Pros/Cons of 20x10 vs 19x9.5 winter setup

[jlixfeld]

I'll shortly be taking delivery of a MYP and I'll need to swap out the 21" summers for a winter kit. I've seen various options for 20x10 vs 19x9.5 setups for winter and I'm trying to get an idea of the pros/cons of either setup. 20x10 w/255/40R20 would be more responsive yet less soft, more prone to pothole damage because the sidewall is lower and likely a higher probability for road rash as a result. 19x9.5 w/255/45R19 would be opposite in all aspects since it'd have a taller sidewall. The 20" option is probably going to be more expensive than the 19" option. The 20" option is arguably more aesthetically pleasing than the 19" option. Aside from all this, any other pros/cons either way?

I read somewhere that a 19 x 8.5 matched with the appropriate tire would be wider than the wheel face, so well protected from road rash, but I'm fuzzy on the details of that. Is that an option?

 

[TwelveVoltMan]

I'll shortly be taking delivery of a MYP and I'll need to swap out the 21" summers for a winter kit. I've seen various options for 20x10 vs 19x9.5 setups for winter and I'm trying to get an idea of the pros/cons of either setup. 20x10 w/255/40R20 would be more responsive yet less soft, more prone to pothole damage because the sidewall is lower and likely a higher probability for road rash as a result. 19x9.5 w/255/45R19 would be opposite in all aspects since it'd have a taller sidewall. The 20" option is probably going to be more expensive than the 19" option. The 20" option is arguably more aesthetically pleasing than the 19" option. Aside from all this, any other pros/cons either way?

I read somewhere that a 19 x 8.5 matched with the appropriate tire would be wider than the wheel face, so well protected from road rash, but I'm fuzzy on the details of that. Is that an option?

You have done your research. I think you are spot on with the tradeoffs and advantages to each setup.

255/45R19 is the OEM 19" tire size for the Model Y. That's a 255mm wide tire (about 10" wide). The stock 19" Gemini wheels are 9.5" wide. A 19 x 8.5 wheel will work fine with a 255mm/10" wide tire and will cause more side wall to stick out past the face of the wheel. Just make sure you get 19 x 8.5 wheels with a sufficient load rating for the Y.

The real issue right now (at least in the States) is finding winter tires in stock. That may be your deciding factor.