2010 Auris Hybrid 17" Wheels Replaced With 15" Or 16"

[tonino]

Hello guys, I am thinking of buying an auris hybrid t-spirit and I can see they are all fitted with 17" wheels and I think comfort is lost. Did someone replaced his ones with 15" or 16" and is there any noticeable difference in the drive. Also can anyone share some experience of driving auris hybrid with 15" wheels, is it any better then the bigger ones? Also how auris feels on motorway, is it quite and refined or noisy and bumpy ?

Any comments much appreciated

Cheers

[FROSTYBALLS]

If you're changing wheels/tyres check with your insurer first to see whether they judge the change as a modification, whether they accept the change and whether they charge an additional premium.

See post 27 of the following as an example - http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/145281-toyota-motor-insurance/page-3

Also use a wheel/tyre calculator to assess the effect on the speedo reading - it is illegal for a speedo to under read. Example - http://www.alloywheels.com/tyre-calculator

[tonino]

Thanks for the information. The insurance it's not a problem, I really will appreciate if someone has try both 15-16 and 17" wheels is it any major difference between. If anyone also can compare the ride and noise levels between Prius and Auris will be great.

Regards

[unclepoo]

I have a Auris t-spirit hybrid (2011), so just like the model you`re looking at. I think the t-spirit has lower firmer suspension as well as 17" wheels and 45% profile tyres, so the ride is a little firm/sporty, but nothing to put you off buying this model, the drive is quiet and refined, but can be hustled through bends with lots of grip and no body roll.

[Wayne2015]

Have u test driven one yet?

If not try one, u might like the ride afterwards :)

But if its true that one need to drive like Miss Daisy in a hybrid to get good MPG - ride may not be a big factor in that case...but try it !

Then after if u really want to know, then pop down a dealer to try one with 15/16" wheels

Dealers don't mind as long as u have some intent to buy in the first place....

[tonino]

Thanks guys, good info, I secretly hope that t-spirit has the same suspension like the t4 one, it's shame if really its sporty, like the specs of t-spirit especially the leather seats. Comfort is all about for my driving and comes straight after the economy and reliability. I had Prius with 15" and it was just fine, bit harder then some French and German rivals, then I had latest Prius + with 16" 205/60 and was even better then the standard Prius. Now I am about to get an Auris as I am on a budget., And you are right, will test drive both and see how I find them. If not happy with either my next step probably will be Avensis 2.0d or VW Passat 1.6 d, need a car to drive 200 miles a day mostly motorway and some A roads and some town but not much.

Any comments more then welcome.

Have a good day.

[Wayne2015]

Thanks guys, good info, I secretly hope that t-spirit has the same suspension like the t4 one, it's shame if really its sporty, like the specs of t-spirit especially the leather seats. Comfort is all about for my driving and comes straight after the economy and reliability. I had Prius with 15" and it was just fine, bit harder then some French and German rivals, then I had latest Prius + with 16" 205/60 and was even better then the standard Prius. Now I am about to get an Auris as I am on a budget., And you are right, will test drive both and see how I find them. If not happy with either my next step probably will be Avensis 2.0d or VW Passat 1.6 d, need a car to drive 200 miles a day mostly motorway and some A roads and some town but not much.

Any comments more then welcome.

Have a good day.

If mostly motorways then hybrid may not be for u...but I am too new here, hopefully hybrid veterans will chip in ....

[tonino]

It depends of driving style and conditions, if you are not loading the car a lot with passengers or baggage, it will be me and one or two colleagues from time to time, hybrid is ok on motorways. I use to manage around 55mpg with the standard one and around 50mpg with the larger Prius, so think Auris will be very similar. Usually hybrids with cvt transmission really not best for motorways but the other two diesel option that I have are bit more expensive and will come with higher cost of maintenance, plus they will be manual which means another £1k at least for a clutch repair plus the usual stuff ( DPF, TURBO, INJECTORS, ) and the nasty noise and vibrations, yak. Driven a hybrid for the last 2.5 years and I am impressed how the system works, and how economical can be and easy to drive. Also at the moment hybrids hold their value better then any other cars.

