fuel mileage upgrade with 16 in. wheels?

[Toz]

Ok so is this weird? I have a '14 Hy-Ti with 18 in wheels. I bought a set of 16 in wheels from amazon and Blizak snow tires from Costco. Ever sense I put the 16 in wheels on I have been getting about 4 MPH better gas mileage Than I had been getting and I am running the heater now that it is cold. The 16 in. tires and wheels are the same diameter as the 18 in ones. Maybe it's just a glich? Anyway I though it was weird.

[md13ffhguy]

Are the new tires narrower? You probably have less surface area contacting the road. Less resistance = better mileage. Many have reported that the cars with 17" wheels, i.e. no wheel upgrade, seem to be slightly more efficient.

[corncobs]

Not a glitch I see the same with 17" winter tires.

 

It's not really better but it definitely offsets the cold wether effects.

 

What size are your tires? Like md13ffhguy said its the contact area that matters. The 18" option runs 235/xx the 17" 225/xx ( like I have ). Your 16" might be 215/xx or maybe just 205/xx.

 

Just look at a Prius they run road slicers for the most part = higher MPG.

Edited November 13, 2014 by corncobs

[acdii]

Yep, thats what it is. Ford compromised on tires, put on a size that improves handling, yet is not too hard on FE. If they used skinny LRR tires to improve FE, it would sacrifice handling, and look kind of silly too. This makes about the fourth report of MPG improving with snow tires too.

[Toz]

I don't remember the tire size off the top of my head, but I ordered snow tires that were the same size as a Fusion "s" standard tires and used These Wheels http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BYQTQG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I couldn't stand the idea of having Steelies on the car for 5 months out of the year

[corncobs]

I don't remember the tire size off the top of my head, but I ordered snow tires that were the same size as a Fusion "s" standard tires and used These Wheels http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BYQTQG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I couldn't stand the idea of having Steelies on the car for 5 months out of the year

Nice looking rims! Almost too nice for winter.

[Toz]

Nice looking rims! Almost too nice for winter.

Thanks, but sooo much easier to keep clean than the stock 8000 spoke 18 in. wheels

[hermans]

I got these and the Blizzaks...

[Toz]

I got these and the Blizzaks...10734120_10152843722962930_4015254326782730044_n.jpg

thoes looke nice. I actually wanted black rims, but I couldn't find ones that both me and my wife liked on amazon

Edited November 20, 2014 by Toz

[Nmadole]

I also purchased Blizzak's ... Here is my thread on MPG Gain http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/9446-125-mpg-jump-pcm-or-tires/

Tire Size: 215/55/17 --- Steelies for the win!!! :)

 

Edited November 20, 2014 by Nmadole

[acdii]

All that is missing is the spot light. :sneaking:

[Wade Burtch]

Hi! I'd like to buy 16 inch wheels with snow tires on my Fusion Hybrid SE this fall. But Tirerack (and everywhere else I've tried) says that the smallest wheel I can put on the vehicle is 17 inch. The tires are dramatically more expensive on 17s than on 16s.

[Hybrider]

Hi! I'd like to buy 16 inch wheels with snow tires on my Fusion Hybrid SE this fall. But Tirerack (and everywhere else I've tried) says that the smallest wheel I can put on the vehicle is 17 inch. The tires are dramatically more expensive on 17s than on 16s.

 

If you go to TireRack, and select the "gas" model of Fusion instead of the hybrid version, then select the "S" version of Fusion, then you can "Filter By" the "Diameter", and you can select the 16" wheel size.

 

When I did that, they show there are 49 choices in the 16" wheel size for the Fusion S (gas).

Edited July 3, 2015 by Hybrider

[Wade Burtch]

Thank you Hybrider! I tried it and it worked. However, to confirm, I called Tirerack, and they say that it wouldn't work - if the tirerack.com site says that only 17 and 18 inch wheels fit the hybrid SE, than only 17 and 18 inch wheels will fit, according to the guy I talked to. He also said that if I order them anyway (using the method you described), and they don't fit over the calipers or whatever, than tirerack wouldn't issue a refund. I feel like he's full of baloney, yet I'm afraid to spend a boatload of money on these wheels/tires only to find out that they don't fit.

[murphy]

You can limit your monetary exposure by buying one wheel, without a tire, and trying to mount it on the front and rear of the car to see if it clears the calipers.

[securityguy]

When you place a smaller diameter tire on a car, or larger than what is spec'd as well, it will throw off your speedometer and mess up the way you vehicle calculates certain parameters. Just be conscious of this since your rotations will be different. Are you calculating manually or looking at the trip computer?

[hytibill]

I would like to get a 16" winter tire set for my 2013 Ford Fusion HyTi. Could you tell me the measurements for the wheels and the tires? Thanks. Also, TireRack wants TPMS. Any way around that requirement?

[Hybrider]

For the gas Fusions which are equipped with 16" tires/wheels, the measurements are 215/60HR16 for the tires, and 16" x 6.5" for the wheels.

I personally would fork out the money for the TPMS just to have the added safety.

[Cobra348]

When you place a smaller diameter tire on a car, or larger than what is spec'd as well, it will throw off your speedometer and mess up the way you vehicle calculates certain parameters. Just be conscious of this since your rotations will be different. Are you calculating manually or looking at the trip computer?

This would be true unless you up the sidewall height to compensate. Example: I run 225/50-17 but if I switch to 215/60-16 size tires, the speedo difference is +.7 at 60 MPH.