2016 Subaru Tire Fitment Guide

2016 Subaru vehicles use 10 sizes across six model lines: BRZ uses 215/45R17; Impreza uses 195/65R15, 205/55R16, or 205/50R17; Legacy uses 225/55R17 or 225/50R18; Outback uses 225/65R17 or 225/60R18; WRX uses 235/45R17 or 245/40R18; and WRX STI uses 245/40R18. Rim diameters span 15, 16, 17, and 18 inches, so there is no single tire size that fits every 2016 Subaru model.

That means year and make alone are not enough when choosing tires for a 2016 Subaru. You need the exact model, and in several cases the exact wheel package, before narrowing the search. If the car still has its factory-size wheels, the tire size on the sidewall is usually the quickest confirmation. If the wheels have been changed, verify the installed rim diameter before selecting a tire.

On a 2016 Subaru, 215/45R17 is a metric radial size. The 215 is the nominal section width in millimeters, 45 is the aspect ratio, the R indicates radial construction, and 17 is the wheel diameter in inches. Within the 2016 Subaru range, that size applies to the BRZ.

That code tells you both the tire's general proportions and the wheel diameter it must mount on. Even if another 2016 Subaru also uses a 17-inch wheel, it does not automatically mean 215/45R17 is interchangeable across the lineup. Width and profile matter as much as rim diameter, especially on a sports coupe like the BRZ where suspension tuning and body clearance are tighter than on the sedan and wagon models.

No. 2016 Subaru uses different tire sizes across the BRZ, Impreza, Legacy, Outback, WRX, and WRX STI, and some of those models use more than one size depending on wheel package. The only shared size across two models is 245/40R18, which appears on certain WRX applications and the WRX STI.

The practical takeaway is simple: identify the model before treating any size as a match. An Outback tire, for example, is chosen around ride height and utility use, while a WRX or BRZ tire is chosen around lower-profile performance fitment. If you are comparing two cars in the 2016 Subaru family, start with the tire sidewall or wheel diameter rather than assuming that all-wheel-drive Subarus use the same tire dimensions.

Most 2016 Subaru tire sizes here are available in Blackwall form, which is the standard modern appearance for late-model Subaru vehicles. A few sizes also open up specialty looks: 205/50R17 and 225/55R17 can be found with Wide Whitewall styling, and 225/65R17 appears in an RBL sidewall treatment. Those style differences are tied to the tire size, not to the Subaru nameplate as a whole.

For a typical 2016 Subaru restoration or daily-use replacement, Blackwall is the natural visual choice because it matches the era and market position of these cars. Whitewall options are more of a custom-styling decision than an originality move on a 2016 Subaru. If appearance matters as much as fitment, confirm the sidewall style in the exact size you need before narrowing to a specific tire.

2016 Subaru fitments here are covered by BFGoodrich, American Classic, Michelin, Nitto, and M&H Racemaster. BFGoodrich appears across the broadest spread of sizes, including BRZ, Impreza, Legacy, Outback, WRX, and WRX STI applications. American Classic appears in 205/50R17, Michelin in 205/55R16, Nitto in 235/45R17 and 245/40R18, and M&H Racemaster in 245/40R18.

Brand choice depends heavily on which Subaru you own and what size it uses. A BRZ buyer will see a much narrower brand range than a WRX or Legacy buyer, while 245/40R18 opens up the broadest mix of performance-oriented options. It helps to settle the size first, then compare the available brands within that exact size family rather than trying to compare every 2016 Subaru tire at once.

For 2016 Subaru fitments where both appear, BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S and BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 share the same general blackwall radial format and often the same rim-width range within a given size. In 205/50R17, for example, both fit 5.5- to 7.5-inch rims, while the A/S version carries a 1,279-pound load figure at 51 psi and the Sport version sits at 23 pounds in that size. In 245/40R18, the A/S version reaches 1,609 pounds at 50 psi while the Sport version reaches 1,433 pounds at 51 psi, and both fit 8.0- to 9.5-inch rims.

Those details matter when you are comparing two tires inside the same size rather than choosing between different Subaru models. The right move is to compare the exact size you need, then look at the load figure, weight, and rim-width range for that tire. That keeps the comparison grounded in your own wheel package instead of assuming that one series is automatically the right answer for every 2016 Subaru application.

Several 2016 Subaru sizes have defined rim-width ranges. 215/45R17 fits 7.0 to 8.0 inches, 205/50R17 fits 5.5 to 7.5 inches on the BFGoodrich versions, 205/55R16 fits 5.5 to 7.5 inches, 225/55R17 fits 6.0 to 8.0 inches with one wide-whitewall version extending to 9.0 inches, 225/50R18 fits 6.0 to 8.0 inches, 225/65R17 fits 6.0 to 8.0 inches, 235/45R17 fits 7.5 to 9.0 inches, and 245/40R18 ranges from 8.0 to 9.5 inches, with one specialty drag radial built around an 8.5-inch rim.

Rim width is as important as rim diameter because it affects section shape, sidewall support, and overall fit. If your 2016 Subaru still uses factory wheels, the original wheel width usually falls comfortably within the intended range for the OE-size tire. If the wheels have been changed, confirm the exact width before selecting a tire, especially on WRX, WRX STI, and BRZ fitments where lower-profile sizes are more sensitive to wheel dimension changes.

