Hi all,

Does anyone here have any experience of the different OEM wheel sizes and the accompanying ride comfort?

My 2016MY is on 22" wheels and I'm finding it incredibly harsh over broken surfaces and joints in the road (can't imagine how rough a 2013-2015 feels on 22"s given the ride is meant to be much better from 2016 onwards). The tyre size, spec and pressure are correct and all bushes but the lower D have no play whatsoever (lower D bush was deemed to be not worth changing by the indie with very, very little play).

I’ve run all 3.

I prefer 22’s but it very much depends on the roads being driven and your style of driving.

Kind of as you’d expect, 22’s are firmer, which means on a poor surface, bumpy - but on a roundabout, less tyre roll. 20’s much softer on a poor surface, but more wallowy if you’re enthusiastic on roundabouts/bends.

21’s = compromise.

I’m mostly motorways and dual carriageway, some mountain hairpin roads and less country lanes. So I like my 22’s but completely understand why others would not.

The first thing I did was to fit 20” rims to replace the standard 21”s.

As above post it is very much a personal choice. I didn’t buy a heavy, high centre of gravity 4X4 to drive enthusiastically. I can squeeze into our Mini Cooper S if I want to hoon about. I want to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible in my FFRR and to have better off road ability as well.

Just depends how much bum padding you have.... and if you want to sacrifice looks for comfort....  Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

I went through this issue fairly recently...

www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic57869.html

My conclusion was:
22" = Can look good but too harsh and too much risk of damage to tyres/rims from potholes. Tyres are very expensive.
21" = Nice compromise and look quite good.
20" = Look too small at the rear, particularly with dark cars - but ride is the nicest. Tyres are cheapest. Current:
- 2017 L405 3.0 V6 Autobiography
Sold:
- 2013 L405 4.4 TDV8 Vogue
- 2004 L322 4.4 Vogue (BRC LPG)
- 2002 L322 4.4 HSE (having fixed timing chain guides)
- 2000 P38 4.6 Vogue (BRC LPG)
- 1981 2-door In-Vogue
- 1980 Ex-Army SIII LWB
- 1976 SIII LWB
- 1968 SIIA
Stripped for parts:
- 2003 L322 4.4 Vogue

I test drove a VSE on 21s and an AB on 22s (which I bought) and there wasn't a huge difference in ride comfort, it was noticeable but not that much at all. The reduction in 'wallow' as Alistair has pointed out was well worth it and even with 22s, when I'm not on the motorway or around town, I usually have it in dynamic to reduce the initial roll and reduce vertical movement.

Less roll/wallow was an easy way of justifying spending more on the SDV8 too! MY23 Panamera E-Hybrid
MY19 SDV8 Autobiography - Sold

I assume 'dynamic' is an 2018MY thing, as my 2016 SDV8 doesn't have any drive profiles?

Zebedee wrote:

I went through this issue fairly recently...

www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic57869.html

My conclusion was:
22" = Can look good but too harsh and too much risk of damage to tyres/rims from potholes. Tyres are very expensive.
21" = Nice compromise and look quite good.
20" = Look too small at the rear, particularly with dark cars - but ride is the nicest. Tyres are cheapest.

deansmith wrote:

I assume 'dynamic' is an 2018MY thing, as my 2016 SDV8 doesn't have any drive profiles?

Haylands wrote:

Just depends how much bum padding you have.... and if you want to sacrifice looks for comfort....

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I think an incredibly capable off road vehicle such as the FFRR looks daft with wafer thin rubber, as it severely limits it’s potential. Having said that I full respect anyone’s decision to do so and I am well aware that many FFRR owners never leave the tarmac. Each to their own etc.

I like the look of mine with 20”s and have a spare set to which I’ll be fitting a new set of AT tyres for use later on in the year.

I totally agree with you LT about looking daft with wafer thin rubber. General Grabber AT3’s 255/55/20 on mine. And regularly used off road and green laning.

My 2014 AB came with 22" Turbines which looked fantastic. However within three months I'd scuffed three of them and I am a careful user (evidence not withstanding). Bought a set of 20" with new tyres and now have no issues wherever I go. I think the ride has improved too. Bear in mind I live on an island with no dual carriageways never mind motorways so all driving is done on A or B type roads. Turbines have been skimmed up and are now wrapped ready to put on when I eventually sell!

Pays yer money, takes yer choice.

I’ve got a set of both 22” Turbines and 20” - the 20” look far too small for the arches and the size of vehicle. The 20” have a set of AT’s on for the winter / shooting season and I use the Turbines February to October.

I honestly don’t have any issue with the ride of the 22’s and definitely prefer the handling and looks of them. I do notice a difference in the ride though if there is a touch too much air in them. I always run mine on the light load pressures unless the car is absolutely packed with 4 people, 2 dogs, holiday luggage and a 13’ Kayak on the roof rails - using the correct pressures for the load does make a difference and even only 1 or 2psi too much I can tell the difference.

Bottom line is 22” are fine but use the correct pressure for the load. 20” are more forgiving and brilliant with AT tyres on. I ruled out 21” as they are neither one nor the other and prefer to have 2 sets of wheels and tyres for different purposes / times of year 2021 L405 Vogue SE 4.4 V8 DIESEL ~ #17

The rubber is hardly wafer thin on 22’s!

It’s over 4” iirc and the deepest sidewalll I’ve had for years.

But as has been said, each to their own, there isn’t a right answer just preference  MY23 Panamera E-Hybrid
MY19 SDV8 Autobiography - Sold

^ You’re right for a road car, but for an off roader a 4.3” sidewall is a fag paper.

I used to get ribbed for having “only” a 6” sidewall on my Disco’s. Until they saw how capable it was.