I ordered a 2025 GLE 450e with AMG exterior package. I can’t decide which tires to get between the AMG Twin 5-Spoke Wheels with 20” Extended Mobility Tires and the AMG Multispoke Wheels with 21” All-Season tires.

I’m not a big fan of run-flat tires and I think all-seasons ride better. In either case, I don’t like not having jack or spare, but I guess there is no choice with the PHEV. Does anyone have real-world experience or recommendations with either of these tire options? Thanks.

 

My car was a CPO. It came with the 21s. If I had ordered it, I would have gotten the 20s. Better ride I think. Also the 21s are staggered. Don’t know about the 20s. I just found out that I can’t go through my normal car wash. The rear tires appear to be too wide for the track. Afraid to try it.

 

Rule #1 for me when choosing tires: No runflats! I'd pick the 21's for that reason alone.

 

I have run flats on my cabriolet. No problem with them.

 

My thinking also but driving around with no spare or jack bothers me too. How do you deal with that?

 

I carry a Slime repair kit if I don't have a spare. Our GLE has a spare, but I still put a Slime kit in the GLE in case my wife gets a flat and can't reach me. Some people carry 12v compressors and a plug kit.

I'm of the opinion that runflats provide a false sense of security anyway. They might not need air if they're punctured, but a nasty pothole or curb can put bulge in a runflat's sidewall and leave the car just as disabled as a flat would. The stiff sidewall also transfers impact forces to the wheel, making it more vulnerable to bending or cracking. Factor in the firmer ride, higher unsprung weight, shorter tread life, higher price and limited availability, and it's no wonder automakers aren't as high on runflats as they once were. As batteries continue to fill space formerly reserved for spares, fix-a-flat kits will likely displace runflats for all these reasons. Until these become readily available, that is ...

 

For practicality, get the 20 inch ones. You still can't rotate them in normal (X) pattern as while the tires are the same, the front/rear offsets are different. From the look perspective, I like wider 21s on the rear as they will the wheels better width wise and make the car looks a bit more aggressive. For 450e, I'd say ordering the AIRMATIC is more important than the size of the tires. It's a heavy vehicle and spring may end up being too plush.

 

Get the 20" tires. You will be lucky to get more than 20,000 miles out of the run flats that come with the car and then you can switch to a regular tire and get a Tirefit kit. I would also highly recommend the air suspension especially if you decide to go with the 21" tires.

Remember, if you get damage to a run flat tire and run it while it doesn't have air, it cannot be repaired and must be replaced.