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Ultimate XC40 makes more sense than plus… but I don’t want the 20” wheels! What to do?

9K views 57 replies 20 participants last post by  Derpasaurus 
#1 · (Edited)
I saw that the XC40 Ultimate trim is only £15 more than the Plus a month (leasing)…
I was about to go for it, then I noticed the wheels are only 20’’… cannot get 19’’ where I live with the ultimate… only with the plus.
Since i live in a big city with generally bad roads (UK)… I really would not want the 20” due to comfort. Consumption also plays a role from what I read, and 20” are noisier than 19”.

I just feel a bit silly not going for the XC 40 ultimate, just for the wheels, while it offers the 360 camera, sunroof and better stereo system…

Thanks!
 
#2 · (Edited)
ME, I'd get the car you want. ME, I think folk make much too much out of a half inch in radius and how much differnce it REALLY makes. It's certainly an issue of near religious propotions on this forum (like the holes for a front number plate issue) but from a pragmatic perspective I don't believe it transforms a vehicle from smooth riding to harsh and unlivable with a half inch less tire between you and the ground. Now 19s to 22s, yeah maybe then...But why aren't people putting 17s on for a super smooth ride?
 
#5 ·
ME, I'd get the car you want. ME, I think folk make much too much out of a half inch in radius and how much differnce it REALLY makes. It's certainly an issue of near religious propotions on this forum (like the holes for a front number plate issue) but from a pragmatic perspective I don't beleive it transforms a vehicle from smooth riding to harsh and unlviable with a half inch less tire between you and the ground. Now 19s to 22s, yeah maybe then...But why aren't people putting 17s on for a super smooth ride?
Thanks for your view.
I’m far from being an expert, I always assumed those fancy looking trims were better in every single way.. then I read they affect consumption… they make the car less comfortable… these alone are two reasons for me to prefer the 19” ones (they also mention less adherence when it rains.. which seems pretty bad).

there are some people like you who instead seem to see the difference as almost minimal…

since I haven’t tried both, I can Just rely on people’s experience. And It looks like while science supports the conclusions in favour of the 19”, in practice it doesn’t make a huge difference to some..
 
#3 ·
1. Buy the XC40 Ultimate and take delivery.
2. Post on local Facebook group or UK Volvo forum something like "Have brand new 20" rims, anybody want to swap for 19"?"
3. Wait the several minutes it takes to find someone who bought the Plus version, but really wants the 20" rims
4. Work where to meet so you can work together to swap the wheels
 
#6 ·
You can easily change the wheels. Buy the car you want. However, talk to your dealer. They may have some 19s around or know someone who would like trade. If your delaer is like mine, though, there's not much in the way of extrcurricular activity from them.
 
#9 ·
We recently bought a 2019 crystal white low mileage mint 1 owner xc40 heavily optioned inscriptionKansas car at my local dealer.here in Chicagoland. For my wife and it had 20s on it. I did prefer the 19s cuz i thought the 20s looked too big. I asked my wife what she thought of the wheels and she loved them so that was that.....I don't notice the ride being that rough and the car handles and corners great with the wider 20s. They are pricey to replace and do Crack easier if u hit a big pot hole. so I worked a deal with dealer and purchased the 5 year volvo tire and wheel protection package for a heavily discounted half off price..they have quickly grown on me and now I'm fine with them.
 
#12 ·
Hello from Ireland,

I got my XC40 Recharge about 2 weeks ago. I also lease the vehicle and had the same concerns. So far, and the roads in the West of Ireland are s..t, this a very comforting ride. The wife hasn't complained so it certainly isn't hard. Not sure about the increase in mileage, maybe in ideal conditions. But how you drive, weather and temperature are much bigger factors. Hope this helps.

Jorg
 
#20 ·
What do you mean?
With perfect roads the 20” should give better driving results?
That part is good, of course, but I’m not much of a sporty driver, I’m an old family man haha, that’s why I care more about the comfort, and I was wondering to what extent the 20” would give me that comfort
 
#22 ·
We have two XC40s, one with 19s and one with 20s. Ride difference is not noticeable. But the 20s are more susceptible to damage. Have driven for 30 years and never had a tire issue, until about six months into the 20s… same sidewall damage many have posted on this forum.
 
