Jan 31st 2026
2008-2014 GR WRX & STi wheel fitment guide (widebody)
Congrats! You got a widebody GR/GV WRX or STi, the one that looks like it actually has some rally pedigree. In this wheel and tire fitment guide, we’re going to show you, well… get it ready for Cars & Coffee, or the track, but probably not a WRC course.
To avoid confusion, these are the years we’re covering:
- 2011-2014 WRX & 2008-2014 STi.
Quick links
Basic fitment info
WRX
- Lug pattern: 5x100
- Lug thread: M12x1.25
- Center bore: 56.1mm
- Lug torque: 90 ft-lbs
STi
- Lug pattern: 5x114.3
- Lug thread: M12x1.25
- Center bore: 56.1mm
- Lug torque: 90 ft-lbs
Watch out for the different lug patterns between the WRX & STi–we did our best to include only wheels that are offered in both bolt patterns. Other than that, the fitment is largely apples to apples, with only a few caveats, one being different sized brakes.
WRX vs STi brake clearance
With a WRX, you get 2/1 piston floating calipers. They’re great for wheel fitment as they give tons of room for smaller wheels, but they’re not winning any points for stopping, or styling, for that matter.
A lot of GR WRX owners throw on 06-07 WRX calipers. These are a simple upgrade that gives you much better looking 4/2-pot fixed calipers. The good thing is they don’t negatively impact wheel clearance too much–most of the time, wheels that clear stock calipers will also clear these.
- Most 17” and even some 16” wheels will clear stock WRX calipers or upgraded 4-pot calipers (red)
The STi comes with a larger 4/2-pot Brembo package. Both the calipers and rotors are larger, meaning you need to be cautious to get wheels with the right diameter and disc type.
- Some 17” wheels clear STi brakes, but 18’s or larger are generally recommended. Even with 18” wheels, a ‘high disc’ (more brake clearance) is usually needed to avoid clearance issues.
Rolling fenders on a widebody GR
With very modest specs, you can probably get away with leaving your fenders as-is. Some claim to run 255 tires without rubbing, however, tires vary by brand despite being the same spec, so we’d generally recommend rolling your fenders if you want flush-ish fitment.
If you have rubbing issues, it will probably be in the rear; that's just how this chassis is, but luckily, these cars take well to fender rolling.
Whether you DIY it or pay a professional, it’s probably worth it if you're investing in new wheels. And you don’t have to go all out with pulled fenders, a slight roll in the rear goes a long way.
Examples of GR/GV WRX & STi fitment
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No fender rolling needed. Lowered on Tein coilovers |
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Let’s start with some basic fitment that works without touching the fenders. This STi hatch is on TE37s. Wheel specs are similar to factory, just with a lower offset, making them a bit more flush. Even the factory tires (or equivalent) were reused.
This car doesn't rub, even being lowered on Tein coilovers.
For the WRX guys: TE’s don’t come in these exact specs with the right PCD, but we do have a +45 offset option, which is basically identical (18x8.5 +45).
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Only rear fenders rolled. BC coilovers with swift springs. |
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Now we’re looking at a 2012 WRX on some Vors TR4. Same size tires, but the wheels are wider and more aggressive:18x9.5 with a +35 offset. Anything in this ballpark is what most consider the ‘go to’ specs for this platform.
If you want a bang-for-buck setup, these Vors would be our pick at about $220 a wheel. If you got the change and want the real deal, check out Work CR KIWAMIs, they come in basically the same specs and work for both the WRX and STi (18x9.5 +38)
This is about as far as you can go without rolling the rear fenders. Admittedly, this isn’t that aggressive, and that’s why rolling, at least the rears, is often suggested.
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Rolled fenders. No rubbing |
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If you want to dial the tire size up a bit, check out this one: a GV WRX is running 265/35R18 tires on 18x9.5 +45 rims. From what we found, just about every setup with tires this wide needed the fenders rolled–especially with these Falken Azenis, which we’ve found to be a bit wider than most.
