Installed Lexus CT200h 17" wheels and 205/50/17 tires

The early thoughts we exchanged on these tires had us believing/expecting a more comfortable ride, if not quieter, also, because of the extra height of the tire. Is the current thought that the XL rating's stiffer sidewalls causing the drop in comfort? Any early thoughts about the noise factor?

To an extent yes. The more I researched this tire size the more I realized most 205/50/17 tires are XL rated instead of SL rated like most of the 215/45/17s. This is very good from a safety standpoint but compromises comfort to an extent. They are not terrible by any means but I have been spoiled by the smooth comfort of the Energy Saver A/S which rates very high for comfort.

Tire pressure gets tricky when tinkering around with all of these different tire sizes and load index ratings, however. The 215/45/17 (87V SL = 1201lbs) has a lower load rating than the OE 195/65/15 (89T SL = 1279lbs) and the 205/50/17 (93V SL = 1433lbs).

I'm not sure about noise. They are not as quiet as the Energy Saver A/S or the MXM4 were when they were brand new but until they break in I cannot say anything definitively. I'm going to lower the pressure back down and see how it goes.

f8l - thanks for your overall body of indepth tireless reporting. If i plan to get the plus rims & trd springs, would you suggest the 205 or 215?

And I hope these don't turn out to be a dud like the avid ascends. I remember the initial excitement and then the souring on them. if i remember correctly, there are no energy savers in 17s?

Justin answered just that question to me in a PM a few days ago. 17 inch exist, but not in the same geometries (offset, height, width etc) we find in the OEM.

Correct. Otherwise I would have purchased them in a heartbeat! I really really like the Energy Saver A/S.

Currently I think the 205/50/17 is the way to go BUT I need to explore this XL rating thing first. Because there are some choices available in 215/5/17 that are not available in 205/50/17 and vice versa this becomes a tough choice. One of the reasons I purchased these tires was to help figure out the best choice. Right now I am torn between the PureContact and the Primacy MXM4 as my recommended tire for the 17" size. The EP422 is also a consideration and may provide the best fuel economy at the expense of handling and traction.

I did receive confirmation that the ProContact should offer better fuel economy than the PureContact so in the 195/65/15 size I would not purchase the PureContact.

the rims are cool, but personally I don't like when it shows a different car brand in a Toyota.

I'll change the caps eventually. I agree with you.

I did my usual hypermile routine on the way home which basically means I drove at 60mph and didn't use CC. :/ I ended the trip at 69.8mpg. I usually get 75-80mpg when temps are in The 80s and and I don't get to go slower behind big rigs. So that makes my round trip worth 57mpg which isn't too bad considering but it is still 6-8mpg less than I wouldn't normally get even when the Energy Saver A/S was brand new. I will reset the trip B and see how tomorrow works out. The tires felt a little smoother and quieter on the way home but that is always the case in warmer temps and more ambient noise.

If I can maintain high 50s with the same driving that got me mid 60s then I'll be happy. I'll give these tires a few weeks before I decide if I will keep them or go to something else. Unfortunately they don't make the MXM4 is this size.

The wheels look GREAT! <thumbs up>

The lexus center caps look ghetto. <thumbs down>

I'm so poor I will have to put the Toyota caps on layaway!

I never intended to keep the Lexus caps. Search my historic posts about poseurs. LOL

Once I sell my OE wheels and the Energy Saver A/S tires I'll get new caps.

You can keep the center caps IF you get a iVTEC trunk logo.

Oh burnnnnnnn! Hahaha

I updated the first post to add pictures of the car with a 215/45/17 tire equipped.

Fuel economy came up a bit on this morning's commute despite cooler temps and a reduction in tire pressure from 42/40psi to 36/34psi. I now know that my speedo is reading dead accurate so I dropped my cruising speed to 58-59mph which is what it would have been with the 15" tires because of the 1.5mph to 2mph overspeed reading. This resulted in 47.7mpg vs. 45.6mpg yesterday. It was also about 4-5 degrees cooler this morning (54F) because I left over an hour earlier.

The ride comfort was better at the lower pressure but not as comfortable as the Primacy MXM4 despite having a taller sidewall than that tire.

Oh there's an easy way to get a certified calibration slip for your speedo Set your cruise for an indicated 90 mph and buzz past a trooper sitting in the median of your favorite Interstate. Soon you shall have a certified slip that will tell you your exact mph

Mike


Mobile on my SGH-i717

I'll stick with my GPS app for my phone! LOL

That sounds like my usual highway mpg's BTW now I know what you had in mind a while ago when you sent me that pic about the wheels.

Mike

Mobile on my SGH-i717

Aye, but I get to go back down hill on the way home which should be 70+mpg. Remember my morning commute looks like this. I drive a lot slower than you. lol

You still showing that pic ? If I scaled my drive the same, it would look like a vertical ascent.