Ride quality on 19, 20, 21's?

[Audi0005]

hey what are the ride qualities like on a 2.0t with 20's?

also any regrets by buying the 19's over the bigger sized 20 or 21?

[Boom]

I have OEM 19's on my 2.0T. I want 21" and lower. The car looks proper with that setup

[VroomVroom]

I drive on relatively crummy roads, and couldn't tell the difference between 19" and 20" wheels. I would guess the 21" wheels would make a noticeable difference, if only because of the stiff sidewall and limited tread compound options. I have 20's and am very happy - perfect mix of look, function, and performance, with loads of choices come replacement time. Good luck with the decision...

[ibiski]

I went from OEM 21" SQ5 wheel to 19" winter wheel/tire setup. The winter setup handles sloppy, but the higher sidewall better absorbs road imperfections and is less prone to damage. Frankly can't wait to put the summers back on, hopefully sometime this week.

[oneil]

I have 20" peelers don't feel the defense
Just want to lower it now but thinking what way to go h&r springs or coilovers

[Dennis C]

I don't have my SQ5 yet. I ordered it with 21" wheels and I've got a set of 19" wheels with snow tires for winter.

On our Cayenne, I run 20" wheels in the summer and 18" wheels in the winter. There is a noticeable difference in ride quality. The Cayenne is a heavier vehicle than the Q5, but I would imagine that you could feel the difference if you drop down 2". It is most noticeable to me in corners or on the highway. The highway ride is better with the smaller wheels, and the cornering performance is better with the larger wheels.

[Redd]

The factory recommendations for bigger wheels match them with lower profile tires, to keep the same overall mounted diameter. And any time you go to lower profile tires, there is less rubber to cushion the road and you'll get a harsher ride.

But any time you change from one make and model of tire to another, the ride quality changes. So unless you've got the same model...no telling if you're buying a stiffer tire or a softer one. No telling if your butt is sensitive enough to feel the difference. What one person calls "good handling, firm ride" the next person calls "too hard and harsh".

[oneil]

True

[L0U]

My experience with tires in general is that once you go lower than a 255x35 (90mm of sidewall height) the ride gets harse. Luckily the Q5 rides on tall tires, so running 21s still keeps thing pretty plush.

[Dennis C]

The factory recommendations for bigger wheels match them with lower profile tires, to keep the same overall mounted diameter. And any time you go to lower profile tires, there is less rubber to cushion the road and you'll get a harsher ride.

But any time you change from one make and model of tire to another, the ride quality changes. So unless you've got the same model...no telling if you're buying a stiffer tire or a softer one. No telling if your butt is sensitive enough to feel the difference. What one person calls "good handling, firm ride" the next person calls "too hard and harsh".

That's an excellent point. Ride quality is a very subjective thing.