Tires size possible deal breaker on 2023 Prius?

Good to know.

At least a year ago, I lurked on here a bit and also on the prius reddits and I saw a lot complaints about issues with the prius 19" wheels: tire damage, rim damage, and then the difficulty of finding spares. That, plus the quality (or lack thereof) of IL roads, has steered me to avoid them. But, if they work for others and they are ok with their ride and their pluses and minuses, then that is good to hear.

 

Have you driven a trim with 17 inch wheels? If so, is the difference great enough that you could tell which wheel a car has from the ride and sound?

I ask because it seems accepted that many Toyotas will have worse NVH than competitors, and more sidewall seems like an easy route to less NVH.

This also brings to mind the conversation about some versions of the 2 liter having balance shafts and others not. People complain a lot about intrusive engine noise especially when it is tied to the CVT. I wonder how much of that comes from people whose little Toyotas have an engine without balance shafts.

My 2021 Corolla engine sounded a bit rough toward redline (which I didn't mind a bit). Maybe that's because I was in the cheap end of the Toyota pool.

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere that trims with 19” wheels have suspension that is tuned to be slightly softer to maintain approximately the same level of ride quality/cabin isolation compared to the 17” wheels. That being said, I don’t recall the source of this information (may have been somewhere here on PC), nor have I personally conducted a side-by-side comparison of ride quality…

 

You are slightly misremembering. It was discovered that there was one part of the suspension with a different part number between the 17" wheel and 19" wheel versions. But we don't know exactly what the difference is between the two parts. It could be related to ride quality, it could be related to the unsprung weight differences, or it could be because of something completely unrelated to the wheel size(something connected to some option on the upper trims that isn't on the SE/LE). We just don't know for certain and can only speculate/guess.

 

OK, lets fire up this thread again. We just bought a 2025 AWD Nightshade (like XLE) which has the 19x6.5J wheels and Michelin Primacy 195/50R19 tires. My plan is to get a good spare (not a doughnut) and keep it in the garage in case we have a local tire issue. For long-distance trips, we would carry the spare in a bag in the back with luggage, seat(s) folded down.

My question is: would it be wiser to 1) get a matching Nightshade 19-inch black-finished alloy wheels, fit it with a matching Michelin Primacy, and then do tire rotations using 5 tires, or 2) get any suitable lower-cost wheel and tire, and use this as a temporary spare as needed for emergencies.

Ouch! Just checked a matching Nightshade wheel from Toyota is $613. So #2 is looking like a wiser solution. So .... any ideas on where to find a wheel and tire for this car to use as a spare?

 

Why not use a Toyota OE donut type spare? Because that would be by far the simplest and cheapest solution.

 

That is one good idea. I have the 19" and take some comfort from Hammersmith comments above to suggest the 19" have less problems (maybe) than reported. So, together with that comment, although I have the same concern as Soundog, I have decided to take some risk, live with the inflation pack provided until I replace the OEM tires. And, when I replace the OEM tires I will keep the best one, put it on a cheap rim, and use it as a spare. At least, that is my current plan.

 

We go on occasional long trips where we are far from any sort of service. I've read doughnut tires are limited to around 50 miles, which is not an optimum solution for me. I prefer a "real" spare. I want a wheel and tire I can drive on for an entire trip without being stranded without a tire. The wheel/tire also needs to not create any safety concerns when combined with the stock tires.

The challenge is finding a wheel that will work on our Prius at a decent price. The tire (e.g a Michelin Primacy All Season All-Season 195/50R19 88H) can be ordered through WalMart or Costco. If I can find a lower cost spare tire that would work ok on a long haul with my existing Primacy's, all the better.

 

The gen 5 temp spare rim is likely what's shown on this page:

Disc wheel & wheel cap for Toyota Prius ZVW60R - Auto parts - Amayama

Specifically:

Buy Genuine Toyota 4261121280 (42611-21280) Wheel, Disc (For Spare). Prices, fast shipping, photos, weight - Amayama

part no: 42611-21280

Inputting the above part no on toyota usa parts site:

Autoparts Search results for '42611-21280'

And inputting 90210 as zip code, street price at Toyota of North Hollywood dealership is $85~ USD:

Disc Wheel #42611-21280 | Autoparts.toyota.com

^ That's the rim dealt with.

Spare tire spec is: T145/90D16 106M

From TireRack:

Yokohama Y870B T145/90D16

 

There might be a flaw in your logic, you get a flat, you put on your full-size spare, drive for days/weeks on end, get another flat and now you're screwed.

If on the other hand, you get that first flat, put on a temp spare, which will get you to the next decent sized town no problem, and promptly get the tire repaired/replaced, then you're back to normal, and still have that temp spare in reserve.

I haven't said this in a while: if you want a spare tire, the long term best method, and pretty much the ONLY method to rein in the corner-cutting auto manufacturers, is to only buy cars that come with a spare.

