So I have a friend who just bought some 18s for his WRX and has some very decent 225/45/17 tires laying around now and wants to know if I want them. I just happen to have some 17in rims. Are these tires too big for the civic though? I am lowered but I can adjust my ride height. I did a search too. Thanks.

 

Yes, absolutely. 225/45-17 will rub like crazy. Remember, it's 60 mm wider, and 13 percent (3 inches) larger in diameter, than your stock size of 165/70-13. That's HUGE!!!

For 17" wheels, the smallest tire size commonly available is 205/40-17. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that even that size might rub on your car, since it's 40 mm wider and 6.2 percent larger in diameter than your stock size, which is still a HUGE difference. Oh, and they will also make your speedometer and odometer read high by that percentage, and they will make your car accelerate much slower (like changing to a much taller final drive gear).

My suggestion is to either ask and see if someone with a CX like yours has tried 205/40-17 tires, or else find someone in your geographical area with a Civic or Integra with 17" wheels and 205/40-17 tires, and see if they will let you try swapping one of their wheels onto your car to see if it will fit. Either one would be better than actually going out and buying 205/40-17 tires that turn out to be too big for your car.

 

Dont go bigger than 215. I just put 2 215's on my STOCK suspension 94 EJ1 and I rubbed a tad. Good luck!

 

225's DRs with tein s. techs i only rub when i turn the steering wheel all the way