Subaru Impreza tire size
Original tire sizes for the Subaru Impreza, model years 2008 through 2023. Trim levels and wheel packages change the size within the same year, so confirm on the door-jamb sticker before ordering.
Check before you order. The surest answer is the tires on the car right now: the size is molded into the sidewall. The placard inside the driver's door tells you what the factory fitted, which can differ from what a previous owner put on. Our guide on reading a tire size shows exactly where to look.
Size by year and trim
| Model years | Trim or package | Tire size | From, per tire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-2023 | Sport | 225/40R18 | $73 | Prices |
| 2012-2016 | Sport | 215/45R17 | $65 | Prices |
| 2008-2023 | Standard | 205/55R16 | $60 | Prices |
Tire size by model year
| Model year | Tire size | Trim or package | From, per tire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Subaru Impreza | 225/40R18, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2022 Subaru Impreza | 225/40R18, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2021 Subaru Impreza | 225/40R18, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2020 Subaru Impreza | 225/40R18, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2019 Subaru Impreza | 225/40R18, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2018 Subaru Impreza | 225/40R18, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2017 Subaru Impreza | 225/40R18, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2016 Subaru Impreza | 215/45R17, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2015 Subaru Impreza | 215/45R17, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2014 Subaru Impreza | 215/45R17, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2013 Subaru Impreza | 215/45R17, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
| 2012 Subaru Impreza | 215/45R17, 205/55R16 | Sport or Standard | $60 | Prices |
Show the remaining 4 model years
Which brand should you pick?
Subaru does not stamp its own approval code on tires the way Porsche or BMW do. Any tire in the right size that meets or exceeds the load index and speed rating on your door placard is a legitimate replacement, so pick on wet braking, tread life and price. Our picks for each size are on the size pages below.
The drawing carries the sizes we list for this car, so you know what you are looking for. The placard on the car is still the final word, and it is the only place that gives the cold pressures: the number molded into the sidewall is the maximum the tire can hold, not what your car wants.
What those tires cost
About the Subaru Impreza
The Impreza is Subaru's compact car, sold as a sedan and hatchback and the only car in its class with standard all-wheel drive. It sits below the Crosstrek and Legacy in the range and is separate from the WRX, which split off as its own model in 2015. Tire buyers land here because all-wheel drive means tires have to be replaced in matched sets, which changes the economics of buying just one.
Launched in 1992. Launched in 1992, the Impreza replaced the Leone as Subaru's compact platform, and by fitting a turbocharged flat-four and all-wheel drive it became the basis of the rally cars that defined the brand in the 1990s.
How to tell the model years apart
Wheel and tire sizes follow the generation, not the badge, so identifying yours matters before you order.
2008-2011
GE/GH
The generation that switched the hatchback to a taller, five-door shape with a large glass area and lost the frameless door windows. Base 2.5i cars ran 16-inch wheels with 205/55R16 tires; the WRX that shared this body used wider fitments and became a separate model afterwards.
Tire sizes: 205/55R16
2012-2016
2017-2023
GK/GT
The first car on the Subaru Global Platform, with a chassis around 70 percent stiffer than before, built in Lafayette, Indiana. Identify it by the wide hexagonal grille with a flanking C-shaped light signature. Base cars run 205/55R16 and Sport trims 18-inch wheels with 225/40R18 tires.
What the press said
Reviewers have consistently praised the Impreza for all-weather traction, visibility and safety ratings, and just as consistently criticized it for being slow. The 2017 Global Platform car drew strong reviews for ride and refinement, with the CVT and a modest 152-horsepower flat-four singled out as the things holding it back. Interior quality improved markedly with that generation. The recurring theme in reviews is that buyers should not expect a junior WRX, and that the Impreza's appeal is competence in bad weather rather than entertainment.
Those expecting the Impreza to play the role of a junior WRX will be disappointed.
Car and Driver, 2017
| Model year | Units sold in the US |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 66,785 |
| 2016 | 55,238 |
| 2017 | 86,043 |
| 2018 | 76,400 |
| 2019 | 66,415 |
| 2020 | 43,628 |
| 2021 | 34,791 |
| 2022 | 30,846 |
| 2023 | 34,719 |
| 2024 | 31,366 |
| 2025 | 27,942 |
US Impreza sales peaked at 86,043 in the 2017 launch year and have since fallen below 30,000 as buyers moved to the closely related Crosstrek.
Was it a success?
The Impreza has been a dependable seller rather than a hit, and its volume has been steadily absorbed by the Crosstrek, which is the same car with more ground clearance. Resale is strong for a compact car, because all-wheel drive keeps demand high in snow states. Reliability is good on the 2012-on FB engines, with the earlier EJ-series cars prone to head gasket leaks and the CVT the main long-term unknown on high-mileage examples.
Did you know?
- The Impreza has been built in Lafayette, Indiana since the 2017 model year, making it one of the few Japanese-brand compacts assembled in the US.
- The WRX was a trim of the Impreza until 2015, when Subaru split it into its own model line.
- The 2017 car's chassis is about 70 percent stiffer than the one it replaced, according to Subaru's own figures.
Tire options on the Subaru Impreza
Fitments are modest: 205/55R16 on base cars across three generations, 215/45R17 on 2012-2016 Sport trims and 225/40R18 on 2017-2023 Sport models. Nothing is staggered and run-flats are not offered. The important point on any Impreza is that all-wheel drive is standard and permanent, so tires should be replaced in fours or at least in matched pairs on the same axle with tread depths kept within a few thirty-seconds of each other; large differences put load into the center differential. Original equipment has been Yokohama Avid and Bridgestone Turanza touring all-seasons, neither of them impressive in deep snow despite the drivetrain. Because the car is bought for winter, the usual upgrade is a dedicated winter set on a 16-inch wheel, which fits every trim and costs much less than 225/40R18 winter tires. Upsizing is rarely worthwhile, since the engine has little power to spare for heavier wheels.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, caranddriver.com.
Subaru Impreza tires: common questions
What size tires does a Subaru Impreza take?
The most common original size is 225/40R18. Other model years and trims use different sizes, so check the list on this page and confirm against the sticker inside your driver's door.
Can I fit a different size on my Subaru Impreza?
You can, within limits: the overall diameter should stay within about 3 percent of the original, and the load index and speed rating must meet or exceed the door placard. Anything further changes your speedometer reading and can rub at full lock.
Where is the tire size on a Subaru Impreza?
Open the driver's door and look at the white and yellow placard on the door jamb or the B-pillar. The same size is also molded into the sidewall of the tires currently on the car, unless someone changed them.
What size tires does a 2023 Subaru Impreza take?
The 2023 Subaru Impreza came from the factory on 225/40R18 and 205/55R16. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.
What size tires does a 2022 Subaru Impreza take?
The 2022 Subaru Impreza came from the factory on 225/40R18 and 205/55R16. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.
What size tires does a 2021 Subaru Impreza take?
The 2021 Subaru Impreza came from the factory on 225/40R18 and 205/55R16. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.