stevey wrote:looks like subaru didn't think about this when fitting on 18" rims on the liberty.
I'd suggest Subaru thought well and good about what size tyre to fit to the 18". They'll have a contract with Bridgestone for tyres. Fitting an uncommon size OEM tyre will help to bring repeat business as vehicle owners opt for the same size tyre when they come to replace them.... and find there's very little else to choose from!
The 215, being more narrow than a 225 say, will have less rolling resistance with a corresponding improvement on fuel consumption.
215 only needs a 7" wide rim. 225 is better with a 7.5" rim. There's a cost saving right there with a 7" rim. Half an inch of alloy from how many millions of rims? It all adds up.
If fitting 225/40'18's, note that the rolling diameter of the fitted tyre is marginally less than that of the 215/40/18 (from memory).
Cheers,
Deucer.
Ex MY05 3.0R-B Wagon... But Still in the Blood.