Cheers

[Wayne2015]

It depends of driving style and conditions, if you are not loading the car a lot with passengers or baggage, it will be me and one or two colleagues from time to time, hybrid is ok on motorways. I use to manage around 55mpg with the standard one and around 50mpg with the larger Prius, so think Auris will be very similar. Usually hybrids with cvt transmission really not best for motorways but the other two diesel option that I have are bit more expensive and will come with higher cost of maintenance, plus they will be manual which means another £1k at least for a clutch repair plus the usual stuff ( DPF, TURBO, INJECTORS, ) and the nasty noise and vibrations, yak. Driven a hybrid for the last 2.5 years and I am impressed how the system works, and how economical can be and easy to drive. Also at the moment hybrids hold their value better then any other cars.

Cheers

Cool!

Exactly why I chose a hybrid too! :)

More reliable and deffo a future brighter than the (cough)(cough)dodgy diesels(cough)emissions(cough)dangerous gas(cough)

Sure I will miss the more fun factor on the diesel (can chuck about without too much lost on mpg) - but I have a big smile on my bank account and that matters to me most for now :) :) :)

[unclepoo]

I`m really not sure where the idea of "hybrids not being good on the motorway" comes from.....my first long run (450 round trip, M1 M25 and main A roads) my Auris got 72mpg....very relaxing drive too. And you don`t sound like you`re driving a taxi either.

[Cyker]

It's from the perception that the hybrid won't have a chance to charge the Battery if driven at a constant speed for so long, and can be noisy due to the ICE being revved up.

The thing with hybrids isn't that they have particularly efficient engines - The atkinson cycle is supposed to be on par with diesel for efficiency but in reality it isn't because it has such low torque. The thing that makes hybrids efficient is the regen braking - They waste far less energy to braking than normal cars.

All the energy you use still comes from the fuel (Plugins-excepted!), so it's all about conserving momentum and maximising regeneration to extract as much energy from the fuel as possible. It is quite amazing how much energy gets converted into heat when braking, and even being able to recover 20% of that will give the ol' mpgs a healthy boost!

Although hybrids can be beaten by the some of the more efficient diesels on the motorway, they actually do pretty well as long as the car isn't too heavily loaded. The HSDs with the 1.8 do better than the ones with 1.5 as they have enough baseline torque to keep the car rolling at motorway speeds without having to raise the revs too highly, which saves a lot of fuel.

For instance, I know the Mk3 Priusesusesusas can cruise at 70mph far better than the Yaris Mk3 HSDs because the 1.5 in the Yaris doesn't quite have enough torque to keep it moving at idle rpms. (That slippery kammback design also helps vs the slightly stubby Yaris body at those speeds!)

[Auris 1.6 vvt-i]

It's from the perception that the hybrid won't have a chance to charge the battery if driven at a constant speed for so long, and can be noisy due to the ICE being revved up.

These were my (wrong) expectations as well before I got the Auris HSD. Turned out that at constant high speed Battery gets charged reeeeeeeally, really fast :) and if you are not racing on the freeway but rather cruising, you get extremely good mpg - even better than in the city! Yes, I myself didn't expect this as well, but those are the facts. In the city I get about 5l/100km, while on the freeway at cruising speeds I get 3.5 - 4.5l / 100km. In the city, traffic is so intense, that most of the time you creep, so Battery doesn't even start charging and when driving in such low speeds, even braking doesn't charge it a bit. Generators require certain rpms under which they don't generate energy. Traffic lately is so bad, that many times I get stuck in traffic and my Battery is drained, so the ICE kicks in to charge it when I am not in motion.

[tonino]

Well, I agreed with cyker, my experience shows different story, however what previous post is about its also true. Stack in a heavy traffic and mpg will reduce but get on the motorway uphill with fully loaded car and you are screwed, no power to pull and high revs equals lower mpg. The hybrid system on its best is when you drive on town streets during late evenings when there are not much cars around and once you achieve your speed let it cruise on ec motor then you can meet or exceed the manufacturer numbers, at least I use to do that with both Prius and Prius+

Hopefully soon will get an Auris and will let you know how I am doing in motorways. Will be great if someone can share some experience about the wheels as the original post.

