I know this may seem sacrilegious, but I purchased some TPMS Mazda3 16" wheels 16×7 / 5×114.3 bolt pattern 52et at a yard sale off a former Mazda3 owner He was cleaning out his garage.

I currently drive with OEM 17 inch wheels 205/50r17 and the tires need replacing.

My question is this, I want a softer, quieter ride since my commute is nearly 70 miles one way and I live in Atlanta, GA suburbs.

If I swap the 17s with the 16s and put on all season 205/60r16 will it ride softer and be more comfortable?

My mazda is older, I have replaced the shocks / struts due to age, but the ride is jarring over potholes, rough roads, train tracks, etc and it makes my commute tiresome.

So my theory is 205/60r16 all seasons will ride better than stock 20/50r17..

Is that true or am I wasting my time? I have never been to the track, don't really go much past the speed limit, but I like the way the car handles and it is fairly nimble (not necessarily top end fast) but it rides harsh and it is loud, thoughts?

 

Yes, your ride will be softer, that said, some all-seasons ride different than others, so opting for "all-season" tires will not, in and of itself, provide the smoothest ride; a tire like the Michelin Energy Saver A/S will be relatively soft while something like the Michelin Premier A/S will be a bit stiffer. A few additional points:

• If you do in fact drop down to the 16" wheels, the tires you should use to keep your speedometer and odometer accurate are 205/55 R16; if you go with 205/60 R16 tires then your speedometer and odometer will both under-report speed and distance.
• If you like how nimble your car is on 17" wheels, you need to be aware, by dropping to the 16" wheel size, you will lose some of that nimbleness.
• When you replaced your shocks/struts; what did you replace them with?
• Were I in your shoes I'd probably stay with the 17" wheels, get the suspension debugged for any issues, and then go with a relatively soft 205/50 R17 tire.

 

Thanks for the input, I used a pair of Monroe 172263 Quick-Strut Assembly.

Because of my height and driving position, honestly, I can't tell definitively what my speed is by the gauge cluster, so I drive with a GPS speedo app, to get time, weather, speed, music selection, etc. (The gauges look cool, but I don't use them much).

These monroes have no user adjustments that I'm aware of, they are basically plug and play.

The OEM struts were just worn out and it rides better than it used to, granted, but I know harsh and this is harsh as this is my 2nd Mazda and I drive a lot over rough patches, etc.

I don't expect it to ride like a rolls royce, but my commute can easily creep up to 2+ hours on bad days and I would rather not feel everything on crappy roads.

 

Really old thread, but thought the conclusion to this was interesting. I eventually downsized and went with 215/55 R 16 which is basically slightly wider and has a little taller side wall then the stock 17s. The decision was simplified by using https://rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp size comparer and I truly can't believe how much smoother and quieter the ride is now. It is almost like a new(er) car. When the speedometer reads 60 mph actual speed is 60.4 mph so I can't tell the difference. I'm stunned by how much difference a 1/2 inch more sidewall and 1/2 inch more width makes in the noise, vibration and comfort.