While Subaru vehicles come with attractive and functional wheels, we understand the appeal of aftermarket rims. If you've decided to add new wheels to your vehicle, there are certain things you should keep in mind. Below, we've outlined five important things to take into consideration.

5. Look for Quality Parts

The market for replacement wheels is a difficult one to navigate. There are many imitations and knock-offs that may look nice, but won't stand up to the difficulties of daily driving. Because of this, it's a good idea to stick to OEM Subaru wheels and those approved by an authorized dealer.

4. Make Sure to Check the Wheel Size

When replacing wheels, it's not recommended that your new wheels have a different overall diameter than the old ones. A change in diameter can cause lots of problems, starting with an inaccurate speedometer reading. In addition to that, it can decrease performance and acceleration by messing with the gear ratios. it can even make your drive more dangerous, as anti-lock brakes and traction control systems can be affected.

3. If Changing the Rim Size, Consider the Consequences

While changing the overall wheel size is a bad idea, it is possible to use a larger rim combined with a thinner tire to keep the overall diameter of the wheel the same. This is less damaging than changing the wheel size, but it still means the possibility of changes that you should be aware of. Not only are the tires likely to cost substantially more, a thinner sidewall typically results in a much rougher ride.

In addition, you'll have to check the fitment to make sure everything works as it should. A different rim size can interfere with the fender and suspension components when the wheels are turning, or they could bump up against the brake equipment. Proper measurement is crucial.

2. Be Careful when Changing Rims on an All-Wheel Drive Vehicle

Most Subaru models come with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. This is important when you consider replacing the wheels. While it's possible (though not usually advisable) to have wheels of different diameters on front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive vehicles, it can cause immense problems with AWD.