 

Interestingly, on the the above linked page, there's also what's apparently a stock 17" rim, and I'm seeing $145 CDN, for that. Likely a steel rim?

Link to that tire:

Buy Genuine Toyota 4261147641 (42611-47641) Wheel, Disc. Prices, fast shipping, photos - Amayama

Part no: 42611-47641

Feeding that part no into Toyota USA parts site draws a blank. Several google hits though, from US online sites.

Note, this amayama page is indicating location as "Asia and the Middle East", they're the only option currently available for "frame number" with "60", which indicates 5th gen.

 

Thanks for the input, Wendel, I appreciate it.

By chance, I found someone selling a 19x6.5J wheel from a Prius for $220, so am gonna use that for a spare, mounting the same Michelin Primacy tire that just came on our new Prius. I'll do 5-tire rotations; extended wear time will help pay for the spare. The spare will be stored in our garage for local any needs, and taken along on longer voyages.

I chose to not take a chance on longer trips with having to drive long distance on a doughnut; even if I made it to some small cow town on a doughnut, it could take days to get the right tire if its not repairable. I hope we never need the spare, but peace of mind is a wonderful thing.

 

If all you plan to use it for is a spare, just go with the Toyo Extensa in 195/50R19. It runs about $60 cheaper than the Michelin. It's still a little pricy at around $190, but at least it's a little better. And it's an OEM tire, so you don't have to worry about size compatibility.


I don't know what part of PNW you're from, but you might also consider getting a set of Michelin X-Ice Snows as winter tires. If you mounted at least one on a new rim, you could use that as a spare. Just something to think about if you're in the part of PNW that gets regular snow.


Or as a completely different solution, you could do this as a full-size spare:

Wheel - 42611-47641 - 17x6.5 steel wheel - about $80+S&H if imported from Japan(not available from Toyota USA*)
Tire - Toyo Extensa in 195x60R17 - about $155 from TireRack

It's not an exact match for the 195/50R19(26.2" vs. 26.7"), but it should be close enough to use as a spare. You could even choose to put a TPMS sensor in it so you wouldn't even get a warning light.


*Oops. While it's not available from the official Toyota parts site, it looks like it's available from the alternate Toyota parts network. I'm seeing it listed on ToyotaPartsDeal among others. Looks to be about $130-$140+S&H plus it's a special order. Might still make sense to order from Japan as the delivery times might be similar.

 

I truly hate my 19" wheels. The thinner rubber does nothing for me. I like fat rubber under my car.
Most of all, I hate the rough ride. Every time I hit a bump, it's like a shot in the kidney. It wears on you.

 

So, Mr. Gregory, is there a good solution for a 2023-2025 that provides fatter rubber and happier kidneys?

 

If memory serves, a 215/55-17 should be the correct circumference.

I'd love to see a silver painted steel wheel with something to cover the hub. In the 80s, VW steel wheels were contoured to accept a four inch hub cap. That doesn't look like a feature of any current steel wheel.

 

I'd trade mine for the 17" straight across.

 

The way I see it, you have three choices if you want to change tires for max comfort:

1. As soon as possible, buy a new set of 17" wheels(OEM or aftermarket) and tires with thicker sidewalls(around $2k give or take). Either the stock size of 195/60R17 or maybe go to a 17x7 or 17x7.5 wheel so you can fit a set of 215 or 225 tires. That opens up many more tire options - both different models and different brands. You'll lose some mpg from increased wind resistance, but you won't be restricted to only two tire choices. The reason you're doing the change right away is so you can try and sell your existing wheels and tires while they're in like-new condition. That is if you can find a buyer. You might be able to get $500-$1000 back from the set if you manage to find someone that wants them.

2. Do all of the above but keep the existing wheels/tires for backups. Most expensive choice.

3. Use the existing tires until they're worn out and you need to replace them anyway. At that point you're looking at $1k no matter what, so maybe you decide it's time to add an extra $1k for new wheels to try a different tire size. Then maybe try and sell the slightly scuffed original wheels for $250-$500. Depending on how much you can get in options 1&3, this actually might be the most financially wise option of the three.

(*I'm using $1k for tires and $1k for wheels as nice even placeholders. You might be able to shave some of that money off, but it's better to estimate a little high to start with.)



The choice is totally up to your desired comfort and how much you're willing to spend to get it. I'm personally just fine with my 19" wheels after a little over 2 years and 27k miles, but obviously others have different opinions. The only thing I plan to change when my Toyos wear out is which Michelin I plan to replace them with. CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 3 Sport if they're available, stock Primacy if they're not.

 

I bought all new tires around 50k. I never thought to get 17" wheels.

 

I drive around bumps, so no rough ride, and get my shots in the kidney the old fashioned way.