2022 Subaru Forester — Tire Size & Pressure Guide

As an ASE-certified master technician, I regularly field questions from Subaru owners about the best tire setups, correct inflation pressures, and torque specs to keep their symmetrical all-wheel-drive systems happy. The 2022 Subaru Forester is a highly capable compact SUV, but it relies heavily on having the right tires properly maintained to deliver that trademark surefootedness.

Whether you're daily driving a Premium trim or tackling trails in the rugged Wilderness edition, here is your definitive guide to the 2022 Subaru Forester tire and wheel specifications.

Quick Answer: 2022 Subaru Forester Tire Specs

• OEM Tire Sizes: 225/60R17 or 225/55R18 (depending on trim)
• Recommended Cold Tire Pressure: 33 psi Front / 32 psi Rear (check door placard, as Wilderness trims may vary slightly)
• Bolt Pattern: 5x114.3 (5x4.5")
• Wheel Size & Offset: 17x7J or 18x7J, +48mm offset
• Load Index / Speed Rating: 99H (17-inch), 97H (18-inch), or 99T (Wilderness A/T)
• Spare Tire Size: Compact spare T145/80D17 (Wilderness trims feature a full-size matching spare)
• TPMS Frequency: 433 MHz

Tire Sizes by Trim

Subaru keeps things relatively straightforward for the 2022 Forester lineup. Depending on your trim level, you'll either have a 17-inch or 18-inch wheel. Note that the Wilderness trim uses a 17-inch wheel but wraps it in meatier Yokohama Geolandar All-Terrain tires.

Recommended Replacement Tires

When replacing tires on your Forester, it's critical to replace all four at the same time to prevent damage to Subaru's AWD system. Here are my top recommendations based on driving habits and budget:

• Premium / All-Season Touring: Michelin CrossClimate2 The gold standard for all-weather performance. It features a severe snow rating (3-Peak Mountain Snowflake) while offering excellent tread life and a quiet highway ride.
• Mid-Tier / Excellent Value: Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail Designed specifically for unibody crossovers like the Forester. It gives you a more aggressive, rugged look and off-road capability without the harsh ride of a traditional truck tire.
• Budget / Reliable Commuter: Kumho Crugen HP71 A great, affordable all-season touring tire that provides a comfortable ride and dependable wet-weather traction for standard daily driving.

When to Inflate to Max Load PSI

Note: The max load psi guidelines are typically reserved for Heavy Duty (HD) trucks towing massive payloads.

Because the Subaru Forester is a light-duty passenger SUV, you should never inflate your tires to the maximum PSI listed on the tire's sidewall. That number is the structural limit of the tire, not the operational recommendation. Always stick to the 33 psi (Front) and 32 psi (Rear) listed on the driver's side door jamb placard for optimal handling, tire wear, and AWD performance.

Lug Nut Torque & Pattern

Starting with the 2019 model year (SK generation), Subaru moved the Forester from the old 5x100 bolt pattern to the beefier 5x114.3 pattern.

• Bolt Pattern: 5x114.3 mm (5x4.5 inches)
• Lug Nut Thread Pitch: M12 x 1.25
• Torque Specification: 89 lb-ft (120 Nm)

Always use a calibrated torque wrench in a star pattern when tightening your lug nuts to prevent warping the brake rotors.

Common Tire Issues for this Vehicle

1. AWD System Sensitivity (Tire Shaving): Subaru's Symmetrical AWD system requires all four tires to be within 2/32nds of an inch of tread depth of one another. If you blow out one tire and the other three are half-worn, you cannot simply replace one tire. You must either buy a full set of four or have the single new tire "shaved" down to match the tread depth of the existing tires. Failing to do this will overheat and destroy the center differential.
2. Irregular Inner Edge Wear: The Forester has a fully independent suspension. If your rear alignment goes out of spec (particularly camber/toe), it will rapidly scrub the inner edges of your rear tires. I recommend a four-wheel alignment check once a year or every time you mount new tires.
3. TPMS Sensor Battery Life: The 433 MHz TPMS sensors on the 2022 Forester are highly accurate but operate constantly. If you are doing a second set of tires (e.g., dedicated winter wheels), be sure the shop programs the new sensor IDs into the vehicle's ECU via the OBD-II port, as the Forester doesn't auto-learn new sensors easily without a scan tool.

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