The 2016 Subaru tires here are overwhelmingly modern radial applications, and one product in 205/55R16 is explicitly marked TL for tubeless service. A 245/40R18 BFGoodrich product also carries TL in the size marking. No size here presents itself as a tube-type collector fitment in the way earlier bias-ply or antique tires often do.

That points most 2016 Subaru owners toward standard tubeless use on the correct modern wheel. The important check is the wheel itself: a tire may be suitable for tubeless service, but the wheel must also be in proper condition with a sound bead seat and valve stem. If you are working with aftermarket or repaired wheels, inspect them carefully before mounting a fresh set of tires.

A stored 2016 Subaru should be kept away from direct sunlight, standing moisture, and ozone-producing equipment such as electric motors, battery chargers, and air compressors. Clean, dry floors are better than damp ground, and maintaining the tires at proper pressure helps them hold shape during long periods of inactivity. Because every fitment here is radial, storage concerns lean more toward age, cracking, and pressure loss than the heavier flat-spotting often associated with older bias-ply construction.

Moving the car periodically is helpful, especially if it sits for months at a time. If the Subaru will be parked for a very long stretch, some owners use tire cradles or stands to reduce prolonged loading on one contact patch. A quick inspection before the car goes into storage and again before it returns to road use will catch most early issues before they become expensive or inconvenient.

Tire age matters more than mileage on many 2016 Subaru vehicles, especially if they are driven lightly or kept as second cars. A good rule is to begin evaluating tires closely once they are about five to seven years old and to treat roughly 10 years from the date code as a serious replacement threshold, even if tread depth still looks acceptable. Heat cycles, sun exposure, and storage conditions often age tires faster than the odometer suggests.

That means a low-mile BRZ, WRX STI, or Outback can still need tires simply because time has hardened the rubber or weakened the casing. Check the DOT date code on each tire and compare that age against how the car is actually used. If a 2016 Subaru is asked to do highway trips, winter driving, or spirited back-road use, err on the side of fresher rubber rather than trying to stretch out an old set.

Tires on a 2016 Subaru deserve a quick inspection before every drive and a more careful one before any long trip. Look for sidewall cracking, punctures, cuts, bulges, uneven tread wear, and any sign that the tire is losing pressure. On performance-oriented sizes such as 215/45R17, 235/45R17, and 245/40R18, it is especially smart to watch inner-shoulder and outer-shoulder wear because alignment and driving style can show up there first.

Monthly pressure checks are a good baseline, but collector or occasional-use cars benefit from attention even when they have not been driven much. A parked car can lose pressure slowly and age in place. If the Subaru wears older wheels or aftermarket valves, inspect the valve stems as closely as the tread itself, since a small leak at the stem can sideline the car just as effectively as a puncture.

Yes, the radial tires used on 2016 Subaru applications here are highway-capable when they are the correct size, in good condition, and inflated properly. Speed ratings in these fitments include S and W, with a Y rating also appearing in some performance applications. S carries a 112 mph ceiling, W also carries a 112 mph ceiling here under the stated conversion standard, and Y reaches 186+ mph.

Real-world safety on a 2016 Subaru depends on more than the speed letter. Brakes, alignment, suspension condition, and the age of the tire matter at least as much as the nominal rating on the sidewall, especially on WRX and WRX STI models that may be driven enthusiastically. For normal U.S. highway use, a fresh tire in the correct size is usually a more important safety factor than chasing the highest available speed symbol.

Pressure should be set to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for your exact 2016 Subaru model and wheel package, then checked against the tire's own service limits. Some tires here carry maximum load and pressure figures such as 1,356 pounds at 50 psi in 215/45R17, 1,819 pounds at 50 psi in 225/55R17, 2,150 pounds at 65 psi in 225/65R17, and 1,609 pounds at 50 psi in 245/40R18. Those figures describe the tire's load capability at a stated maximum pressure, not the everyday inflation target for every Subaru using that size.

The safest approach is to start with the door-jamb or owner's manual specification for the car, because Subaru calibrated ride, wear, and handling around that recommendation. Then make sure the tire you are considering is appropriate for the required load and wheel package. Never transfer a pressure habit from one 2016 Subaru model to another, since BRZ, Outback, Legacy, and WRX applications ask different things from their tires.

Before a longer drive, inspect all four tires on the 2016 Subaru for cracking, cuts, bulges, punctures, and uneven wear, then confirm pressures when the tires are cold. Check the spare as well, because a compact spare or temporary-use tire is often forgotten until it is needed. If the car uses a staggered-looking performance setup visually, verify that all four installed tires still match the intended size and service type for that Subaru application.

Tires are only one part of the pre-trip picture on a 2016 Subaru. It is equally smart to look over brakes, fluid levels, lights, and suspension condition before a highway run or mountain trip. On all-wheel-drive Subarus especially, keeping tire size and condition consistent across the set is important, so a road-trip check is a good time to confirm that no tire has been replaced with an oddball mismatch.