claypool0

I really liked the ride quality of the 5th generation ES but the 6th seems a little stiffer and not as good at dealing with imperfections in the road, It wasn't terrible but it felt like a downgrade to me. How does the ride quality of the 7th generation compare to the 6th generation or even the 5th for that matter.

nsaldanh

Tires and the size of the wheels make a big difference. I have a 2011 ES with 17" wheels that rides better than a 2015 ES with 19 inch (maybe 18) wheels. The amount of sidewall available will determine a portion of your ride quality, the other being the suspension.

mikemu30

But the 19" FSport wheels look so darn good

Npahlavan

I have 19" F sport wheels on MY19 and the ride is super smooth. Bumps are hardly felt and the ride feels like I would expect a luxury car to feel.

It's all subjective of course but having owned sport cars with stiff suspensions to stock economy cars, I love the smooth ride of this car.

mikemu30

Totally agree. Many folks feel the low profile (these have plenty of sidewall anyway) tires produce a harsh ride. No way is that the case with the FSport.

claypool0

Yeah I would get 17 inch wheels, also I think the 2011 (5th gen) smoother ride than a 2015 (6th gen). Then driven 7th gen yet to see how it compares.

SW17LS

The lower profile the tires the firmer the ride will be. I think the 7ES rides a little better than the 6ES, but that also rides very well.

Tire pressure plays a role too, make sure they’re at 30-31.

clqw

7th gen rides firmer than the 6th gen; in terms of cushioning road bumps, they're similar with 6th gen slightly more cushy.

TechNut

It is pretty close though. It also depends a great deal on the tires, both profile and brand. The 7th gen with 17" wheels/tires that we test drove definitely soaked up road imperfections better than our 6th gen with 17" Bridgestone shoes. The 7th gen ES that we ultimately purchased with 18" rims (Bridgestone Turanza tires) seems very close to our 6th gen car with 17" wheels.

It is really hard for me to say there is much "perceivable" difference between the 6th and 7th gen cars other than for larger bumps in the road - in which case the 7th gen handles them better in my opinion.

clqw

yea, they are indeed very similar.