Another question:

Does Auris Hybrid has the same suspension as 1.6 petrol engine?

[Auris 1.6 vvt-i]

My OEM wheels are 17" and comparing to my previous 1.6 VVT-i Auris 2008 on 16's, there really is a big difference in the drive. The ride now feels less comfortable, but it gains on stability during sharp turns as the lower profile tyre is less pliable, therefore car is much more stable. I don't know if there is a difference in the suspension, but will soon be able to compare 16-inch wheels comfort to the 17's on the same suspension, as I have purchased a set of 16's for my winter tyres.

[tonino]

Great, can't wait you share your experience. As soon as I buy the car will order a 16" wheels as I hate bumpy ride especially when has to drive long hours. 205/55 R16 are the ultimate size for that car imo.

Good luck.

[tonino]

Update:

Hi all, just done a brake job on my new 2010 Auris hybrid and found that the cars equipped with 17" alloys has bigger front brake discs and there might be a problem downsizing from 17" down to 15" wheels. Everyone who is about to do that need to double check that.

Cars with 17" wheels front brake discs has a diameter of 296mm against the 15"wheels that got brake discs at 273mm, also the standard Auris 1.6 and 1.4 d have the smaller diameter front discs and are usually equipped with 16" wheels. I liked the car how it's drives and decided to put 4 new tyres instead of changing the whole set wheels + tyres. Now the car feels really nice , steel firm but not bad at all.

Cheers.

[Wayne2015]

Update:

Hi all, just done a brake job on my new 2010 Auris hybrid and found that the cars equipped with 17" Alloys has bigger front brake discs and there might be a problem downsizing from 17" down to 15" wheels. Everyone who is about to do that need to double check that.

Cars with 17" wheels front brake discs has a diameter of 296mm against the 15"wheels that got brake discs at 273mm, also the standard Auris 1.6 and 1.4 d have the smaller diameter front discs and are usually equipped with 16" wheels. I liked the car how it's drives and decided to put 4 new tyres instead of changing the whole set wheels + tyres. Now the car feels really nice , steel firm but not bad at all.

Cheers.

Good info!

I would thought 17" upgrade and standard 16" would have same size brakes.

Unless an upgrade also includes bigger brakes...

[Heidfirst]

Update:

Hi all, just done a brake job on my new 2010 Auris hybrid and found that the cars equipped with 17" Alloys has bigger front brake discs and there might be a problem downsizing from 17" down to 15" wheels. Everyone who is about to do that need to double check that.

Cars with 17" wheels front brake discs has a diameter of 296mm against the 15"wheels that got brake discs at 273mm, also the standard Auris 1.6 and 1.4 d have the smaller diameter front discs and are usually equipped with 16" wheels. I liked the car how it's drives and decided to put 4 new tyres instead of changing the whole set wheels + tyres. Now the car feels really nice , steel firm but not bad at all.

Cheers.

Good info!

I would thought 17" upgrade and standard 16" would have same size brakes.

Unless an upgrade also includes bigger brakes...

it's imo usually an engine related upgrade e.g. on the T27 Avensis the 2.2 got larger front discs than the other engine sizes (meaning that it can't run 16" wheels incl. the Toyota 16" Winter steels listed for the Avensis).

[Wayne2015]

Update:

Hi all, just done a brake job on my new 2010 Auris hybrid and found that the cars equipped with 17" Alloys has bigger front brake discs and there might be a problem downsizing from 17" down to 15" wheels. Everyone who is about to do that need to double check that.

Cars with 17" wheels front brake discs has a diameter of 296mm against the 15"wheels that got brake discs at 273mm, also the standard Auris 1.6 and 1.4 d have the smaller diameter front discs and are usually equipped with 16" wheels. I liked the car how it's drives and decided to put 4 new tyres instead of changing the whole set wheels + tyres. Now the car feels really nice , steel firm but not bad at all.

Cheers.

Good info!

I would thought 17" upgrade and standard 16" would have same size brakes.

Unless an upgrade also includes bigger brakes...

it's imo usually an engine related upgrade e.g. on the T27 Avensis the 2.2 got larger front discs than the other engine sizes (meaning that it can't run 16" wheels incl. the Toyota 16" Winter steels listed for the Avensis).