This car needed the front and rear fenders rolled. With a 255/35, you could probably get away with just a slight roll in the rear.
This car is lowered on Fortune Auto 500 coilovers and doesn’t rub.
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Gram Lights 57CR 18x9.5 +38 5x114.3 Gloss Black NankanG 265/35 ZR18 Fenders rolled |
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We see similar specs on this 2013 STi, with a slightly lower offset. As with the last, the fenders needed to be rolled all around–you can assume that’s going to be the case moving forward, as the fitment is only getting more aggressive.
These are 57CRs, but you can also get 57DRs from our shop (basically, it's the 6-spoke counterpart). Both come in STi and WRX-friendly bolt patterns.
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Rolled fenders, extra camber needed With spacers front & rear |
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The specs don’t look too crazy here, but be mindful of the spacers. Effective offsets are +30 in the front and +32 in the rear.
On top of rolling your fenders, you might need a slight pull to make this work without rubbing. An alternative would be dialing in some extra camber via the coilovers and adjustable LCAs, in the front and rear, respectively.
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Hsd coilovers Fenders rolled and pulled |
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18” wheels are almost synonymous with this generation, but it’s not the only size. If anyone says that 17’s don’t look right on a GR, show them this. Here we have a 2013 STi running a set of 17” Enkei RPF1s.
The key is a nice meaty tire: 275/40R17 in this case. That’s pretty wide for an AWD vehicle; if you don’t need that much rubber, a 245/45R17 will give the same look, but is more apt for cars around stock HP.
The million dollar question is ‘will these 17” RPF1s fit STi Brembos?’ Yes! But only this size. Supposedly, other sizes like 17x9.5 +38 require spacers. However, the ones you see here fit this STi without spacers.
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Coilovers and adjustable LCAs |
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With more aggressive specs, we’re getting away from performance-focused setups and more toward ‘style points’.
This STi sedan is running 18x9.5 +27. As you can see, this is pretty aggressive, and as such, it needed some stretched tires to prevent rubbing.
Only the rear fenders are rolled. If you want those 255/35 or 265/35 tires, plan on rolling + pulling the fenders, and you might even need extra camber.
Unfortunately, these wheels only come in STi PCD.
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Adjustable LCAs Fenders rolled |
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How about a stance build on air suspension? This 2014 STi can go this low courtesy of a kit from Air Lift Performance (you could probably go this low on coils, but...good luck).
The wheels are fairly low offset, but the big difference is the rubber band tires on them: 215/35R18.
These Rotiforms come double drilled for both bolt patterns.
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Fortune Auto Super Lows 24k/22K Adjustable LCAs. Fenders rolled. Rubs and bumps and when turning. Wheels only come in STi PCD |
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Believe it or not, this 2012 STi sedan isn’t on bags (though it probably should be), instead it’s on a set of Fortune Auto Super Low coilovers with stiff 24k/22k spring rates.
This car is running 18x10 +22 wheels. Some people go as wide as 10.5”, but really, unless you’re running super wider tires, it’s probably not necessary.
It should go without saying, but this car has adjustable arms and a lot of extra camber. The fenders needed to be rolled and pulled at all corners.
Wrap up
The most popular wheel size for the widebody GR is something like 18x9.5 +38 w/ 255/35 or 265/35R18 tires. With these specs, you’ll probably need to roll the rear fenders, but it’s hard to say as not all tires are equal.
If you don’t want to touch the fenders, look at some of the first examples we showed; these are perfect for an OE+ look. If you want flush fitment or even a bit of poke, don’t be afraid of slightly more aggressive specs, just be ready to roll/pull those fenders if needed.
We got dozens of GR WRXs and STIs in our Fitment Gallery. If you’re not feeling any of these, we’re sure you’ll find something you like over there. Once you nail your fitment, be sure to show it off.