May 22nd 2024
What wheels fit the 4th gen Mazda 3?
When the discussion about hot hatches comes up, the Mazda 3 often gets left out. Everyone loves to talk about the Focus ST/RS and GTI. The MZ3 has all the elements to make for a fun daily/weekend warrior - lightweight, I4 turbo engine, short wheel base, etc. Really, there's no reason this platform shouldn't get more love.
The 4th gen launched in 2019. Despite being 5 years old at the time of writing, we can’t find a fitment guide for this generation anywhere, so we decided to step up and make one ourselves. After all, plenty of these cars are already rocking aftermarket wheels.
We'll look at examples later, first here’s the basic info you need to know.
Quick links
Basic fitment info
- Lug pattern: 5x114.3
- Lug thread: m12x1.5
- Center bore: 67.1 mm
- Lug torque: 85 ft lbs
The Mazda 3 uses pretty standard stuff for a JDM car - 5x114.3 lug pattern and a 67.1mm center bore. This means you have a ton of options for wheels. So, generally, what do people run?
18” is the go-to size for aftermarket wheels. This is also the largest factory size (they come with 16-18”). Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to run 18’s, 17-19” diameters suit these cars well. The caveat is that 19’s seem to look better on sedans, but this is easier to show than explain, so we’ll compare the two later.
For width and offset, anything between 8-9” with +35-45 offset will get you flush, or near-flush fitment. Like some Bimmers, the front wheels have issues clearing the struts if you size your wheels too wide, or too high of an offset (i.e. backspacing is an issue). Coilovers with long springs could reduce clearance, that is if the tire is above the spring perch.
The factory tires, especially on the 16’s and 17’s, are kinda $h!t. They’re known for having hydroplaning issues and zero grip, while also being loud and heavy. If you do nothing else, at least upgrade your tires. But, if you’re upgrading your wheels you’ll probably get new tires too. A good size is 235/40R18 or 225/45R18 - much more traction than stock, yet not too difficult to fit.
18” wheel fitment
Fitment Facts | ||
| Front | Rear |
Wheels | Enkei TMS 18x8.5 +38 | Enkei TMS 18x8.5 +38 |
Tires | *Stock Bridgestone tires 215/45R18 | *Stock Bridgestone tires 215/45R18 |
Notes | Lowered on Corksport lowering springs, no rubbing |
Straight into the good stuff, this is considered to be the perfect spec for this chassis - 18x8.5 +38. Without adding any camber you can enjoy flush fitment. The only downside with this example is that it’s still on the stock tires. But hey, maybe the owner was saving up for some PS4S or NT05’s. This exact setup could run a 225 or 235 without needing the fenders rolled.
This setup will work at basically any ride height, as we’ll see.
Fitment Facts | ||
| Front | Rear |
Wheels | Enkei TS-7 18x8 +45 | Enkei TS-7 18x8 +45 |
Tires | Firestone Indy 500 225/45R18 | Firestone Indy 500 225/45R18 |
Notes | Factory suspension, no rubbing. |
Here’s a very similar setup to the last, but this one’s a bit less aggressive. We see a solid choice of tire - Firestone Indy 500 225/45R18 . At stock height, there are zero rubbing issues or problems with the wheels contacting the front suspension. This isn’t stance fitment but it will definitely perform a whole lot better than stock. Consider these specs if you’re keeping your car OEM+.
Fitment Facts | ||
| Front | Rear |
Wheels | Advan TC4 18x8.5 +38 | Advan TC4 18x8.5 +45 |
Tires | Yokohama Advan AD08R 245/40R18 | Yokohama Advan AD08R 245/40R18 |
Notes |
BC Racing BR coilovers, Chasing Js titanium open-ended lugnuts.
Rolled fenders, minimal rubbing when cornering. |
This 2020 GT might be one of the cleanest 4th gen builds to date. The white-on-white, colored matched lip, perfect fitment, everything is on point. There are a couple of differences here. The rear wheels have slightly higher offset than the fronts. Some say the front fenders stick out a bit more than the rears, so a lower offset can be used to get a more consistent look front and rear. Is this a necessity? Probably not. This setup is only about ¼” different front to rear.
