Hi,

So my Elegance has the max wheel size, I think 19 inches. The problem is with the dreadful potholes in the UK tyres are being damaged almost continually. I am wondering if getting 16 inch wheels would improve matters with the tyre damage. I am wondering if it will improve ride quality significantly as well. Obvously, there is the cost of new wheels against this. Does anyone have any advvice or suggestions? Any ideas on where to get wheels Thanks i advance. Andrew

Please use the search function. There are already many threads about this subject:
https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/355341-just-switched-from-18s-to-16s/

And more....

Go 16” for comfort and low cost. Go 17” with a slightly larger side wall for best compromise looks cost comfort is what the forum members used to say

On 19/04/2026 at 12:12, Goderich said:

So my Elegance has the max wheel size, I think 19 inches. The problem is with the dreadful potholes in the UK tyres are being damaged almost continually. I am wondering if getting 16 inch wheels would improve matters with the tyre damage. I am wondering if it will improve ride quality significantly as well. Obviously, there is the cost of new wheels against this. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions? Any ideas on where to get wheels?

205/55R16 would be a sensible option for the Superb MK2.

One non-standard rim specification is 6.5Jx16 ET50 (Octavia MK2). It's the same as the Superb MK2 16" winter rim specification (ie. suitable for snow chains), except for the 0.5" difference in rim width. The advantages of these alloy rims are that they are cheap at about £108.82 each including UK VAT plus shipping from Czech (see the link below), and coming from the Octavia MK2 they are the same generation as the Superb MK2 and therefore match cosmetically.

205/55R16 is Europe's most common car tyre size, so there's lots of choice and lower prices than many other car tyre sizes.

Standard 16" wheel sizes (Superb MK2)

205/55R16 7Jx16 ET45 5/112 57.1

205/55R16 6Jx16 ET50 5/112 57.1 (winter wheel size, ie. suitable for snow chains)

The car's CoC (Certificate of Conformity) lists what wheel sizes Skoda has approved for any particular car, so that takes precedence to any general guide found on the internet...including here.

6.5Jx16 ET50 5/112 57.1 alloy rim CRATERIS 1Z0601025T 7ZS (Octavia MK2)

https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-part/1z0601025t7zs-aluminium-rim-crateris-16-skoda-43736.html

Edited 20 April20 Apr by Carlston

Thans very much

+1 for the 16" wheels.

I used to have a 1.4 TSI Mk2 Superb, a very nice ride and no issues with scuffing the alloys on kerbs or potholes

on the original fit 205/55R16 tyres; son-in-law now has the car with 160+k miles on it!

I found the offset of Octavia wheels made them sit too far into the arches when I tried a mk2 set of Vega wheels on my mk2 superb

Here's a couple of ET45 options, although they're far more expensive than the ET50 option previously linked to.

To help fill the wheelarches, perhaps use 6.5Jx16 ET50 rims with slightly wider non-standard 215/55R16 tyres...although that non-standard tyre size could also be used with the 7J rims...which would fill the wheelarches even more.

Bear in mind, that some Skoda owners don't mind having wheels that don't quite "fill the arches".

Fabia MK1 with wheels that don't quite "fill the arches" (185/60R14 6Jx14 ET43)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0koda_Fabia#/media/File:2004_Skoda_Fabia_Comfort_16V_Estate_1.4_Rear.jpg

7Jx16 ET45 5/112 57.1 alloy rim MOON 3T0601025N 7ZS

https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-part/3t0601025n7zs-aluminium-rim-16-moon-skoda-23312.html

7Jx16 ET45 5/112 57.1 alloy rim SPEKTRUM 3T0601025 7ZS

https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-part/3t06010257zs-aluminium-wheel-spektrum-skoda-17952.html

Vredestein Ultrac+ 215/55R16 93V (Euro label B A 69dB)

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m62b0s292p227322/Vredestein_Tyres_Car_Vredestein_Ultrac%2B_215_55_R16_93V_TL_Fuel_Eff_%3A_B_Wet_Grip%3A_A_NoiseClass%3A_B_Noise%3A_69dB

Edited 20 April20 Apr by Carlston

I had 17” alloys with all season tyres for the past year. A great compromise between aesthetics and comfort.

Mine has been lowered all its life from new in Switzerland (it’s a 2010 car bought used by me in 2013) until last week that is (French Certificicate Conformity issues…🙄🤦‍♂️) and it worked wonderfully on 17’s and 19’s. Now on 18’s.

I've got a Yeti and before I ordered it back in 2013 I took the advice of the most knowledgeable Yeti owners and got Skoda UK to agree 16" wheels rather than the standard 17" wheels. Thirteen years on they have withstood British roads and potholes well, I find them comfortable to drive on and when I've had to buy new tyres I'm happy saving around £40 a tyre compared with the 17" option. I'm on my second set of Michelin Cross Climate tyres and they seem to suit the car well. (For what it is worth, I've also found the MCCs pretty quiet in terms of road noise).

Edited 28 April28 Apr by Paul52
Extra information

Definitely for noise, comfort and for taking the pot holes with being destroyed when you do end up taking one.