It really depends on size of the wheels and what tires you get. I had a 2006 HCH and replace the wheels and tires with 17X8 OZ Superleggera and 225/45/17 Kumho ASX tires. They really hurt the MPG on the car. I did mostly stop and go traffic on the highway and was lucky if I got 42 MPG. I suspect those are pretty good numbers with aftermarket wheels and tires. But, I think not getting low rolling resistance tires hurt the MPG. If you do switch the wheels and tires, look into low rolling resistance tires. The stock tires are and I am sure that will help the MPG if you do change them.

The car did look a lot better and the handling improved quite a bit.

 

I got the Si 17" wheels which came with Yokohama AVS ES100s. I'm going to try the Kumho's next because the Yoko's are really awful. They're extremely noisy at low speeds the rolling resistance has to be poor.

 

I still don't get peole that buy hybrids only to mod them at the expense of FE?

 

For me and I suspect others, it was a trading-off some FE for looks (personal preference and vanity). Still getting relatively good FE in a good, reliable car that's also practical. One reason why hybrids have been the rage vs. plug in battery for 100 miles.

One reason for the wheel/tire posts is to offer the effects of various tires/wheels against FE so others can make choices best for them.

 

I agree but then these same people (not all, but it has happened here on this forum) complain about their FE. Then people start questioning what they are doing, and it turns out it's their wheels at the root of the problem. Tires and wheels are probably the most important item on your car, which seems to be missed.

 

First of all I have a 3013 civic EX 5speed automatic non cvt. I have done extensive research and tried out different rim combinations. I also have the data to prove it. In conclusion to the questions being asked in this forum here are my results. On stock touring 17" rims with 215/45/R17 tires best I could do on a 500 kilometer trip is 16 kilometers to a liter, which is about 37.6 mpg, On the stock civic HF hybrid rims R15 which has 195/65/R15 best I could do on a 500 kilometer trip is 18 kilometers to a liter which is 42.3 mpg. Here's another interesting thing on the R15 hybrid rims if I turn off my AC and keep my windows closed and just run the fan I gain an added 3 kilometers per liter, like 21-22 kilometers per liter thats almost like 49-50 mpg, all these test were done under 100kph or 55mph. Gas is way more affected driving 10 kph or 5mph above the posted speed limit.

also the r17 rims and tires are like 21lbs each while the hybrid rims and tires are 14lbs

16 vs 18 kilometers might not be a big difference, but that equals to an extra 100 kilometers of travel distance on a full tank of gas which is 50 liters for a civic and here's the catch if you turn off the AC or drive at 10kph below the speed limit on a full tank of gas at say 21 kilometers per liter you'll average 1,050 kilometeres on a full tank of gas. Thats almost hybrid realm!

but all these was done on highway driving. But I would also assume it would translate equally on city driving!

one thing I've come to realize it all comes down to driving style, did you know that accelerating from a dead stop to 85mph with the gas floored all the way down consumes 1 liter of gas, just to get to 85mph and thats just like a 2 kilometer stretch. So if you really want to save gas, yes the rims will help, but it wont make up for driving like a maniac on the road.

 

Yes, changing the wheels on your 2007 Civic Hybrid can affect fuel economy, but a 15 MPG drop is very unlikely. The biggest factors are wheel weight, tire size, and rolling resistance. Sticking close to the stock tire size and using lightweight, low-rolling-resistance tires will minimize any MPG loss. Many owners who upgraded wheels reported only a small decrease, and some even maintained similar mileage by choosing efficient rims and tires. To avoid a noticeable drop, focus on wheels that are similar in diameter and lighter than stock, paired with tires designed for fuel efficiency.