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#26 ·
I wanted pixel lights and nicer stereo, but I wanted them less than I wanted 19's. I wanted 19's for alleged comfort (they are fine; not OMG!?) and for cost down the road. I did get the climate package which got butt warmers for the kids and the all important heat pump. No regrets here.

The headlights are what I am used to, and yes, the sound in my V90CC (on 20's)is better.
 
#27 ·
I wanted pixel lights and nicer stereo, but I wanted them less than I wanted 19's. I wanted 19's for alleged comfort (they are fine; not OMG!?) and for cost down the road. I did get the climate package which got butt warmers for the kids and the all important heat pump. No regrets here.

The headlights are what I am used to, and yes, the sound in my V90CC (on 20's)is better.
did you test drive an xc40 with 20”s?
 
#28 ·
I have tested with 19” and 20” and went for 20” as it gives a better steering and more control. There is just a slight penalty regarding comfort, but I must admit we have generally well kept roads in NL.
I will have 20” again on the C40 (due in January)

But practically: I’d have the car with 20” and try to swap wheels with someone with 19”. I’m sure there is someone out there keen on doing so……there might even be some money into the swap for you…… everybody happy.….
 
#31 ·
I got about an hour into what looked like what could turn into an entire days' research on this topic when I concluded the differences between 17, 18, 19, and 20 inch wheels/tires are non-quantifiable. I looked at Car & Driver, Consumer Research, BMW forums, Audi forums, Firestone, Yokohama, and speed freak sites. All of those experts and experienced drivers provide numerous citations to scientifically valid and vetted research and to anecdotal assumptions and presumptions that arrive, in their own ways, at opposing conclusions. the ultimate choice for the consumer, unless she is a professional driver with wheel/tire sponsorships, comes down to personal preferences and, perhaps to a greater dgree, economics; bigger wheels and tires are much more expensive than smaller units.

When faced with so much well supported and utterly contrary information, I'm glad I simply accepted the options avaialble on the order form. Since I wanted everything in the Ultimat trim, the wheels were, based on my ignorance at the time, of little consequence (Why would Volvo offer anything but the coolest and most appropriate wheel option?)
 
#33 ·
I got about an hour into what looked like what could turn into an entire days' research on this topic when I concluded the differences between 17, 18, 19, and 20 inch wheels/tires are non-quantifiable. I looked at Car & Driver, Consumer Research, BMW forums, Audi forums, Firestone, Yokohama, and speed freak sites. All of those experts and experienced drivers provide numerous citations to scientifically valid and vetted research and to anecdotal assumptions and presumptions that arrive, in their own ways, at opposing conclusions. the ultimate choice for the consumer, unless she is a professional driver with wheel/tire sponsorships, comes down to personal preferences and, perhaps to a greater dgree, economics; bigger wheels and tires are much more expensive than smaller units.

When faced with so much well supported and utterly contrary information, I'm glad I simply accepted the options avaialble on the order form. Since I wanted everything in the Ultimat trim, the wheels were, based on my ignorance at the time, of little consequence (Why would Volvo offer anything but the coolest and most appropriate wheel option?)
great that you found a way to interpret all the information available
And I hope the decision works out for you

at the same time I feel like the information doesn’t really contradict itself. It anything most seems to point in the direction of those fixed points: 1) more Consumption 2) less comfort 3) more likely to be damaged while parking

I think some people might argue 1) and 2) are negligible, but I think it’s hard to argue for the opposite.
 
#35 ·
I heard something funny at the dealer the other day - they’re one of the smallest in Canada, but apparently have a lot of XC40 Recharges. But they have “no 4 wheel alignment equipment in house and have to job it out, but thankfully don’t have to do so very often”. Then it came to me: they put low profiles on their cars to make us take more care not to hit the curb so often = fewer wheel alignments! That would explain why I saw the mobile rim repair van at the shop twice in as many months! Seriously folks, go with whatever looks right to you. The 20s look great on my car and while I put up with some noise and pounding on rough roads, they’re fine on most highways. The rest of the car, including the extras on the Ultimate trim more than makes up for it.
 
