Introducing big size wheels and tyres in the vehicle has been the new trend lately. Certain people decide to put on larger wheels in the vehicle throughout the colder time of year for better driving in unfriendly climate conditions. On the other hand, many others lean toward levelling it up for better appearance or increased ground clearance.
Nonetheless, do these changes provide more benefits or are they a disadvantage to drivers? To understand what oversize wheels and tyres do to the vehicle, let’s have a look at the pros and cons in detail.
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Pros Of Oversized Wheels & Tyres
Upsizing your wheels and tyres can actually have a positive impact on the vehicle and the driving conditions. Most people prefer larger wheels because it gives them more space to drive on different types of roads (mud, gravel, city).
Here are some pros of having oversize wheels and tyres –
- Increased Ground Clearance
One of the biggest reasons to increase the wheel size is to increase the ground clearance of the vehicle. There are several people who want to drive their vehicles on rough terrains and in off-road conditions. Therefore, to adjust properly to such terrain and get a better driving experience, they replace their existing wheels and tyres to get more ground clearance.
- Better Appearance
Another significant reason people choose oversized wheels and tyres is to improve the appearance of the car. Small car owners often choose big wheels and tyres so that it provides an enhanced exterior look to the car. The bigger size tyres give the car a sporty look and make the vehicle stand out from the crowd when there’s a lot of cars.
- Improved Grip & Traction
Typically, the oversized and wide tyres have more rubber compounds for them. This essentially shows that the vehicle’s tyres can connect with the street, subsequently offering better grip and traction. Ultimately, it offers better handling of the vehicle and greater steering control. Bigger but thinner wheels offer much better traction on snow.
Apart from this, oversized tyres provide better braking capabilities. And since bigger tyres have wider sidewalls, it offers improved cornering as well.
Cons Of Oversized Wheels & Tyres
While some people say that there are visible disadvantages of having oversize wheels and tyres, they can be merely called trade-offs. Larger wheels are good in certain conditions, but they are not suitable all the time.
Here are a few cons of bigger wheels and tyres –
- More Fuel Consumption
Oversized wheels have more weight, which brings about the engine working harder than its regular performance. Subsequently, the fuel consumption increases as a result. An engine with higher horsepower generation won’t consume too much fuel. In simple words, a powerful engine will not increase fuel consumption. However, such an engine will not be economical.
- Poor Acceleration
The steering feels a little heavier than usual when you install oversized tyres. A larger tyre will have more rubber content, which means that it will have a much larger contact patch with the road. The added weight will lead to the slow turning of the vehicle, slow acceleration, and provide an overall poor drive.
- Erroneous Speedometer
A vehicle’s technology is aligned by the standard parts or parts that come installed in it. In any case, during the upgrade of vehicle parts, this standard technology may not react precisely. For example, the vehicle wheels oversizing from 16 to 19-inches will deliver erroneous speedometer results.
Oversize Wheels & Tyres: Should You Change?
The answer is that it depends on what you want to achieve from the car. If your aim is to increase ground clearance because you are an off-road, adventure seeker, then oversizing your tyres must be a good idea. However, if you are looking for fuel economy, then maybe sticking to the standard wheels and tyres is the better solution.
Also Read – Tyre Upsizing: Should You Or Shouldn’t You?
Customer Care:
Hi,
I want to upgrade my Elite i20 tyres from 195/55/R16 to 205/55/R16, how much difference it would effect car’s performance, fuel efficiency?? As my driving is 90% on highways so which tyres should I go for??
Is it viable to upgrade tyre size from 195 to 205??
Rgds
Abhishek Desai
Yes, you can go ahead with this upsize.
Sir i want upgrade my car tyre 215/60R16 to 235/60R16, is ok?
Approximate 2 CM width increase, is this harm my car (brezza)
Hello,
you can avoid this upsize as there is a slightly more than-usual increase in your rim size which will increase your mileage, cause steering issues as well as incorrect speedometer/odometer reading.
Thanks
Hi sir now my car Tyres size is 205/65/16
But I want upgrade the size with 225/60/16.
Almost 20 mm upgrade width..
My car is 7 seater. This is ok for me ?
My car is 205/65/r15 I want to upgrade it to 205/70/r15. Is this advisable?
Hi Moses,
unfortunately, the size 205/70 R15 is an aggressive upsize and would not be recommended for your current tyre size.
Thanks
My nissan lafista rims are 1 inch over the factory standard size (15 inch to 16 inch). Could that causing the acceleration to fluctuate while climbing on rough road?
There are many factors that can cause this. Kindly let us know your current tyre size so we can help you further.