Large rims/small sidewalls are really more about bent rims than they are flatted tires. The tire compresses till it can't compress any more because it comes in contact with the rim, and if there's still energy in the "strike" it will now be absorbed by the rim.

 

I'm in RI and Mass, pot hole city. I've had 22 inch wheels for 6 years or so with no issues. Comfort is not an issue as these cars are tuned for larger wheels. It's pretty incredible how well the Range Rover rides on them. The Defender is much more noticeable.

 

you hit the nail - I am sure the full size RR on 21" rims is different than a Defender on that same rim, as the RR likely has more tuning for comfort. I've never tested a RR, as that's not for me. (I've driven for weeks the velar and evoke as loaners, but those are not the RR). I'm looking at Defender only, and I can pick anything from 19-22", with the most common seeming to be the 20". My current LR has 18" rims and no air suspension (it's a bit rough, but NOT a wrangler). the 20" rim 110 3.0L I drove was wonderful - it had air suspension. but it wasn't as smooth as I would have thought. I also had tested a 2.0L and that probably had 19"s, but I don't recall. I remember it being exceptionally smooth. I'm looking for the least Wrangler like Defender, and so I'm leaning toward the 19"s. The 20"s I tested were great - but wouldn't a bit more air be a bit more smooth?

 

My 2016 RRS w/air susp on 21" wheels felt similar in terms of smoothness to my Defender w/ air. You can just feel the 'tallness' more with Defender with bit more wind noise and top heaviness.

I swapped out the stock 20" wheels and stock pirelli all-seasons (I hate all pirelli tires) with 22" Urban wheels paired with Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 all seasons. Zero difference in smoothness or ride quality going from 20" to 22". The Michelins track straigher too.

I also live in a pothole area and have no concern losing the extra one inch of sidewall. If I go offroading next year I can throw a beefier tire on the stock wheels.

 

I dropped by the Lexus dealer to finally check one of these out.

Felt like a really cheap truck for the cost across the interior and exterior.

Not a fan at all.

 

@Yulongtd6 I checked it out too. I was suprised by how small the vehicle looked. (ie overall dimensions... surprisingly small, like even smaller looking than a 4runner to me)

 

I've seen the new GX 550 around town: it's a yawn. the brownie point I give Lexus is that they figured out how to put a powerful engine (equivalent to the P400) to an 18" rim, thus providing tons of tire choices to owners. It's not about the rim size - it's about making 5x more tires available to owners when you adopt a standard rim size (like 18") for off road tires. I applaud the GX OT because of how Lexus thought through the ownership experience ahead of time; part of the ownership experience for an off road SUV is going to be about tire choices. I was disappointed the 255/60/20 shows no off road all terrain tires available; yet if JLR had gone 265/60/20 tirerack.com would show 29 different all terrain tires. On something 110 Defender size, JLR can't find a lousy 10mm of space to dramatically expand tire choices? why not just give in and pick a standard rim size for the off road tire market? the 18" rim size would give 30 all terrain tire choices vs. just 2 on the 19". Look at that again - it's a head scratcher for sure... If JLR stuck to 20"s and went 275/60/20, there would be 52 different all terrain tires to pick from, and 86 tire choices overall. At the 20" rim now, it's only 9 total tire choices, and of that just 2 are rated as all terrains. The difference in wheel size is 1 inch (big I know), but the ownership experience would be enhanced tremendously. It would be one of those "invest a little and gain alot" types of things... This is what Lexus thought through ahead of time on the GX OT. It doesn't mean I want a GX OT - but I do give them credit for thinking ahead. The GX 550s I've seen driving about don't make me want to visit a Lexus dealership - I've not bothered & I've had an order in now for several months with my LR dealer for a new 2025 110 with the 19" rims. I didn't want a Lexus: I wanted a 110 Defender with a standardized rim size (like the Lexus GX OT), so I could rotate through different tire choice over time. I also wonder if the wider tire would boost roof rack loading capacity?

 

I'm running 265/60R20s on my Defender no problem at all. They fit just fine.

 

Many here also running 275/55/20 size. Over 100 tires on tirerack of which 58 are all terains. No lift, spacers, fender trimming necessary.

 

I've read that too. I do wonder why - with all the tire choices that would be available to owners all within a 10mm difference - JLR decided to curtail tire choices for owners so drastically? Would a wider tire allow more roof loading or tow more? IDK, must be a reason in there somewhere... All I got is maybe the undersized tire is used for better MPG ratings at point of sale? If JLR sold Defenders on an off road tire size like 265/70/18, maybe that would reduce MPG ratings and somehow maybe that had something to do with it??? IDK, it's always been a head scratcher as to why JLR made Defender awesome off road in tech and build quality of parts, but then forgot about the tires? How can you put the 4x4 tech to work if you're only driving on the highways? Anyways, the 19"s have a good enough sidewall, so hopefully more tire companies will come out with off road tires for the 19"s.