Ride Quality of 19 inch Alloys - Advice needed

[DaveR666]

Hi,

Just wondered if owners with 19inch alloys could confirm how they've found the ride quality?

I really like the looks 19's give the new S3 but worried the ride will be compromised.

Any opinions much appreciated, cheers

[ColinD]

I think on the open road, you may notice little real difference.

 

The test cars had 18's, one had 19's didn't get near that though. The test roads were also good scottish roads, not smooth, but not crashy holed rubbish.

 

So what is most of your driving going to be on? 

 

The MKII superb I had was on 18's, that was fine on motorways and scottish roads. It was a bit cringe worthy around town with potholes. However it was still night and day above a focus on 17's.

 

For me, Id think twice on 19's, but that's me living around a lot of potholes and using a lot of B-roads. 18's would not be too bad and possibly lower overall costs on tyres. Plus 19 is just huge to me growing up on 12'13,14's

[philbes]

My summer wheels are 225/40-18 and the winters are 225/45-17. I prefer the car on the winter wheels - better quality and quieter ride.

Swapped the wheels on a day when temperature was 9-11C. A quick drive before and after showed no discernible difference in braking, traction or road-holding. Today, at -2C, the winter tyres gave me far more confidence in the car than in my friend's Golf on 225-45/17 summer tyres.

[DaveR666]

A lot of motorway driving at the minute but do have a lot of B road driving and A road driving throughout the year. So a big mixture. My brother had 19's on his BMW 5 series M Sport and found they compromised the ride quality and split after hitting numerous pot holes. So not got great experiences of 19's.

[DaveR666]

Cheers for the feedback

[Coops]

I have 17s at present but am switching to 19s on the S3.

Spare a thought for a colleague, he's gone for 20s on an S-Line Audi.

[drewpost]

I have the 19s on mine. It's ex demo so it's what it came with. It is a bit of a harsher ride than the one with 18s that I test drove but not massively so. I'd say the thing that I dislike the most is the lower profile tyres. Hit a pothole that dos the tyre in that wouldn't have likely damaged a normal profile tyre.

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[eurotraveller]

Correct me if I’m wrong, someone please, but I believe 18s on the S2 are not equivalent to 18s on the S3 because the latter uses a higher profile tyre on 18s, i.e. with a greater rolling circumference – thereby also providing more 'cushioning' on a wheel of the same diameter.

 

Yes, the S2 can all too often give a pretty poor ride on 18s, but I believe the S3 is far better also for the above reason.

 

I drove an S3 demo with 19s, now have 18s and think the latter is definitely the better way to go. Sure, lower profile can 'look better', but in every other way it just makes far less sense. Think of the time you spend in the car versus the time you spend standing outside admiring it.

 

Generally speaking, low profile is a complete and utter nonsense serving only our vanity and the wheel refurb trade.

[Gizmo]

The 19’s on the MKIII actually have a bigger sidewall than the 18’s on the MKII (due to the MKIII having 235 wide tyres compared to 225’s on the MKII)

 

I had a MKII on 18’s then when I sold that went back to a MKI Superb on 17’s, my MKIII has 19” summer and 17” winter tyres, the difference?

 

19” with the suspension set to sports is actually more comfortable than the MKI and MKII on smaller wheels, there is also very little difference between the comfort of my 19’s and 17’s!

 

The only thing I regret about the 19’s is they make the car look awful when the 17’s are on, for me the 19” wheels really suit the Superb.

Edited 20 January, 2016 by Gizmo68

[Terry99]

My S2 had 18s and my (ex-demo) S3 has 19s.

Before delivery, I was worried that the 19s would give a harsher ride, but in fact the ride is a lot smoother than S2 18s.

[sooty1444]

Have 19in on mine,there is a slightly harsher ride on poor surfaces compared to the dealer car on 18's i drove,wont knock youre teeth out,bmw's on run flats far worse,for me with the superb being so big a car it needs those 19's,more classy looking,but they are a pricey option and can fully understand those who chose a tad more comfort over looks.for me she looks great on the phoenix 19's.kevin.

