Subaru WRX tire size
Original tire sizes for the Subaru WRX, model years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-2024 | Base/Premium | 235/45R18 | $81 | Prices |
| 2022-2024 | Limited/GT | 245/40R18 | $83 | Prices |
| 2015-2021 | Standard | 235/45R17 | $72 | Prices |
Tire size by model year
| Model year | Tire size | Trim or package | From, per tire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Subaru WRX | 235/45R18, 245/40R18 | Base/Premium or Limited/GT | $81 | Prices |
| 2023 Subaru WRX | 235/45R18, 245/40R18 | Base/Premium or Limited/GT | $81 | Prices |
| 2022 Subaru WRX | 235/45R18, 245/40R18 | Base/Premium or Limited/GT | $81 | Prices |
| 2021 Subaru WRX | 235/45R17 | Standard | $72 | Prices |
| 2020 Subaru WRX | 235/45R17 | Standard | $72 | Prices |
| 2019 Subaru WRX | 235/45R17 | Standard | $72 | Prices |
| 2018 Subaru WRX | 235/45R17 | Standard | $72 | Prices |
| 2017 Subaru WRX | 235/45R17 | Standard | $72 | Prices |
| 2016 Subaru WRX | 235/45R17 | Standard | $72 | Prices |
| 2015 Subaru WRX | 235/45R17 | Standard | $72 | Prices |
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 WRX
The WRX is Subaru's turbocharged all-wheel-drive sport sedan, split off from the Impreza as its own model line for 2015. It is one of the few cars in this price class sold with a manual gearbox as standard and a symmetrical full-time all-wheel-drive system underneath. WRX owners buy tires more often than almost anyone, which is why they end up on pages like this.
Launched in 1992. Launched in 1992 as a version of the Impreza built to homologate Subaru's World Rally Championship car, the WRX became a standalone model line in 2015 when Subaru separated it from the regular Impreza range.
How to tell the model years apart
Wheel and tire sizes follow the generation, not the badge, so identifying yours matters before you order.
2015-2021
First standalone generation (VA)
The VA is the sedan-only WRX with a wide-mouth hexagonal grille, functional hood scoop and heavily flared fenders, sold alongside a higher-output STI with a big rear wing and gold-painted wheels. Base and Premium cars run 17-inch wheels; Limited moves to 18s, and the STI is on 18s with Brembo brakes behind them. No hatchback was offered, which was the loudest complaint of the era.
2022-2024
Second generation (VB)
Built on the Subaru Global Platform with a 2.4-liter turbo flat-four, recognizable by the black plastic cladding around the wheel arches and along the sills that drew so much comment at launch. The grille is wider and lower, the hood scoop smaller, and the tail lights are C-shaped. Base and Premium sit on 235/45R18, while Limited and GT step up to 245/40R18 summer tires.
What the press said
The 2015 WRX got genuinely mixed reviews: it out-accelerated and out-gripped everything near its price but finished second to the Volkswagen GTI in back-to-back tests from both Car and Driver and Motor Trend, losing on interior quality and ride comfort. Independent testing put 0-60 mph anywhere from 4.8 to 5.5 seconds and skidpad grip between 0.92 and 0.96 g. The 2022 car was praised for its chassis and its standard manual but criticized for being tamer and quieter than its predecessors, and for pricing that now approaches fifty thousand dollars. The plastic body cladding remains the single most criticized styling element.
A polished package that delivers driver-centric fun behind the wheel, but without the viscerally raw feel of WRXes past.
Car and Driver, 2026
| Model year | Units sold in the US |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 33,734 |
| 2016 | 33,279 |
| 2017 | 31,358 |
| 2018 | 28,730 |
| 2019 | 21,838 |
| 2020 | 21,178 |
| 2021 | 27,141 |
| 2022 | 18,662 |
| 2023 | 24,681 |
| 2024 | 18,587 |
| 2025 | 10,930 |
US sales peaked at 33,734 in 2015 and have trended down since, to 18,587 in 2024 and 10,930 in 2025.
Was it a success?
The WRX has always been a modest-volume car that punches above its weight in brand terms, and Subaru keeps it around partly for image. Resale is unusually strong for a compact sedan, helped by a devoted used market, though heavily modified examples are worth far less than clean ones. Reliability reputation is a real caveat: the VA-generation cars suffered rev hang, and the STI's EJ257 engine has a documented history of ring-land and rod-bearing failures under hard use.
Did you know?
- WRX models from 2015 through 2019 were widely criticized for rev hang, where the engine holds revs after you lift off, and Subaru only reduced it for the 2020 model year.
- Subaru never offered a hatchback version of the 2015-2021 WRX, which was the most common complaint in reviews of the time even from people who liked the car.
- The 2022 WRX moved to the Subaru Global Platform shared with the Impreza and Crosstrek, and the wagon version sold in Japan as the Levorg was never brought to the US.
Tire options on the Subaru WRX
The WRX runs square, non-staggered fitments: 235/45R17 on 2015-2021 base and Premium, 245/40R18 on the STI and on 2022-on Limited and GT, and 235/45R18 on 2022-on base and Premium. There are no run-flats and the spare is a compact, so a matched full-size spare is something owners add themselves. Because the all-wheel-drive system uses a mechanical center differential with a fixed torque split on manual cars, Subaru is explicit that all four tires must be the same size, make and tread depth within a small tolerance, and replacing only one or two is the fastest way to cook a center diff or a viscous coupling. Original equipment was Dunlop SP Sport Maxx on most VA cars and Bridgestone Potenza on the STI and the 2022 GT, all summer or ultra-high-performance all-season tires that wear quickly; 15,000 to 20,000 miles is typical. Winter availability is excellent in all four of these sizes, and a dedicated 17-inch winter set is close to standard practice among northern owners.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, caranddriver.com.
Subaru WRX tires: common questions
What size tires does a Subaru WRX take?
The most common original size is 235/45R18. 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 WRX?
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 WRX?
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 2024 Subaru WRX take?
The 2024 Subaru WRX came from the factory on 235/45R18 and 245/40R18. 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 2023 Subaru WRX take?
The 2023 Subaru WRX came from the factory on 235/45R18 and 245/40R18. 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 WRX take?
The 2022 Subaru WRX came from the factory on 235/45R18 and 245/40R18. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.