Do bigger wheels make my car ride smoother?

Wheel Size and Ride Quality

Here at Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale, AZ, we sell some of the most luxurious, drivable cars on the planet. However, people’s definitions of that vary wildly from person to person. A factor that affects ride quality is wheel size. And while people tend to like bigger allow wheels, there’s a question that should be asked…

Do bigger wheels make your car drive more smoothly or do they make it worse?

Do Bigger Wheels = Better Ride Quality?

In general, bigger wheels on any type of vehicle make the ride quality stiffer. However, they also improve stability and handling greatly. There are ways to have both smooth ride quality and good stability and handling. For instance, the stiffer ride quality from using bigger wheels to improve stability and handing can be counterbalanced with the proper tires and adaptive suspension dampers, a feature common on many Mercedes-Benz vehicles. In the end, though, it depends on what you value from your vehicle.

Other Things That Affect Ride Quality

It’s hard to pin down the culprit when it comes to rough ride quality. That’s because there is a bevy of factors that can increase or decrease the smoothness of your ride. For instance:

• Inclement weather
• Poorly maintained roads
• Car weight
• Weight distribution
• Horsepower and torque
• Engine size and timing
• Transmission
• Suspension
• Tires (type and wear)
• Seats

…and more! This is by no means a comprehensive list. The easiest way to see if you like the way a vehicle drives is to test drive it! There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

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