16" rubber?

I am also thinking about getting a Prius C4 and the 15" vs 16" rims also has me wondering which to get. On the one hand I hear the ride is much smoother with the 15", along with better turning and better MPG. The 16" look better I think, but worse turning and not a smooth of a ride. I am leaning toward the 15"...

 

I have 16". I had C3 on the test drive with 15" rims. Can't really say that I’ve noticed the huge difference in ride between 15" and 16" rims. Yeh, my 16" are kind of hard on a sharp shaped bumps but it is commonly for any low profile tires. On the other hand I do love sharp handling of my steering and a sporty look. Yep, turning radius a bit bigger compared to 15" rims, but in my case it is not a big deal. The reason why I didn't buy a C3 is because it had a sunroof (which was no-no to me) and I preferred black monotone color of my dash compared to silver on C3, and since C4 on 16" rims I've got was the only one available at that time, I bought my C4 and love it ever since.

 

Unfortunately there are no real LRR tire available in that size. I would like to think there will be someday soon. If you want max efficiency then get the 15" wheels. If you want better looks then get the 16s.

 

Can't really say that I loose MPG on my 16". My daily commute 14-15 miles one way and I am averaging 63-67 MPG on the daily basis in the morning w/o AC on and 56-65 MPG on the way back with AC set on 77 in auto all the time when it is a 100F outside. I can make 73-76 MPG in the morning when I am in the mood and I have extra couple minutes to do so. The speed limits on my way are between 30 and 45 MPH.

 

Have you run a set of OE 15" wheels on this car? If not then you cannot say one way or the other. All you can say is that you still get increible fuel economy even with the 16s. Please don't make the same argument the Prius Five owners try to make when they say they are not losing fuel economy with their 17" wheels simply because they can get EPA numbers.

 

I am not trying to make any argument here... I just gave my personal opinion with regards to my experience with the 16" rims I have, and my personal MPG observations compaired to the C's average on Fuelly. There is nothing in my post above says that 15" rims are sucks and 16" rocks. All I said that i can't really say that I loose MPG.

 

All F8L is saying is that, although you get fantastic mpg with the 16", you can never really know if you're "losing" mpg compared to what you would be getting with the 15" because you have not/cannot make a direct comparison. You can assume that it doesn't make much of a difference, given the numbers you're getting, but you have no way of knowing if the size of the tires has an effect. Science!

But, of course, if you're happy with the mpg you're getting with the 16" (which you very clearly should be), then that doesn't matter!

 

Ashley summed it up and I'm still very impressed with the mileage you're getting. Great job!

 

I just had bad experience with them in the past (not on C or any other prius) and there is no prolonged period of time when I can use it here in TX anyway. So taking it into consideration I thought it's not worth $800+ IMHO

 

Since it is not packaged with the solar ventilation option I totally agree with you. Even here in Sacramento I have to keep my sunroof covered due to excess heat beating down on you through the glass. I really only used it during the spring and even then only during slow city cruising because of the noise.

 

That's exactly right. So taking all these facts into consideration I thought that I can find a better use of these $800+ which Toyota charges for the sunroof.

 

Looking on my PC4 from the height of the time passed by, I believe it was meant to be. I didn't see this car on the parking lot from the beginning. When I was talking to the dealer I specifically pointed out that I want C3, not less not more. But when he offered to take a look at C4 after I test drove C3, I was actually sold for C4. The color was exactly the one I was looking for, I felt in love with the fake leather seats, C4 on the 16" rims looked sporty to me, and I didn't really want a silver dashboard of C3 in my car (even though I could live with that fact).

 

Im getting about 55mpg on a tank more or less with my 16s. I don't know about how the 15s feel but the C does handle very well and that's what makes it so much fun! Taking corners over 30mph and gliding help keep my momentum up hehe! If you like spirited driving then 16s are for you!

 

Wait- you can order what you want from Toyota? I've actually been waiting for a month for a dealer to find a C4 in CA that was blue streak metallic, has the 16s and moonroof, and the black softex. I had no idea you could just order one from Toyota. I'm told one like what I want will arrive in mid July. If I can't find someone to sell me that at or below MSRP, I'd love to know how to order one from Toyota, if you already know how.

 

When I was buying my C, my dealer told me if I want to have a car the way I want it - they can do it, but it will take couple of months to get it here. It was back in late March, so the wait time by now might be a little bit longer. But as an answer to your question, there should be no problem for the dealer to order a car specifically made to meet your taste.