I think they're 16 or 16.5 lbs.

 

Yeah, the stock wheels are pretty light. But you can find quite a few 17" wheels that are lighter still. You can also get used RS wheels. They're still 16", but they are .5" wider to fit more rubber. Rota Slipstream 16" are also lighter and wider. 17s and 18s definitely improve the look though.

 

Stock WRX wheels are okay at best. They are nice and light for cast wheels, but they are narrower as mentioned, plus they don't clear any brake upgrades. I also would add that any 17" wheel that is lighter than a WRX stocker is either a Rota Slipstream, or an expensive forgie. I definitely suggest buying a set of RS wheels if you can get them- they are almost the same weight (16.5 pounds), they fit Stoptech's smaller kit plus STi 4 pots, and you can run 225/235 section rubber on them easily. However, you can usually get a set of 17" Rotas for about the same price as used RS wheels with no damage. If you can afford the difference in price for 17" vs. 16" tires, go for it. It's usually $50-75 for the plus 1.

 

Just make sure that the wheels are the right size and offset.

17x7 +53mm offset, 225/40 or 225/45 section tires. 5 bolt pattern. Ask if the wheels you are buying fit a Toyota. If they do, don't get htem- they have the same bolt pattern but different offsets. Stick to Subaru specific wheels.

17x7.5 +48mm offset, 225/40, 225/45, 235/40 are ok. 235s may rub depending on your suspension.

18x7.5 +48mm offset, 225/40, 225/35 is ok. 235/35 or 235/30 may still rub.

18x8 +43mm offset. Really pushing it. Stick to 225/35 or 235/30, if you can test fit.

18's are not really as good as 17s on a car meant to go fast. They are heavier and have a much worse ride quality due to the smaller sidewall. I personally would go with 225/40R17 wheels and tires on my Subaru.

 

My O.Z. Superleggeras are 17x7 +48 with 225/45-17 Azenis. No problems.

 

yeah, don't even think about getting 18s unless you only care about bling. 17s are where it's at when it comes to performance. at the moment, i'm running S-03s on RS wheels and they honestly blow the doors off my 225.40.18 kumhos i had on before. i mean those s-03s are freaking unbelievable tires.

 

I was looking for the same thing as you: Strong, light, and not crazy expensive. I ended up with 17 X 7.5 Enkei RPF-1s. 48mm offset, 15.2lbs. Some people don't like the looks, most do. $260 ea. (including center caps) from Auto Innovations in San Jose. You can find them nationwide though.

http://www.enkei.com/HPSpecPAGES/rpf1Specs.html

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/pr...wrx/index.html

 

The 17" Superleggeras weigh 15.5 lbs. and aren't too expensive. I wanted a 17" wheel (for looks mostly) and wider/stickier tires for performance. I'm happy with them.