Wheels and Tires are a big part of how your Subaru can look and perform. In this article we will discuss some common questions we get a lot and how to address tire sizing, Tire pattern options, wheel sizing, and overall offset of wheels.
Will a larger tires affect my MPG?
Simple answer to this questions is Yes. Increasing the size increases its rotational mass which uses more power/fuel to turn them.
How much should i expect in MPG loss?
Many factors come into play with this as each tire and over all build can affect its over all performance. This factor is hard to pre calculate but in most cases expect a small drop.
What size tire will fit on my Subaru?
Here at ADF we offer a full tire chart to help aid your tire choosing process ADF Tire Chart
Can we run other sizing other than whats on the chart? Yes
This chart is a compilation of the most common All Terrain tires. If you so choose to pick another tire size, we recommend staying at or under the over all diameter that is recommended on the chart.
What offset is right for me?
Wheel offsets takes a big part in how the vehicle can look and handle. When choosing an after market wheel offset plays a big part in this. Most common for a newer Subaru is around a +38mm and +42mm offset. Which increase the over all width by about 10-15mm on each side of the vehicle. Older Foresters can use the same offset and even as low as +15mm. If you are unsure what will fit please contact us for fitment verification.
What wheel size is right for me?
Most common wheel sizes for Subaru’s are 15″,16″ and 17″. In most cases the smaller the wheel the better and more tire options you will get. As the rim size increases the tire options get larger and can be harder to fit in most cases as they start getting into full size truck tires. Due note than some Subaru’s are limited in wheel size as they run much larger calipers for braking. The 14+ Forester XT being one of those which are limited to a 17″+ wheel.
What do these numbers on the tires mean?
This can be very difficult for most to under stand without being in the field of tire sizing. This tire size for example, 245/65/17
245 (mm) Is the Width of the tread pattern
65 (%) is the % or Ratio of the tread pattern in relation to the side wall height
17 (” Wheel size)
This simple formula can be used to calculate the over all diameter of the wheel.
245 x 65% x 2 x .0393 + 17″ wheel = 29.51″
What tire pattern is right for me?
Most commonly ran pattern on a Subaru is the All Terrain, these are more aggressive from standard road tires and perform much better on trails and off-road situations. In most cases these can be a little louder but the increase in performance off-road is worth it. Three of the most common pattern choices from mild to aggressive, Geolander AT, Cooper AT3 and the BFG Ko2.
If you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to ask us! We are here to help!
ADF Tire Chart
FORESTER Diameter
1998-2002……215/75/15, 215/65/16 27.6″
2003-2008….. 215/70/16 27.8″
2009-2013….. 225/65/16, 215/70/16 27.8″
2014-2018……235/75/15, 225/65/17 28.9″
OUTBACK
1997-1999……215/75/15, 215/70/16 27.8″
2000-2004……215/70/16 27.8″
2005-2009……215/70/16 27.8″
2010-2014……225/65/17 28.5″
2015-2018……245/65/17 29.5″
CROSSTREK
2013-2017……215/75/15, 215/70/16 27.8″
2018-2019……215/75/15, 225/65/17 28.7″
IMPREZA/LEGACY
For most 27″ over all diameter is optimal.
215/60/17 27.2″
BAJA
2003-2006…..215/70/16
ASCENT
2019………….255/60/18 30.02″