Yeah, that's how my SO rolls

 

Can't say I've ever heard that before. True, wider wheels relative to the tire width are susceptible to curb rash, but that has nothing to do with wheel diameter. The single largest issue with larger diameter wheels is the associated shorter sidewall which in turn reduces impact tolerance from pot holes and the like.

 

I consider that an issue on my off road vehicle, but not on my CX5. Of course, maybe we have better pothole response from local government, though I have never heard that as praise around here.

With the smaller wheels, the tire is usually the part that makes contact with the curb when parking. The larger diameter wheel moves the wide part of the tire upward and downward making it more likely that the wheel will contact the curb, not to forget that those low profile tires usually aren't that fat anyway.

In 56 years of driving, I have never damaged a wheel in a pothole, but I have given a number of them curb rash since the larger wheels became popular. Anecdotal, I know, but relevant.

 

A 2004 Mazda 3 with 195/65/15 tyre will have a large side wall of about 5 inches,

compare that to,

2019 Mazda 3 with 215/45/18 tyres will only have a 3.8 inch sidewall.

If you rub up against a 4.5 inch high curb, the 2004 model will absorb the rub into the soft rubber sidewall, do the same with a 2019 and you will feel the grind of your alloy wheel.

 

19” rims are, by definition, harder riding and more susceptible to road damage than 17” rims. The lower aspect ratio tires transmit more energy than higher aspect ratio tires. IOW, big wheels bend easier than smaller wheels.

For this reason I purchased a set of 17” take-offs from a 2015 CX-5 for my 2019 CX-5 which came with 19”s. I’ll use the 17”s for winter trips up to the mountains and the 19”s for the long, hot summers in Texas. Peace.