Will new tyres gives my Astra a softer ride?

I have a Vauxhall Astra (2011) SRi 2.0 CDTi running on 225-50-R17 tyres and the only complaint I have with the car is it's very firm ride. As the front tyres are soon due for changing, and the rears are not far behind, will changing to a different profile make for a softer ride, and is it possible to do this? Also can I start by just changing the fronts and then the rears at a later date, or will this upset the handling?

Asked on 23 November 2014 by Gopher Spain

Answered by Honest John

You would need to change the wheels as well, for example to 16" wheels fitted with 205/55 R16 tyres. You can't put deeper profile tyres on the same wheels without altering the gearing, and possibly causing clearance problems.

Tags: ride comfort wheels and tyres

Similar questions

Vauxhall Astra with hard ride - can I reject it?

I purchased a nearly new Vauxhall Astra from a main dealer last month. The car had only covered 1800 miles, but I have found that the ride is extremely hard, particularly at anything over 40mph. I have...

Why are cars fitted with large wheels?

Why do car manufacturers insist on fitting large wheels and low-profile tyres to their top-of-the-range models? This combination often results in a hard ride and susceptibility to wheel and tyre damage...

Volvo XC40 - are 18- or 19-inch wheels best?

I have ordered a Volvo XC40 which is scheduled for delivery during the latter part of next month. Until recently, the ride quality of the XC40 was almost universally applauded by the motoring press. However,...

Related models