Subaru WRX Wheel Specs by Generation: 5x100 vs 5x114.3, Offset and Wheel Swaps (2002–2026)

The Subaru WRX wheel specs change once in twenty-plus years: every North American WRX from 2002 to 2014 uses a 5x100 bolt pattern, and every WRX from 2015 to today uses 5x114.3. The center bore stays 56.1 mm and the lug thread stays M12x1.25 across all of them. Factory offset sits between ET53 and ET55 on every generation.

That single bolt-pattern change decides which wheels you can bolt on, and it is why STI wheels do not simply swap onto an older WRX. This guide gives the Subaru WRX wheel specs for each generation, a wheel swap table, and a WRX wheel offset table in millimetres. The data was checked on 16 October 2026 against independent fitment databases and published WRX guides, and it covers North American cars; the base-trim sizes are listed, so always compare with the wheel on your own car.

Key facts: Subaru WRX wheel specs at a glance

Four generations share two bolt patterns and one center bore, so the only detail that really changes is the bolt pattern.

• Bolt pattern: the WRX is 5x100 from 2002 to 2014 and 5x114.3 from 2015 (VA) to the current VB. Sources: a published WRX and STI wheel specification table and a published WRX bolt pattern guide, with Wheel-Size.com confirming the VA and VB factory wheel sizes.
• STI switched earlier: the 2004 STI is 5x100 and the STI is 5x114.3 from 2005, so a 2005-or-later STI wheel does not fit a 2002–2014 WRX. Sources: wheel-sizes.com (2005 STI), wheel-sizes.com (2004 STI) and the published WRX and STI wheel table.
• Center bore and thread: 56.1 mm and M12x1.25 on every generation covered here. Sources: wheel-sizes.com hub bore data and a published WRX bolt pattern guide.

Subaru WRX wheel specs by generation (2002–2026)

Use this table to match a chassis to its bolt pattern, bore and factory wheel. These Subaru WRX wheel specs are the base-trim values for North America.

The current model page lists the full 2025 Subaru WRX bolt pattern and offset data, and the performance trims have their own pages for the WRX TR and the WRX tS.

Which year did the Subaru WRX change from 5x100 to 5x114.3?

The WRX changed from 5x100 to 5x114.3 in the 2015 model year, when the VA generation replaced the GE/GH cars. The STI changed ten years earlier, in 2005. Center bore (56.1 mm) and lug thread (M12x1.25) did not change, so only the pitch circle moved from 100 mm to 114.3 mm.

Many owners get caught by the gap between the two cars. A 2008–2014 STI hatchback runs 5x114.3, while the 2008–2014 WRX hatchback sitting next to it on the lot runs 5x100.

Do STI wheels fit a Subaru WRX?

STI wheels fit a WRX only when the bolt patterns match: a 2005-or-later STI wheel (5x114.3) fits a 2015-or-later WRX, but it does not fit a 2002–2014 WRX (5x100). Even then, check offset and brake caliper clearance first, because the STI and WRX do not share the same brakes on every trim.

The same 5x114.3 pattern with a 56.1 mm bore is listed on our Impreza model page, and the 5x100 pattern matches the Subaru BRZ. You can browse every car that shares them on the 5x100 bolt pattern page and the 5x114.3 bolt pattern page.

Need a set built for your exact generation? Tell us the year, trim, bolt pattern and the offset you want, and our engineering team will quote a forged set machined to 56.1 mm. Send your WRX details here.

Factory offset and what a wider wheel does to fitment

The factory WRX wheel offset is ET55 on every 2015-or-later car, and older cars sit at ET53 to ET55, so wider wheels need a lower offset to stay inside the fender. The table below turns the offset into backspacing and shows how far each edge moves compared with the 18x8.5 ET55 factory wheel.

Backspacing is calculated as width ÷ 2 + offset ÷ 25.4 + 0.5 inch for the flange. Move to an 18x9.5 ET38 wheel and the outer lip sits about 30 mm further out while the inner edge gains a few millimetres of room. That is the flush reference on our VB model page, and a published VB fitment guide gives ET38 to ET42 for the same 18x9.5 width. Run your own numbers in the offset and backspacing calculator.

Brake clearance on the WRX TR, tS and STI

Brake clearance is part of the Subaru WRX wheel specs that owners overlook. Higher WRX trims and the STI carry Brembo calipers, and the wheel spokes must clear them. The base WRX has smaller floating calipers, so it accepts the widest range of wheels, while the TR, tS and STI need a spoke and inner-barrel design that clears the caliper body.

Do not assume a 17-inch wheel clears a Brembo caliper. A published VB guide says 17-inch wheels do not fit the TR brakes, and a VA STI guide says only a short list of 17-inch wheels clear the 6-piston caliper. Ask for a spoke-and-caliper template before you order, and see the forged wheel fitment verification checklist for the full list of measurements to take.

Center bore, hub rings and lug thread

Every WRX in this guide has a 56.1 mm center bore, which is small compared with the 60–73 mm bore on many aftermarket wheels. A wheel with a larger bore needs hub-centric rings to centre on the hub, and the hub-centric versus lug-centric guide explains why that matters for vibration.

Our forged wheels are machined to order, so the bore is cut to 56.1 mm and no ring is needed. The lug thread is M12x1.25 on every generation, so confirm the lug nut seat type with the wheel maker before you order.

Forged wheels for each Subaru WRX generation

For a 2015-or-later WRX or STI, a chrome twin-spoke forged wheel keeps the factory look with a Subaru center cap. For a more motorsport look, a black chrome 5 Y-spoke two-piece forged wheel adds a polished lip.

If your car is a pre-2015 WRX, a gold chrome 10-spoke forged wheel is listed for both 5x100 and 5x114.3, so the same design can be drilled to suit your generation.

Related forged wheels for the Subaru WRX

Browse more OEM-style forged wheels that can be drilled 5x100 or 5x114.3 to suit your WRX, or check every Subaru on the Subaru fitment hub. The Subaru WRX wheel specs in this guide come from our open wheel fitment dataset, which is also available through the fitment lookup API.

Swapping between brands that share 5x114.3? See the Mazda wheel interchange guide for the CX-5, CX-50 and Mazda3 offset and center-bore comparison.