[Sagalout]

I test drove both all 3 sizes. I didnt like the 19's at all and thought there was a noticeable difference in the ride comfort between 19 and 18. The 18 has moe than enough 'handling' for me. I found the 17 a bit soft in corners if pushing on but again really comfortable when driven more sedately.

 

My view is that larger wheels are all about aesthetics. Lots of vehicles have grown in size over the years and wheels have had to follow as part of that larger design look. The Superb 3 is a big car and that is why many of you think it looks so good on 19" wheels.

 

But ponder this: 19" wheel =about 94mm tyre sidewall. 18"=105mm and 17"=about 118mm. Thats a lot more rubber soaking up bumps and potholes!

 

But then it's a very personal thing this compfortable ride thing. My pal has what I think is rock hard suspension and low profile tyres and thinks it is the mpost comfortacle ride. I cant go more than 10 miles with him without feeling battered and bruised. He got into mine and said he felt sea sick after 5 miles. So what is comfortable/more comfortable??

[DaveR666]

Sounds like I need to test drive both 19's and 18's. A bit of back story is that I'm coming out of a 2005 Renault Megane Trophy, which has a very hard ride, so think I might find the 19's ok, although I'm now doing lots of miles so the more comfort the better.

[stever750]

19s look great, got them on mine but superfluous on this car. I suspect ride quality better on 18s without any real world difference in how fast you can drive it. I had 19s on leon, a nightmare with potholed roads. More than once i thought id ripped a wheel clean off, at least dented or cracked the alloy!

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Edited 20 January, 2016 by stever750

[Booble]

I've come from an Octavia vrs on 18s to the superb on 19s. The ride is smoother in the superb, though you do get greater road feedback. But I love the car on the 19s and ride is more than acceptable for me

[Superb170]

The tyre and profile differences (factory fit/recommended) are:

 

MKII on 17s - 225/45/17 - sidewall = 101.25mm

MKII on 18s - 225/40/18 - sidewall = 90mm

 

MKIII on 18s - 235/45/18 - sidewall = 105.75mm

MKIII on 19s - 235/40/19 - sidewall = 94mm

 

I think the 40 profile (sidewall) on the MkII was just a step too far considering how the rest of the car is set up for comfort etc.  As the sidewall height was only 90mm on these, they are probably the least comfortable of all the factory Superb wheels.  At 94mm, the 19s have (in theory) to be more comfortable as Gizmo says above.

[sooty1444]

You do get the benefit of adaptive ride on the L&K spec,at least you do on the 280, select comfort,even on 19in the rides as soft as silk,dont push on in the comfort setting otherwise she starts to wallow about like a ship,but if you want to smooth out the roads,its the way to go,if youre mood changes,adjust the setting to sport,or even normal if a jolt or two bothers you,and enjoy the fun on the twisty bits.to sum up,if you plump for 19in wheels,and lets face it,if you can afford that upgrade,you can afford the adaptive ride,then problem solved.kevin.

[thepook]

Sounds like I need to test drive both 19's and 18's. A bit of back story is that I'm coming out of a 2005 Renault Megane Trophy, which has a very hard ride, so think I might find the 19's ok, although I'm now doing lots of miles so the more comfort the better.

 

Similar swap for me - coming from a Megane R26, and I found the demonstrators to ride quite softly - I have spec'd DCC so that I can get rid of the seasick feeling if I want to.

[DaveR666]

Test drove the superb on the weekend with 19's and to be honest coming from the Renault's Cup Suspension it felt great. Took the car down a country road and you got some feedback from the 19's but nothing much. To be honest i forgot they were 19's when i was driving it. Now to see if i can justify them

[Rebelred]

Go on!!!! );-)

[DaveR666]

By the way has anyone priced up the Supernova's 19's? Not managed to find any prices yet.

[stever750]

I suspect 18" are the optimum size for ride / handling balance. I find it a bit pattery on the 19s

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