2020 Impreza Sport tire options?

[Turbone]

My wifes Impreza Sport has had 2 Yokohama tires with sidewall punctures. I presume its due to the 225 sidewalls.

What I'm wondering and looking for, has anyone installed a tire on this model that has a taller sidewall? She also doenst like the ride or the extra road noise from the tires.

With the Sport suspension, I'm not positive a taller tire wouldnt rub somewhere

[Turbone]

Just checked Discount Tire for sizes etc and the standard Impreza 2.0 uses 16in or 17in wheels with a 205 sidewall.

I think this might be a better idea for her. Now I need to find some wheels she'll like 

[lmdew]

She'll like ones that fit!

Happy Holidays.

[idosubaru]

On 11/22/2023 at 8:30 PM, Turbone said:

My wifes Impreza Sport has had 2 Yokohama tires with sidewall punctures. I presume its due to the 225 sidewalls.

What I'm wondering and looking for, has anyone installed a tire on this model that has a taller sidewall? She also doenst like the ride or the extra road noise from the tires.

With the Sport suspension, I'm not positive a taller tire wouldnt rub somewhere

Where’s the least clearance?  Strut, inner fender well or fender?

I’m sure you know this but I’ll vote you anyway. Sometimes you can buy some clearance by getting a tire a little skinnier if clearance issues will be the inner fender/strut  

example with made up numbers:  If you have to choose between two same height sizes and one is .2” wider and the other is .3” skinnier - get the skinnier one.

No newer Imprezas or comment on specific size. But low profile I’ve had numerous side wall bubbles as well driving a few miles of mountain dirt gravel mountain roads every day. 

What seems to happen here is mid range well priced tires don’t do well with side wall bubbles.  General Altimax RT43 are a good example. Excellent tire for its price point but very prone to bubbles. I’d run them anywhere but areas seeing sidewall issues. Higher end/more expensive tires seem to resist side wall bubbles. I wonder if low cost tires have, on average, less forgiving side walls. 

[Turbone]

On 11/24/2023 at 6:31 PM, idosubaru said:

Where’s the least clearance?  Strut, inner fender well or fender?

No newer Imprezas or comment on specific size. But low profile I’ve had numerous side wall bubbles as well driving a few miles of mountain dirt gravel mountain roads every day. 

What seems to happen here is mid range well priced tires don’t do well with side wall bubbles.  General Altimax RT43 are a good example. Excellent tire for its price point but very prone to bubbles. I’d run them anywhere but areas seeing sidewall issues. Higher end/more expensive tires seem to resist side wall bubbles. I wonder if low cost tires have, on average, less forgiving side walls. 

I'll need to check on clearances

These arent cheap tires, they are Yokohama's (which I've got on my RX with zero issues) and her travels are mostly freeway

She was able to get just one tire on Sat and Les Schwab's installed it. I'm going to  be on the look out for some16in or 17in wheels for it

I think if I go down in wheels size, finding a tire with more sidewall will be easier to fit

[idosubaru]

2 hours ago, Turbone said:

 

I think if I go down in wheels size, finding a tire with more sidewall will be easier to fit

smaller rims seems simplest, otherwise might be crossing fingers hoping they clear. Id guess on my cars, but be sure on my wife’s!

[Daskuppler]

I'm not sure if they're available in that size, but the Continental TrueContacts have been great on our '14 Forester. We see several hundred miles of gravel roads per year and have never had a failure (apart from getting nails/screws).

We get about 50k out of them and they are great in the snow (for an all season).

Edited November 27, 2023 by Daskuppler

[Numbchux]

Taller sidewall with the same wheel diameter = taller overall tire.

225 and 205 are widths. Second number is sidewall height as a percentage of the width.

That likely has a 225/40r18. Going to a 205/45r18 likely has the same sidewall height, because it's a percentage.

 

 

Tire rack does not list a smaller wheel option on the website, but they're the same 296mm front rotors that they've used forever, so I would think you should be able to go down to a 16 easily.