I agree

Bigger engine means need bigger brakes.

So can someone confirm if the Auris Hybrid comes with bigger brakes of 17" wheels?

Or in Tonino s case, it could be previous owner upgraded brakes ?

Though

It is still possible to fit smaller wheels if the wheels can clear the brakes (as when I had 18" wheels with bigger brakes, most 16" wheels did not clear the brakes - but certain ones did)

[Auris 1.6 vvt-i]

Yes, the 17-inch standard does come with bigger brakes (although engine is the same as the one in the Auris, that comes standard on 15-inch wheels). I was considering 15-inch wheels for winter tyres, as I thought it should be OK, since the lower level of equipment comes on 15's, but turned out my disks were too big for a 15-inch wheel, so I bought 16's.

[tonino]

"I agree

Bigger engine means need bigger brakes.

So can someone confirm if the Auris Hybrid comes with bigger brakes of 17" wheels?

Or in Tonino s case, it could be previous owner upgraded brakes ?

Though

It is still possible to fit smaller wheels if the wheels can clear the brakes (as when I had 18" wheels with bigger brakes, most 16" wheels did not clear the brakes - but certain ones did)"

Correct, bigger engine needs more stopping power too. There are some technical info about the Auris hybrid on the net but can't find it right now to shall there are two types of brake system build into Auris Hybrid., Bosh or Advics. Drivetrain for all Hybrid Auris is the same however depends on the brake system type we have two different sizes brake discs on the front. 296mm and 273mm. Brake pads also different. My car parts specialist (well established parts trader) went into trouble too to find the right discs and pads first time, I had to go few times to exchange. If you look at Eurocarparts site there are two different sizes front discs and pads for our cars. And different prices obviously, mine turned to be the massive ones and more expensive Advics system. My cars is genuine fully stock with no modifications at all, previously owned by two ladies , and now I am giving it to my wife and looking to buy a bigger car for myself.

Here is the job I had done.

[Auris 1.6 vvt-i]

OK, I have finally switched to winter tyres on 16's and the difference is huuuuuuuuge! The ride is way more comfortable compared to the 17's. I can also confirm that Auris that came on 17's has bigger brakes and can't be fitted with 15-inch wheels. After I fitted the 16's, there was only a couple of millimeters space left between wheel and caliper, so absolutely not possible!

[tommy59]

I don't mean to throw a spanner into the works but different tyres will play a massive role in vehicle dynamics/comfort. Winter tyres in particular are designed to have a softer casing and construction which will make the vehicle more comfortable and compliant. Some tyre brands in particular have stiffer constructions than others so it may be worth looking into which manufacturer you prefer.

[tonino]

That's true, but the ride with 16" wheels will always be smoother then the ride on 17" due to the fact there is higher tyre walls to absorb the knocks and vibrations from the road surface. low profile tyres never can meat the comfort of a standard tyres. Winter tyres usually are of lower speed index and has softer walls and softer protectors that's the reason they are slightly more comfortable then a summer tyres, but they always produce higher noise levels. Standar tyres with XL index are stiffer and designed to withstand extra load but comfort is lost again. Choosing the right tyres is really a tricky process, but majority of the UK drivers has no clue and doesn't care of it, that's why is rare to see a used car with all matching tyres, and budget tyres are sells like crazy, where in many sizes the difference in prices between budget tyres and mid range or top brands is minimum.

[tommy59]

The extra sidewall height does help with vertical damping (potentially at a cost to lateral stiffness, dependant on sidewall compound), the profile may be more progressive on higher profiles dependant on the tyre design as well. Tyres with XL designations however are not always different from their standard load counterparts, some manufacturers design a tyre to the maximum specification i.e. 94Y XL and keep the same construction for all the other variants 91Y, 91W, 91V etc. I find certain brands such as Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli produce relatively soft construction and comfortable tyres which still retain good dynamic properties. Other cheaper brands perhaps don't have the technology to achieve these handling dynamics without using a stiffer sidewall compound. You may see a small bump in fuel economy (tyre dependent) as 55 series profiles are supposedly optimal for rolling resistance.