Wheel Size and Handling for CX 5
 

Is there a significant difference in steering response, in terms of precision, amount of feedback and speed of response between 17 inch wheels and 19 inch wheels on the CX 5? Has anyone tried both?

There are at least two folks here who've switch from 19" to 17" wheels and reported either no apparent difference in feel or a slight improvement.

What is your goal with the CX-5? I doubt there is perceptible handling differences between 17" and 19" wheels. Mostly because none of us are driving at the limits of the cars handling.
Theoretically the 19" wheels and narrow profile tires will provide a firmer ride and tighter handling. Definitely there is less tire to deflect. However the tire and suspension will have greater impact then the wheel size.
It is easier to make a case to go with smaller wheels: 17 or even 16" wheels will definitely provide a more comfortable ride and less rolling mass too. So if your roads are crap or you don't like the harsh ride then go with the smaller wheel.
If you think to justify getting 19" wheels based on the improvement in handling then forget it. However, I'm all for making changes for an aesthetic goal. Today bigger wheels are fashionable. And, I like the way they look too. So if you have your eyes on some fancy big wheels then go for it!

I have no direct comparison to 17" wheels, but no complaints with our 19" wheels so far. We have driven the car now for more than a year and are very happy with the handling.

Handling & SUV's don't go hand in hand. If you want better handling, sell it and buy a sports car. Changing between 17 & 19" wheels won't make much difference.

Surely a dropped suspension is going to enhance the effect of 19" wheels. Seems odd to me to do one without the other if a sporty handling is the goal. Either way, a sporty car isn't going to be a comfy car without some pretty enhanced suspension systems, aka range rover sport air suspension system, which pressurises the suspension accordingly to cornering angle and g-force, making a comfy but sporty ride. NOT CHEAP!

Thanks for all your replies. For me yes, the only that thing matter is the steering feedback. I tried both 17 and 19 wheels recently by going to dealer. There is a slight but perceptible improvement with the larger wheels.

Is that with lowered or standard suspension?

I went through a few interest videos on Youtube where they were experimenting with difference wheel sizes. There were several findings which I doubt were that surprising, but gave some specifics.

Increase wheel profile from 15" to 17" resulted in increase weight and moment force on the axle, resulting in a 10% drop in fuel economy and 4% in acceleration. The lower profile did of course handle better in general road conditions, but they found that in winter weather, the lower size performed better.

The lesson I took from this was to use the standard 17" as a quick change winter tyre. I'm planning on storing them in the garage for this. I intend to fit 19"/20" but if/when I do one of these, I'm prepared for the hit on MPG for the benefit of improved handling. Still, when selecting wheels, there are light-weight versions out there that may keep the wheel forces in line with factory spec and maintain the original performance measurements.

Not a good assumption, due to the greater diameter, even if you can find a 20" wheel which is lighter than the factory 17" wheel, it will have greater rotational mass/angular kinetic energy than the smaller wheel.