17 or 16 inch tire differences in road noise, and ride quality

Rusina

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Hi all. I currently own a 2016 Civic EX with the factory 16 inch wheels. In the distant future I am looking to upgrade to a 17 inch wheel combination similar to the EX-T and above.

I would not consider getting an 18 inch wheel due to the thought of a downgrade in ride quality or increased road noise. I feel a 17 may give a good balance of a sportier look and a good ride quality.
Can anyone verify that. In other words, would there be a noticeable difference in road noise or a bumpier ride if I switched to a 17 inch wheel.
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VarmintCong

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17s are the best compromise imo. 16s are a little too squishy, you feel more torque steer and body roll, with not much improvement in ride. Actually the ride with 18s is pretty good, I mainly downsized cause of potholes.
 

BarracksSi

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I wouldn't go any bigger than 17s, either, if you want decent ride quality.

There's some spots on my commute where I really don't like what I'm feeling from my 18s. There's an expansion joint at a bridge where the pavement is starting to get compressed a couple inches below the steel joint, and it seems like my OEM 235/40 18s are hitting the now-exposed steel edge really hard. I never felt the same thing on the 16s I had on my EP3 (although it probably helped that they were maybe 15 lbs lighter along with the deeper 205/50 sidewall profile).
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