Show me your CX-5 wheels

Pics when they are mounted?

Always love how the CX-7 wheels look on the CX-5. Unfortunately they weigh a ton (each).
 
Got my 20's installed along with the Eibach ProKit springs:

P3170867.jpg

P3170908.jpg

P3170919.jpg


Wheels are CSA Emotion (which are basically a Vossen CV5-style wheel without the exorbitant cost) in 20x8.5 et35 (F) and 20x9.5 et45 (R). Tyres are Achilles Desert Hawk UHP in 245/45r20 (F) and 275/40r20 (R).

I went with a staggered setup mainly for looks, but I'm happy with the ride and handling as well. Ride quality is very close to standard, with excellent small-bump compliance thanks to the progressive rate springs, while larger bumps (such as speed humps) are handled with slightly more firmness but certainly not uncomfortably. There is marginally more road rumble than before, but that's probably down to my choice of tyres versus the stock Toyos, which are more comfort oriented.

The big difference is in the handling, which feels much flatter through turns and under brakes, while also providing noticeably more lateral grip. I was initially concerned that a staggered setup may result in excessive understeer, but that doesn't seem to be the case at all. I even tried to provoke understeer by pushing it hard through some tight turns, and the handling remained well balanced. Overall the car feels more planted on the road and encourages you to have a go through the turns, which is great fun.

Of course the main reason I bought the wheels was for looks, and I am quite pleased with the way it has turned out aesthetically. The wheel design is quite conservative, but the fat rear stance gives it an aggressive edge that helps it to stand out from the sea of skinny-wheeled CX-5s. I'll post some more pics when the weather improves (it was dark and overcast when these were taken).
 
jomar23CX5 said:
Looking good man
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Thanks jomar, yours remains one of my all-time favourites :)

banjroto said:
That is super nice, can you share the part number for the eibach prokit
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Thanks man, the part number E10-55-014-01-22 (FWD and AWD petrol models) and I would highly recommend them if you are looking for a subtle drop without adversely affecting ride quality. Also check out the Eibach ProKit thread here.
 
You might add that they are not available through US importers and you will pay an arm and a leg to get them here from another country!
 
paris1 said:
You might add that they are not available through US importers and you will pay an arm and a leg to get them here from another country!
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Correct. I ordered mine directly from the local distributor here in Australia, but you guys in the US don't seem to have local distribution for some reason. It still may be feasible to import them from the UK like BoneKrusher did in the other thread though.
 
I like the OEM wheels on the '16 but others have mentioned that the easiest way to increase performance is to decrease weight so I am thinking of swapping out the wheels with something lighter. Any chance you have a weight comparison between the 2?
 
Looks tight, I'm looking at buying some 9.5" wheels (and my current wheel will be for sale). Not sure how safe a staggered set up will be with my AWD and the +155% rear sway.
 
Bob-Loblaw said:
I like the OEM wheels on the '16 but others have mentioned that the easiest way to increase performance is to decrease weight so I am thinking of swapping out the wheels with something lighter. Any chance you have a weight comparison between the 2?
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Generally speaking, the larger the diameter and width of the wheels, the heavier they are. I haven't weighed my new wheels yet, but I doubt they would be any lighter than the stock 19's. They may be about the same given that the stock 19's are not exactly lightweights. If you wanted maximum weight savings, a smaller diameter rotary forged or low pressure cast wheel would be your best bet.

Chris_Top_Her said:
Looks tight, I'm looking at buying some 9.5" wheels (and my current wheel will be for sale). Not sure how safe a staggered set up will be with my AWD and the +155% rear sway.
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Thanks Chris, a stiffer rear sway bar would have the effect of reducing understeer, so it would actually compliment a staggered setup well. I put a thicker rear sway bar on my previous Subaru WRX, which was too understeery in stock form, and it really helped with the handling balance, especially on the track.

Mine is AWD as well and I haven't noticed any issues with the staggered arrangement. As long as the tyres are the same diameter, it shouldn't be a problem as far as I'm aware. The 245/45 and 275/40 are nominally within about 1mm of each other in terms of diameter, which should be well within tolerance of the AWD (and TPMS) systems since they would need to account for variations in tyre wear and manufacturing tolerances.

Probably the main drawback of staggered tyres is the inability to rotate them, so I'll have to see how things go as they wear.
 
good thanks said:
Generally speaking, the larger the diameter and width of the wheels, the heavier they are. I haven't weighed my new wheels yet, but I doubt they would be any lighter than the stock 19's. They may be about the same given that the stock 19's are not exactly lightweights. If you wanted maximum weight savings, a smaller diameter rotary forged or low pressure cast wheel would be your best bet.



Thanks Chris, a stiffer rear sway bar would have the effect of reducing understeer, so it would actually compliment a staggered setup well. I put a thicker rear sway bar on my previous Subaru WRX, which was too understeery in stock form, and it really helped with the handling balance, especially on the track.

Mine is AWD as well and I haven't noticed any issues with the staggered arrangement. As long as the tyres are the same diameter, it shouldn't be a problem as far as I'm aware. The 245/45 and 275/40 are nominally within about 1mm of each other in terms of diameter, which should be well within tolerance of the AWD (and TPMS) systems since they would need to account for variations in tyre wear and manufacturing tolerances.

Probably the main drawback of staggered tyres is the inability to rotate them, so I'll have to see how things go as they wear.
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Well, my last 2 sets of tires have been one direction so I couldn't really rotate them either.
 
thebeastisback said:
It's good to know the E10-55-014-01-22 kit fits the 2016 model without issue. Looks fantastic!
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Yeah that was one thing I was a bit nervous about due to the suspension changes in the 2016 model, so it was a relief to find that they went on without any issues. Thanks for your compliment!
 
good thanks said:
Yeah that was one thing I was a bit nervous about due to the suspension changes in the 2016 model, so it was a relief to find that they went on without any issues. Thanks for your compliment!
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Thanks for being the first to test it out :) That's always scary. I plan on getting 20's with the same kit. I don't mind the import premium to the States.
 
thebeastisback said:
Thanks for being the first to test it out :) That's always scary. I plan on getting 20's with the same kit. I don't mind the import premium to the States.
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Awesome! I'm sure you'll be very happy with them too. I'll measure the actual drop tonight when I get home in case you're interested (I took some "before" measurements prior to fitting them).
 
Chris_Top_Her said:
Well yea you can do that, but that's not "rotation".
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It may not be a cross rotation, but rotating front to rear is still better than no rotation at all. rotating front to rear can still provide more tread life and even out some feathering or cupping. Also, keep in mind, an AWD CX-5 is still primarily a FWD with rear drive kicking in only under certain circumstances. It's not the same as full time AWD.
 
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