Another difference is the tire size. Here we see 245/40’s used. This is a little larger than we recommended because it will likely require some rolling or trimming of the fenders. Still, this size shouldn’t be too difficult to run with a little extra work.
This is also our first example on coilovers. If lowering springs aren’t sporty enough or don’t go low enough for you, you could always look into a set of coils. You can get the same exact set of BC Racing Coilover over at our shop.
19” wheel fitment
Fitment Facts | ||
| Front | Rear |
Wheels | Raxerwheels Vox50 FF 19x8.5 +42 | Raxerwheels Vox50 FF 19x8.5 +42 |
Tires | Michelin PS4S 235/35R19 | Michelin PS4S 235/35R19 |
Notes | Stock suspension, no rubbing. |
Like we said earlier, 19’s can work on both sedans and hatchbacks, but for some reason they tend to suit sedans a little better. Here we see a sedan on 19” Raxerwheels Vox50. Width and offset aren’t different than what we already looked at with 18’s. The only real difference is the tires sidewall needs to be reduced to accommodate the larger wheel (235/ 35R19 instead of 235/40R18).
Now, let's compare this to a hatch on 19’s.
Fitment Facts | ||
| Front | Rear |
Wheels | Niche M146 19x8.5 +35 | Niche M146 19x8.5 +35 |
Tires | 235/40R19 | 235/40R19 |
Notes | Stock height, no rubbing. |
This isn’t a 1-to-1 comparison considering this hatch has slightly larger tires, but it's pretty damn close; both are on stock suspension with similar wheel specs. For some reason, the hatch looks a bit more 4x4-ish on 19’s. In our opinion, if you get 19’s, definitely opt for a smaller sidewall tire.
Fitment Facts | ||
| Front | Rear |
Wheels | SSR SP5 19x8.5 +35 | SSR SP5 19x8.5 +35 |
Tires | Michelin PS4S 235/35R19 | Michelin PS4S 235/35R19 |
Notes | Air suspension, OEM+ aero kit, OEM+ aero spoiler, OEM roof rack. Rolled fender all around. |
Baller alert. This Hatch has all the fixings: SSR SP5’s, Michelin PS4S, and air suspension. This is an alternative reason to run 19’s - to get fender-to-lip or even tucked fitment when paired with bags. The owner of this 4th gen decided to go all-out with some baller parts, but you could complete a similar build for much less if you wanted.
Nothing noteworthy about the wheel specs as this is very similar to what we’ve already seen.
17” wheel fitment
Fitment Facts | ||
| Front | Rear |
Wheels | Konig Ultraform 17x8 +45 | Konig Ultraform 17x8 +45 |
Tires | Kenda KR205 225/50/17 | Kenda KR205 225/50/17 |
Notes | Stock suspension, no rubbing. *High backspacing can cause rubbing with wider tires |
18’s and 19’s are by far the most popular sizes for aftermarket wheels, but you can definitely run 17’s if you want (don’t go any smaller though). Here is what a set of Konig Ultraform wheels with meaty tires looks like on a Mazda 3 hatch. This isn’t for everyone, but if you like the look of thicc tires, this might be for you.
The owner notes that tires one size wider, 235/50R17, will rub the lower perch of the strut when cornering. Try to stay away from the high 40’s for offset unless you’re okay with using wheel spacers.
Wrap up
If you looked through all the examples provided, which you probably didn’t (you skipped to one you liked and looked at the specs), you’ll find that people haven’t gotten too crazy with this generation of Mazda 3… at least not yet. The general consensus is that something close to 17-19x8.5 +38 will give perfectly flush fitment - even the bagged hatch on SSR’s is running these specs.
Except for a few widebody builds, no one is really pushing the boundaries. The specs we went over today will give you flush fitment, but with some camber, fender work, and stretched tires you could build something that’s a first of its kind - a stanced 4th gen.
If you got a 4th gen on some wheels, regardless of the type of fitment, feel free to add it to our vehicle gallery. A great place to show off your build or get inspiration.
Don’t screw up your fitment.
Browse hundreds of cars in our Fitment Gallery. Get inspired & get it right the first try.
Post your own ride to help others!