. Right now I am unsure as to whether the majority of the difference is with the Smaller Wheel vs. Lighter wheel vs. Tire Difference. Too bad that there is no way to quantify it.

Haven't noticed any significant mileage difference (after one tank).

 

I just recently switched from 17" s-lites with runflats to 16" Minilites with non-runflats and have seen no appreciable difference in mileage. My new 16's are the same width as the previous wheels, and the 205/50/16 tires are only about .1" less in total diameter than the old tires.

The new wheel/tire combo gives a more comfortable ride and handling is excellent, although the F1GSD3 tires don't have quite as fast a turn in as the old rock hard Goodyears. All in all I'm very pleased by my new setup. Hope this helps.

 

If you're talking about OEM wheels, then I suspect there wouldn't be much difference in mpg (though the 16"s would offer a slightly better ride quality). The difference in weight between a set of 16"s R84s with R/Fs and 17" S-Lites with R/Fs is only ~28 lbs.

 

Some tire treads have more efficient patterns, but usually going with a narrower tire (and rim) makes the most difference. When I had stock 175 width tires (5.5" rim) I averaged 30 mpg. When I switched to 205 width tires (7" rim) I averaged 27 miles per gallon. And as far as performance, the wider tire adds most grip although a skinnier tire may offer better steering feel. Your driving style will probably make the most difference when it comes to MPG.