d725

That's what a lot of people say - silky. I could never describe it that way. I can only guess these people never have to drive on grooved concrete roads?

mirkee

I am looking for a 2016-2018 rx350. I see them with both 18" and 20" wheels. I am not too interested in performance but I am interested in a quiet comfortable ride. Which tires would be better for my needs, 18" or 20". I think the 20" look better but I don't want a hard riding tire. I get my tires at Costco, usually Michellins.

xxx350L

Our 2019 RX 350L has 20” wheels with Bridgestone Ecopia 235/55/20’s and the ride is very comfortable. We came out of a BMW X3 M40i with M Sport Suspension and 19” wheels with run flat performance tires and the ride was firm. In a Lexus, I think you’re going to have a great ride with either wheel size. When the OEM tires need replacement, I’m going with Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06 255/50ZR20. The Conti’s are more of a performance tire. They’re quiet and comfortable, but a little more expensive.

elimmigran

All dependent on your definition of "comfort". I'm on 22s with no complaints.

ravenuer

"Generally" speaking, the larger the wheel diameter, the harsher the ride. I think that's true when the larger wheels use lower aspect ratio tires which don't flex as much, stiffening the ride.
I specifically wanted 18s on my RX350 when I bought it.

Usual

I test drove both, expecting the 20s to be slightly rougher over small pavement imperfections, but didn't observe any significant difference.
In retrospect, I should have checked the tire inflation on both.
Personally, I dislike the look of the 18s immensely.

mirkee

That's my quandary. I like the ride of a smaller wheel but I think the premium 20" wheels look better.

RGSW

I've had both 18s and 20s and really can't tell the difference. I enjoy the 20s now that I have them. I've had many compliments on the smooth quiet ride of the Rx with 20s.

Blaque Diamond Wheels

Comfort will always be subjective. I've heard stories from across the board, but until you feel it for yourself, you won't know.

mikemu30

Get the 20s - the 18s look horrible on this car.

mirkee

So how much more of a gap between tire and fender, 18's vs 20's, given the different tire profiles. I left my slide rule at home today.

uvmshoob

I've only had my 2019 RX350L for a few weeks, but the ride is plenty cushy on the 20" wheels. It's quiet and soft compared to my wife's last car, a Honda Odyssey, on 17s.

mirkee

I keep reading that the overall tire diameter, or circumference for that matter, is the same on 18" tire vs. 20" I did some quick calculations and come to the conclusion that the tire diameter is very nearly the same. Has anyone else made this calculation? If the gap between fender and tire, in other words, the tire diameter, is nearly the same, I don't really care about rim aesthetics and would rather have the 18" for a softer ride. It's surprising that Toyota does not offer a fancier 18 rim to replace the stocks. Probably a marketing decision, I suppose.

Has anyone else done the calculations? Overall tire + rim diameter for 18" vs. 20".

My head hurts.

uvmshoob

Yeah, the overall tire diameter has to be the same (18" vs. 20") or the speedo would be off. I think it's really the look of the vehicle with less rubber and more wheel vs. an larger gap with the fender that we're talking about.

And the ride is plenty soft with 20" - though I'm going to 18" for my winter set up to put more rubber between the wheel and potholes.

Erik

2008M3

to anyone with experience, does the oem 18 inch wheels ride smoother and softer than the 20 inch fsport wheels?

does the fsport suspension compensate for the bigger wheels to create the same comfort and soft ride as the 18 in the base model?