I drove a 16.5 Touring and Grand Touring back to back on good road test before purchasing. The tires are different from 17" to 19" when new. I actually found the 19" setup to be quieter than the 17". The overall ride was pretty similar. Steering felt slightly different. The tires are going to make all the difference when looking for noise/comfort. The 17" setup factory is also pretty heavy for being such a small and narrow stance. If going to go to a smaller wheel I would go with an aftermarket wheel that would be lighter and wider. I personally have seen 18's on a CX5 and think they looked great.
Side Note: if your car is new be sure to check tire pressures as many come way overfilled to avoid flat spots. Mine were at 44PSI Cold. That makes a big difference in ride. Nitrogen is also a great affordable upgrade that can improve ride quality and tire wear which is especially noticeable on lower profile tires.
I run 19s in summer and 17s in winter. I don't see a difference in harshness. I cant comment on road noise because the 17s are snow tires and noisy
Like many others had said, the characteristic of tires may have more to do to your ride quality than the size. If you can't find light、smooth and soft General AltiMAX RT43 225/55R19 99H tires in UK, Continental TrueContact 225/55R19 99H is very similar.I have the 19s and am wondering whether 17s would be less harsh and/or road noise quieter?
The number of smooth asphalt roads I travel on seems to be much fewer these days.
i don't do corners, so don't worry about lateral performance.
I have the 19s and am wondering whether 17s would be less harsh and/or road noise quieter?
The number of smooth asphalt roads I travel on seems to be much fewer these days.
i don't do corners, so don't worry about lateral performance.
I have the 19s and am wondering whether 17s would be less harsh and/or road noise quieter?
The number of smooth asphalt roads I travel on seems to be much fewer these days.
i don't do corners, so don't worry about lateral performance.
I recently bought a late 2014 pre-facelift Sports Nav with stock 19 inch Toyo Proxes. I also bought a set of nearly new 17 inch alloys with Yokohama Geolanders. These are the factory setup for the lower spec models. I ran the 19's for the first 2 months (2k miles), and only last week swapped to the 17's. The ride is a bit softer, maybe 10% at most, and the road noise seems about the same. The car feels sharper with the 19's, and a little sloppier on the 17's. There's not that much in it tho, a little heavier on the steering but no deal breaker. If you're quite happy with your current ride quality leave it stock.