I have just bought an SE L. 5 years old.

I believe it has 17" alloys.

I wondered if anyone has gone down a size to 16" which is what I believe Scala come with on the SE trim.

Do it make a difference to road noise and/or fuel efficiency?

Can we only change the size or if we get new alloys can we change anything else about the tyre to make it more comfortable?

Generally owners who swap to smaller wheels find the road quality improved with the 3rd-world roads of the UK - but things like road noise and fuel economy depend on the tyres you fit, their design, manufacture compounds and composition. To some extent the width of the tyres effect noise, vibration ride and comfort.

For decades now the fashion has been for oversized wheel and tyres, particularly in the UK (depending on brake size callipers size) you could easily be on 15" wheels.

Brakes, steering and suspension rely on the tyres so the age and wear of the (whole) tyres is important to these systems, and not just the tread depth.

If you have not had a 5 year old VW car for not long, or any new-to-you car I would suggest not making any changes for a while to check the whole car, and not just the engine, has been fully and timely serviced and maintained (most are not despite it being claimed). If you do need to change the tyres then yes this would be a time to perhaps also change their size and wheel size.

What wheel sizes are popular and what makes and models of tyres popular can be debated and may or may not suit you and your driving, generally stick with the size options offered when the car was new, info hyperlink at bottom of post along with tyre size comparisons. If a tyres size is now more expensive because it's a VW choice that isn't generally popular then a slight change in size may be acceptable.

With VW products the state of charge and health of the 12v battery is very important for issue free running, loads of threads and posts on this subject on Briskoda and the possible (probable) need for an appropriate charger maintainer for preventative recharging before the battery charge gets low enough to upset the computers, not that low.

Lastly, there's a 'Tyres & Wheels' section on Briskoda full of information.

HTH.

'Wheel-Size.com' (Škoda models)- https://www.wheel-size.com/size/skoda/

"Tire" size calculator (USA based) - https://tiresize.com/tyre-size-calculator/

'Will they Fit' - https://www.willtheyfit.com/

'Tyres & Wheels' - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/213-tyres-wheels/

Edited 12 December, 202512 Dec by nta16
typo

Thanks.

I don't want to get any usual tyre size that will be hard to fix in an emergency.

Do not get ones that are then, be that in Hampshire or in far flung places in the wilds of the UK. Do you carry a full size spare wheel?

It looks like 16'' is an option, if they fit over the front brakes?

You can also check the Tyre Pressure Sticker Plate for sizes as well. ( behind the fuel filler cap? )

Skoda
SCALA:
KW:66>110	Vin:NH	Year:19 -	Caliper:
PCD:5x100	GVW:1880	Max Speed:220	Kerb Weight:
NutBoltThreadType:M14x1.5	NutBoltHex:17	BoltLength:28	NutBoltTorque:125
Tyre Load Speed Norm Press Laden Press Rim Size Offset Cent Bore RunFlat Extra Load Track Max RimWidth F: 205/55R16  91  V  2.3  2.5  6 x 16  40  57.1        8  R: 205/55R16  91  V  2.3  3.2  6 x 16  40  57.1        8

Scala 1.5L TSi 150ps SE L	KW:110	Year:	Vin:NW
Tyre Load Speed Press LadenPress RimSize Offset RunFlat Extra Load F: 205/50R17  89  W      6.5 x 17  40      R: 205/50R17  89  W      6.5 x 17  40
Scala 18 Opt	KW:	Year:	Vin:NW
Tyre Load Speed Press LadenPress RimSize Offset RunFlat Extra Load F: 205/45R18  90  V      7 x 18  40      R: 205/45R18  90  V      7 x 18  40
Scala 1.5L TSi Monte Carlo	KW:110	Year:	Vin:NW

205 55 16 is a very common size.

Thanks. AG Falco

16" are very likely the size in the Owners Manual if Snow Chains are required to be fitted.

There you go, the overwide 205 and too short fashionable 55 (ratio, sidewall) tyres go on 16" wheels and can replace the 205/50/17. How much difference the calculated nominal 10% increase in sidewall height with exactly like-for like tyres (same manufacture, model, design. compound and composition) makes you'd have to ask anyone Scala owner with the same model as yours (engine, gearbox, suspension, spec level).

Things might have changed in 2020 but the 2015 Fabia my wife bought had Nexen N blue HD tyres from new and whilst they weren't ditch finders they weren't much on performance and easily improved on even sticking to (the oversized) 185/60/15, I would have preferred 14" or even 13" !! wheels (viewers under 50 feint or have the vapours) as I'm very unfashionable.

Good luck in your research, take tyre label grades with a large pinch of salt.

I'll probably just aim to get the stock skoda ones - maybe find someone to swap my alloys with.

17 minutes ago, mouk said:

I have just bought an SE L. 5 years old.

I believe it has 17" alloys.

I wondered if anyone has gone down a size to 16" which is what I believe Scala come with on the SE trim.

Do it make a difference to road noise and/or fuel efficiency?

Can we only change the size or if we get new alloys can we change anything else about the tyre to make it more comfortable?

Skoda approved wheel sizes (for Scala)

195/65R15 6Jx15 ET35 (winter tyre size, ie. approved by Skoda for snow chains) (only available as a steel rim)

195/60R16 6Jx16 ET35 (winter tyre size, ie. approved by Skoda for snow chains) (both steel and alloy rims are available in the 6Jx16 ET35 specification)

205/55R16 6Jx16 ET38 (only alloy rims come with the ET38 offset)

205/55R16 6Jx16 ET40 (only steel rims come with the ET40 offset)

205/50R17 6.5Jx17 ET40 (alloy rims only)

205/45R18 7Jx18 ET39 (alloy rims only)

Interesting non-standard 15" wheel option

205/60R15 6Jx15 ET38 (this specification rim is from the Fabia MK3) (steel and alloy rims are available in the 6Jx15 ET38 specification.

6Jx15 ET38 alloy rims (from Fabia MK3)

https://eshop.skoda-auto.cz/cs_CZ/alu-kola/c/alloyWheels?q=%3ApriceAsc%3AcarType%3AFabia%2BIII%2B%25282014%252B%2529%3ArimDiameter%3A15%2522&text=#

The most sensible option is probaby the standard 205/55R16 6Jx16 ET38/ET40. 205/55R16 is the most common car tyre size in Europe. The higher 60 profile (more sidewall height) 205/60R15 is a standard tyre size on the Octavia MK1, but is more expensive than 205/55R16 and less common.

In general with all other things being equal, the more sidewall height the better the ride.

15" rims will clear the front brake calipers on all Scalas. For example, Skoda approves 195/65R15 6Jx15 ET35 (winter tyre size that can be used with snow chains) for all Scalas.

Sidewall height

205/50R17 102.50mm

205/55R16 112.75mm (10% more sidewall height compared to 205/50R17)

205/60R15 123.00mm (20% more sidewall height compared to 205/50R17)

Outside diameter of tyres

205/60R15 627.0mm (non-standard tyre size)

205/55R16 631.9mm

195/65R15 634.5mm

205/50R17 636.8mm

195/60R16 640.4mm

205/45R18 641.7mm

Edited 13 December, 202513 Dec by Carlston