[blb]

Overall, I'm fairly well satisfied with my 2022 Passport Elite. The biggest criticism I have is the ride quality, mainly the impact harshness, when driving over uneven road surfaces with the stock 20" Elite wheels and tires. I have an opportunity to get a set of stock 22 Passport 18" Trailsport Wheels and tires.

My question for those that have made the switch, how significant, in your opinion, is the difference between the two in ride quality? Do the 18" wheels and tires provide a significantly better ride quality? Is the difference like night and day difference, or maybe just slightly improved, or somewhere in between?

 

[J-Passport-1]

2022 Passport Elite as well. Switched from 20" OEMs to 18" Trailsport OEM wheels and Falken Wildpeaks AT Trail at 3k miles.
No noticeable ride quality for me. But I was not bothered by the ride quality so I was not paying close attention to it.
Road noise increased because of the different tires.
MPG also took a hit but I don't know by how much due to the tire switch since I added other MPG-affecting mods (VCMTuner, window visors, roof crossbars, etc) at around the same time.

Edit spelling

 

[mvacolnago]

I traded in my 19 passport for a 22 trailsport. I live in Chicago where the roads are crap, the 20 rims with the conti tires sucked. 6 months before I traded in my 19 I bought a set of Michelin cross climate 2's. I loved the way they handled but they were still pretty stiff, especially on larger holes and pavement breaks. I have about 3k miles on the new trailsport and notice the difference mostly on sharper bumps. When these factory firestones need replacing I will probably get another set of the cross climate 2's

 

[ares]

I had about 800 miles on the OEM 20s before moving to the 18 TS wheels + Falken Wildpeak tires.

TBH, I'm sure it was just the "newness" of the tires/vehicle, but I thought the OEM tires were acceptable in all aspects. I still have them so maybe I'll put them back on and pay closer attention between them.

 

[stevenD]

As I recall, the space between the wheel on 20" tires and the road is like 2", whereas the difference increases to like 4" for 18" set-ups.

Well having 4" of tire taking up bumps and stuff allows for a smoother ride...

 

[carpayments4life]

Changing to 18" rims and tires dampens the impact, but the noisiness is about the same.

I hit a pothole and split my OEM 20" sidewall. I had a set of 18" MDX rims in storage.

Instead of buying a replacement 20" tire and having it shaved down to match the tread depth of the other three tires, I switched to 18" tires.

My 18" tires are Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive.
I am not jarred as much (when I hit potholes) as I was with the OEM 20" rims and those OEM low profile tires.

On smooth pavement, my decibel meter showed 64 dBm when the OEM 20" rims (with their sound deadening technology) were new.
The 18" rims (no sound deadening technology) and the ComfortDrive tires measured 65 dBm.

Low profile rubber is noisy and Honda eliminated some of the noise with sound deadening, on the OEM 20" rims.
18" rims allow for more rubber and air between the rim and the pavement and this is less noisy, than low profile tires.

The OEM 20" rim's tire (outside diameter/height) is 29.6"

 

[ares]

As I recall, the space between the wheel on 20" tires and the road is like 2", whereas the difference increases to like 4" for 18" set-ups.

Well having 4" of tire taking up bumps and stuff allows for a smoother ride...

While the maths you provided make sense, there are a couple of other parameters that you left out: tire compound/composition potentially being the biggest.

While (generally speaking) more sidewall should mean better ride, that's not the case when the sidewall is reinforced (see: all-terrain) compared to "freeway" tires.

 

[louierg]

Overall, I'm fairly well satisfied with my 2022 Passport Elite. The biggest criticism I have is the ride quality, mainly the impact harshness, when driving over uneven road surfaces with the stock 20" Elite wheels and tires. I have an opportunity to get a set of stock 22 Passport 18" Trailsport Wheels and tires.

My question for those that have made the switch, how significant, in your opinion, is the difference between the two in ride quality? Do the 18" wheels and tires provide a significantly better ride quality? Is the difference like night and day difference, or maybe just slightly improved, or somewhere in between?

2019 elite. Just replaced tires. Michelin latitude tour hp. Night and day difference.

 

[ares]

2019 elite. Just replaced tires. Michelin latitude tour hp. Night and day difference.

Just to confirm, still on 20s but replaced tires?

 

[louierg]

yes 20" original. wanted better ride. Considered 18s. The curb rash was a bummer. 65000 mi later the rash is patina. The ride with the Latitude tour hp are a much better ride. Satisfied. Now battling battery drain issues. Replaced battery and the issue continues.

 

[npeckio]

i wanted to go to 18's but cant afford new wheels. i have dedicated snow and wheels already. im gonna stay low profile but get rid of conti's and gonna put on Falken azenis,from amazon...cheaper then tire rack. summer tire for suv....have blizacks on other wheels. got a few weeks lesft till i put them on . review to follow. im betting they will be better then contis lol.

 

[CC_Marauder]

Please...do your fellow (remaining) working American neighbors a favor, #NeverAmazon.