The RX-8 is the easiest rotary Mazda to fit wheels to, and one of the easiest cars in this whole series. 5×114.3, 67.1 mm bore, M12x1.5, ET50 — square at both axles, on every package.
No stagger to get wrong, no front-versus-rear question, no bolt-pattern trap. What there is instead is a fairly high factory offset and a car that responds well to a modest, well-chosen change.
Section 1: OEM Wheel Specifications
| Package | Bolt Pattern | Hub Bore | Thread | Front Wheel | Rear Wheel | Tyre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-inch (base) | 5×114.3 | 67.1 mm | M12x1.5 | 7.5Jx16 ET50 | 7.5Jx16 ET50 | 225/55R16 |
| 17-inch | 5×114.3 | 67.1 mm | M12x1.5 | 7.5Jx17 ET50 | 7.5Jx17 ET50 | 225/50R17 |
| 18-inch | 5×114.3 | 67.1 mm | M12x1.5 | 8Jx18 ET50 | 8Jx18 ET50 | 225/45R18 |
| 19-inch | 5×114.3 | 67.1 mm | M12x1.5 | 8Jx19 ET47 | 8Jx19 ET47 | 225/40R19 |
Front and rear wheels are identical on every package. Only the 19-inch cars deviate from ET50, and only by three millimetres.
Section 2: Offset Comparison & Fender Clearance Visualization
Section 3: The 67.1 mm Bore — Mazda and Mitsubishi Territory
The RX-8 shares its 67.1 mm hub bore with two other significant Japanese platforms: the RX-7 FD3S and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. All three are 5×114.3.
That gives the RX-8 an unusual position:
- RX-7 FD wheels fit directly — same pattern, same bore. The FD runs ET50, identical to the RX-8. See our RX-7 FD3S guide.
- Lancer Evolution wheels fit directly — same pattern, same bore, but at ET38 they sit 12 mm further out. On an RX-8 that is usually an improvement. See our Evo IV-IX guide.
- Nissan wheels (66.1 mm) will NOT fit. The bore is 1 mm too small for the RX-8 hub. Silvia, Skyline and Z-car wheels are out.
- Toyota wheels (60.1 mm) will NOT fit.
- Honda wheels (64.1 mm) will NOT fit.
This is the reverse of the situation on a Toyota, which accepts almost everything. The RX-8’s relatively large hub means it is one of the more restrictive 5×114.3 cars — the wheel’s bore must be 67.1 mm or larger.
In practice most aftermarket wheels are bored 73 mm or 73.1 mm and supplied with rings, so this rarely blocks a purchase. It does, however, rule out a great many secondhand OEM sets.
A Japanese tyre shop fitting a 10-inch wheel at +25 to an RX-8 — a long way from the factory 8J ET50. — via @@9491tgsakai
Section 4: Realistic Aftermarket Fitments
- 18×8.5 ET45 — a light forged replacement at close to factory geometry. The best value change on the car.
- 18×9 ET35 with 245/40R18 — the standard enthusiast fitment. Fills the arch, no body work at stock height.
- 18×9.5 ET30 / 18×10 ET25 — aggressive. Fender roll and camber expected, particularly at the rear.
- 17×9 ET35 — the track choice. More sidewall, far cheaper tyres, and the RX-8’s brakes clear 17 inches comfortably.
Below ET25 on standard arches you are rolling or pulling metal. The RX-8’s arches are shapelier than they look and the rear runs out before the front.
Section 5: Weight, and Why It Matters on a Rotary
An RX-8 weighs around 1,340 kg with near-perfect weight distribution and a 9,000 rpm engine that makes its power at the top. It is a car built entirely around balance and response — and like the S2000, it loses more to unsprung mass than a heavier car would.
A forged 18-inch wheel at 9 kg instead of a cast 19 at 13 kg is a genuine handling change, not a cosmetic one. Look for the JWL and VIA stamps on any used Japanese wheel, and treat weight as a headline number.
Section 6: A Note on Brake Clearance
Base RX-8s and Type S / R3 cars have different brake packages, but all of them clear a 16-inch wheel because Mazda fitted one from the factory. That makes the RX-8 unusually free at the small end — a genuine advantage if you are running a second set of track wheels and tyres.
Related Fitment Guides
- Mazda RX-7 FD3S — the same 67.1 mm bore
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV-IX — and again
- Honda S2000 — a comparable lightweight rear-drive car
- Mazda RX-7 FC3S — the rotary lineage
Every guide in this series is built the same way: verified factory specifications, an offset diagram, and an honest account of what fits and what does not.
Seen on the road
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Buying Wheels for Your RX-8
5×114.3, and the bore must be 67.1 mm or larger. That single number is the only real constraint on an otherwise very accommodating car.
Looking for a specific set? We specialise in genuine Japanese wheels — RAYS, Volk, Enkei, SSR, WORK, BBS Japan and the rare discontinued sets that never left the country. Tell us the wheel, the fitment, the year — our team searches our networks until we find it.
Specifications in this guide reflect factory equipment for Japanese-market vehicles. Trim levels, optional wheel packages and market-specific variants can differ. Always confirm the fitment against your own car before purchase.