Yep....
I was forced into the 16.5s originally when I did my 1-ton swap and got those massive brake calipers on the D60.
33" tires used to be big, then the cool kids all went to 35s.... Then 38s, 40s, 42s, 44s, 49s and 54s!!! You really can't add that much diameter to a tire without increasing the rim size.... Imagine how heavy that tire would be. And yes, the manufacturers are driving us to the larger wheel sizes, like it or not. 15" & 16" are no longer the "sweet spot" for the best tire choices.
There is definitely an aesthetic balance between the tire size and wheel diameter. For me, the 17" is the limit in a 37-38" tire. Small wheels with big tires tend to look "ballooney", whereas the large 20"+ wheels tend to create a "low-profile", short-sidewall effect.
A great amount of blame also goes to the owners who put ultra-modern, hard-edged black/silver wheels on a classic truck. They are completely wrong (in ANY diameter) on an older vehicle.
-G