Like most modifications, the choice you make in choosing a set of alloy wheels on your GTi is a important one. Likewise tire selection is also crucial. Your climate will influence that decision.

When choosing the wheel size you must consider what you want out of the upgrade. Are you looking for maximum performance or just good looks ?. We're going to assume you choosed performance in this article. Ok now that you've got that figured out, let's see what things you should look for when buying. Generally the larger the wheel size the more the wheels and tires weigh. Your goal is to buy the lightest possible wheel you can afford or get. The reason for this is simple. The GTi like most small car's is not exactly a torque monster in stock trim, thus the higher the weight of the wheel, the harder the engine has to 'work' to turn the wheel. For instance, say you have a wheel that weigh's 15lbs and another one that weigh's 20lbs. That's an extra 20lbs (5 lbs x 4 wheels) of weight that is being added to the car. It may not seem like much, but that extra 20lbs will cause your GTi to loose 4-6hp at the wheels on a dyno. You will feel the loss. Forged wheels generally are the lightest. The Volk Racing Te-37 for example only weigh's about 8.5 lbs in the 15" size. However there are many non-forged wheels (majority of the available wheels sold) that are still fairly light. The stock GTi rim/tire weigh about 31 lbs which is pretty light. Many common 15" rims w/ tires weigh in the 28-40lbs range. For 16's the range can be from 32-50lbs.

Now let's think about the size of wheel you should get. For most GTi's we would suggest you choose a 15" rim. However if you have a turbo, nos or bodykitted GTi then you might want to get a 16" rim. 17" rims should generally be avoided because they will rub alot on the outside and inside (when the steering locks), but they can be fitted. The 15" size will give you a nice upgrade from the original 14's, will look much nicer and provide you with more grip. Plus the weight shouldn't be too much more, if you choosed the right rim. If you don't like bending in the wheel lips then pick a 15x6.5 size wheel. If you go with the more popular 15x7 then you will have to bend or shave in the wheel lips (not a easy task, as the paint tends to crack). If you decide on the 16's, try and go with a 16x6.5 (very rare), or get a 16x7 with high offset. For both 15x7" & 16x7" sizes, choose at least a 40mm positive offset. You can use a offset as high as 47mm, but try and stick to the 40-45mm range. Also note with the 7" wide rims you will have to remove part of the front inner flap and bend in the metal a bit. Wheels that are 15x6.5 or 16x6.5 can use a offset ranging from 35-48mm. Remember the higher the offset, the more the wheel goes in with relation to the hub. Finally make sure the wheel you pick has a bolt pattern of 4x114.3. The GTi hub bore is 60.1mm so use a hubcentric ring if your wheel uses a bigger bore diameter. This is a very important thing to remember!.

The GTi stock wheel/tire diameter is 22.2" . When choosing a wheel/tire upgrade you want the overall diameter to stay close to the 22.2" figure. For 15" wheel users, get a 195/45/ZR15 tire size. The reason to get this size versus the popular 195/50/15 is its 21.9" diameter vs 22.6" (195/50/15). This will give you much better acceleration and since the tire is lower in profile, you won't have any rubbing problems with the wheel lips. If you have 16" wheels, then you must get the 205/40/16 tire. With the 16" wheels, regardless of tire size you will have to bend in the fender lips. Anything larger than the 205/40/16 (22.4" diameter) eg 195/45/16 or 215/40/16 will cause major rubbing and there diameters will be off. Remember the larger the diameter the slower the acceleration, thus that's why the 195/45/15 (21.9") gives you the best performance. Finally speed rating is also a big factor in how the tire 'behaves'. A tire with a Z speed ratin vs a H rating, will provide crisper turn in and sharper steering response, due to stiffer sidewalls. However the downside would be a harsher ride. In the US only Yokohama makes a Z rated tire in the 15" size and only Kumho makes a Z rated tire in the 16" size. Finally make sure the tire has a traction rating of A and temperature rating of A also. Since each country sells different tire models, we can't guide you as to what model is best in your particular market, however generally the higher speed rating, the more performance you can expect to get.