#41 ·
I've been watching this thread for several weeks and I've been off reading about tires/wheels at Volvo sites and high performance automobile sites. I have ZERO experience with this concept that 1/2" change in overall radius can effect such dramatically sensible changes in ride quality, cabin noise, and handling. I've seen that car mass, properly tuned suspension, and the many variables of tire/wheel construction and design (depth, thickness, pressure, compounds, width, tread style, mass) all contribute to the feel of the car on the road and cabin. I do NOT get the sense that merely changing from 20s to 19s makes all that much difference unless one takes all the other factors into consideration and can make an informed decision. And I am left with the (perhaps naïve) impression that Volvo is outfitting the C40 with the best tire/wheel for the twin motor version.
 
#42 · (Edited)
that 1/2-inch change is in the radius, which includes the wheel and tyre. If you look at the tyre itself (the only flexible part of the system) then 1/2 inch is a fairly large percentage increase in space between the wheel and the road. 255/40R20 tyres (rear size for the Recharge Twin) have a sidewall height of approx 255 mm x 40% = 102 mm. The 19-inch rear tyre is a 255/45-19 which has an approx sidewall height of 255 mm x 45% = 114.75 mm. So the increase in tyre space between wheel and tyre when going from 20 to 19 inch wheels is 114.75-102=12.75 mm (makes sense - half of 25.4 mm, which is the decrease in wheel diameter, to be expected given they want to keep the overall rolling radius the same), or 12.5%. The percentage is not insignificant, but not as large as I had thought it would be after doing the calculations. :) Edit: I corrected the tyre size as I had it wrong initially. Second edit: I compared the actual tyre size between 20 and 19 inch wheels.
 
#44 · (Edited)
So I picked up my winter tire package from Volvo today. 2022 model 19” rims with Pirelli Sottozero’s. We get snow and sub-freezing temperatures here next week, according to Weather Network and it’s hilly where we live on the coast. Not a good combination with ice. The ride feels noticeably softer and thankfully at city speeds, the tires are no louder than standard Pirellis on the 20” rims. Highway to 90kph - some additional noise plus a few harmonics I expect from chunkier treads, but nothing like the noise I had from Nokians on my old work vehicle. Certainly not annoying. Based on advice from the dealer, I think the 19’s are the best option for the Recharge and they certainly look good. It’s more expensive to get the Volvo approved setup perhaps, but considering the outlay for the car, spending $4000 Cdn on tires and rims over the life of the tires is not an unreasonable expense IMO. And, you know it has been tested and approved in the event something goes wrong under warranty.
Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Automotive tire
 
#45 ·
I, respectfully, think you're being naive. Big wheels look cool. Big wheels accommodate big brakes. Heavier cars need bigger brakes. Big wheels often are heavier than smaller wheels. Big brakes look cool.Big , heavy wheels are not as efficient as smaller lighter wheels.
Heheh. I'm relying on Volvo's advice, yes. Big wheels are a combination of rims and tires, right? I've seen the kids with those huge rims and what look like 1" thick tires. Those do NOT look cool, they look unsafe and not a little bit stupid. Do you think the brakes on the Ultimate with the 20s are any different than the factory brakes on the single motor trims? I have a buddy who put fake red brake covers on his Honda--they are totally useless, just red bling. Yes, I could do that. Back when I was concerend with rotational mass on my bicycles, the discussions about wheels were violently religious. Eventually, I realized the differences only mattered in racing and the cummulative advantage when riding double centuries so I just ran the tires I wanted, leaving the zealots to fight it out.
 
#46 ·
Yes, big wheels meens less tyre as you pointed out...the overall diameter of the tyre is the same regardless of the wheel size. I believe the brakes are the same on the single and twin. Volvo's smallest wheel offering on the EVs is 19 inches...you'd think if the brakes werre smaller on the single motor, they might have a base 18 inch wheel on it, but nope. I've seen people on here fit 18 inch wheels with snow tyres for winter, but apparently the clearance between wheel and brake caliper is less than what Volvo would be happy with in production...might be fine if U were to find the right wheel style as they vary quite a bit.
 
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