Winter tire width

[Ironphil]

After a hard winter with my car, I am thinking of replacing my tires. I bought it in November I could not find 185 winter tires and ended up with some 195 tires (15 inches). Considering the small weight of the car, it sometimes felt like floating over the snow.

I would like to get 175 tires but it seems it does not exists in 15 inches (like the Michelin XIce). I could buy 14 inches wheels and then get 175 winter tires on them. Would that work?

What are those driving in winter using? Will 175 really be better than 185 in the snow?

[WeeYari]

Welcome to the forum.

Let me start by first saying that I run 14 inch steelies in the winter. My snows are 175s and worked beautifully. My personal preference is to go skinny in the winter, and try to cut through the snow as much as possible.

[Castaway]

Welcome to the forum.

Let me start by first saying that I run 14 inch steelies in the winter. My snows are 175s and worked beautifully. My personal preference is to go skinny in the winter, and try to cut through the snow as much as possible.

I'm on 14" too in winter, works great, only problem is with the car lowered, i felt like i was plowing through snow sometimes

[Ironphil]

Thanks everyone, great and fast feedback. I think I will go for 14 inches wheels with 175 tires. I will have to spend extra money for the wheels but I will save by doing it by myself for a couple of years.

For the car getting lower with smaller wheels, I think it is not that bad. I went on the Michelin web site and the 175/70R14 have an overall diameter of 23.7 while the 185/60R15, the ones recommended for the Yaris, have an overall diameter of 23.74, not a big difference. But if I take the 175/65R14 or 175/60R14, the difference gets larger. This is all for the XIce tires, to be accurate I think I should compare the overall diameter with the stock tires that I use in summer but I did not find it yet.

[kimona]

Why not look here for tyre specs?

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5021

[thebarber]

i have some used 185-65-14 winters on steelies for $400 if youre interested..

[silver_echo]

+1... 175/65/14 works really well... it is also used on gen 1 prius, and 99 corolla