Best Aftermarket Wheels for Tesla Model Y: The Ultimate Guide

Let’s be honest — the wheels that come fitted from the factory are quite bland. 

These stock wheels don’t add up with the neck-bending acceleration of your Model Y. 

There has to be a sporty or better-looking alternative. 

Luckily, the aftermarket has answered our prayers by giving us tons of options that will enhance not only the Model Y’s looks but also its performance. 

Just take a look at these gorgeous wheels that a Model Y owner has put on. 

However, all those wheels that look good in pictures might just end up as wall art because not all of them will fit your car.

This is why I have taken extra precautions in finding you the best wheels that will perfectly fit your Tesla Model Y. 

On top of that, I will be tackling the age-old concern of whether or not these wheels will affect range — which they do, but not all of them.

This article will only focus on Model Y aftermarket wheels, but if you want to know everything related to Model 3 aftermarket wheels, you can refer to this article.

First things first. Let’s talk about fitment to avoid the depression that hits after knowing a wheel you fancied a lot cannot be fitted. 

Quick Summary: Our Top Picks for Aftermarket Wheels for Tesla Model Y

IMAGE	PRODUCT
Best Overall	HRE Iconic Good quality Nostalgia	CHECK BEST PRICE →
Best Performance	Carbon Revolution Lightweight Improved suspension performance increases grip Improved steering feel made the car easier to drive at the limit	CHECK BEST PRICE →
Reasonably Priced Alternative	ESE Faster 0-60 Shorter braking distance Increased range	CHECK BEST PRICE →
Premium Option	Vossen Bragging rights Top-notch quality Amazing aesthetics	CHECK BEST PRICE →
Best Budget Option	Enkei One of the biggest catalogs for wheel designs Reasonable quality Loads of variety	CHECK BEST PRICE →
Bonus Recommendation	XXR Wheels Inexpensive Extra wide wheel width and precise offset Super light weight multi spoke design	CHECK BEST PRICE →

Ensuring Wheel Fitment 

The following aspects will help you know whether or not a particular wheel is going to fit your Model Y: 

• Bolt pattern 
• Offset
• Tire sizing
• Wheel size

Bolt Pattern 

Unlike other aspects of wheel fitment, the bolt pattern is not flexible. It is what it is. You have to abide by the bolt pattern that comes with your Model Y. 

The bolt pattern of your Model Y is 5 x 120 mm. This means that there are five lug nuts with a bolt circle of 120 mm, measured and determined (with a notional circle) by the center of the studs. 

You need to look for the lucky number 5 x 120 for the bolt pattern. Any other bolt pattern will not work.

This same bolt pattern is present in many other vehicles, including BMW, Cadillac, Acura, Bentley, and Buick.

If you found a wheel with a different bolt pattern, you would have to let go of it — or you can buy it for the wall. 

Offsets

The offset is quite flexible. To know for sure if a certain offset will work for you, a visit to the shop will be required. 

However, the rule of thumb is, if you have a positive offset from the factory, a lower positive will work without a problem (but will bulge outwards just a little). A negative offset will appear more toward the outside. 

Tesla has offered different wheels for the Model Y. Here’s a list of these wheels with their respective offsets.

Tire Sizing

This is where the range comes in the picture. 

Tire sizing is directly related to the wheels you choose. With bigger wheels, you will have to have bigger tires (obviously) and vice versa. 

Say you have a certain wheel package and you get a certain range from it. 

Now if you move to a bigger wheel, you will have to opt for a bigger tire, which will result in decreased range.

On the contrary, if you move to a smaller wheel, thus needing a smaller tire, you will get better range than what you previously had. 

However, there are many other aspects of wheel and tire size that affect range, which include the tire profile. 

You have probably seen those cool-looking low-profile tires (which make the ride miserable). However, you would need these low-profiles if you go for a bigger wheel. 

I will tell you how the tire translates from the numbers you are going to see so you will be able to make an informed decision regarding the tire’s aspect ratio, size, and width. 

Tire Numbers Explained

I will explain everything with an easy example.

Let’s say you see 275/40 R19 or 275/40/19.

Here’s how this size looks:

The First Three Digits in Tire Sizing: 275/40/19

The first three numbers tell you how wide the tire is in millimeters. So it means that this tire is 275 mm wide. 

Here’s a comparison of how the width differs:

Wider tires have more road grip as a bigger surface area of the tire is touching the ground. 

Most people prefer wider tires in summer and narrow ones for the winter. 

The Two-Digit Number After the First Three: 275/40/19

Now the second two digits are normally called the aspect ratio. Personally, I don’t like this term because it might be a little confusing for some people. 

Let’s make it simple — it’s the profile; a higher number means a higher profile, and a lower number means a lower profile.

Normally, when moving to bigger wheels, the aspect ratio/profile is considered. If you increase the wheel size without decreasing the aspect ratio, you will end up scrapping your fenders. 

Last Two Digits in Tire Sizing: 75/40/19

The last two digits represent your wheel compatibility. A tire with the number 19 means that it’s intended for a 19″ wheel. If it reads 20, it is intended for a 20″ wheel. 

The takeaway from this section is that smaller tires = more range. 

Wheel Size

There are three different types of wheels that you can get from the factory. The Standard model gets two types, the 19-inch as standard and the 20-inch as optional, while the Performance model gets the massive 21-inch as standard.

The range decreases about 30 miles when you have the 21″ wheels compared with the 19″ wheels. 

So it appears that with every inch of increased wheel size, you are going to experience about a 15-mile decrease in range.

To see how different wheels are going to look on your Model Y, here are a couple of examples:

As you can see from the above examples, you can go with wheel sizes ranging from 18″ to 21″ without a problem. 

However, if you are like me and like to have the biggest wheels possible, despite the reduced range, you can opt for a 22-inch as well. 

But (yes, there is a but) you have to make sure that it has a low profile, in other words, a lower aspect ratio. 

To give you an idea, 265/35-22 will rub the fenders and front bumper if you don’t go for the fender rolling option, while 265/30-22 will be the optimum choice without having to roll the fenders. 

I am the fender-cutting kind of guy, so when I want to put bigger wheels, I simply don’t let the fenders stop me from doing it — I get rid of it (rocket bunny it is).

Here’s a picture of a sick body kit with some gorgeous wheels.

Now, as promised, I will tell you all the ups and downs of smaller and bigger wheels.

Perks and Downsides of Having Smaller Wheels on a Tesla Model 3

Perks and Downsides of Having Bigger Wheels on a Tesla Model 3

Best Tesla Model Y Aftermarket Wheels

Now with everything in your arsenal, it’s time to know which aftermarket wheels to get.

I have gone through every other wheel manufacturer to find you the best of the best. 

Best Overall: HRE

A company that started here in the United States is now one of the biggest names in the industry. Before I go on raming about the HRE wheels for your Model Y, here’s a video by the Fitment Industries YouTube channel that explains everything you need to know about HRE. 

To give you an idea of how important this name is, HRE 446 appeared in Brian O’Conner’s GTR in 2003, and since then, I have been a fan of HRE wheels.

If you’re the kind of person who likes to have something iconic and likes to make those watercooler conversations, this is the best choice. 

HRE wheels take me back to the good old ’80s when I wasn’t even alive. It’s the nostalgia, along with quality at a good price, which compels me to give it this high spot.

Here’s the FF10, one of the most popular ones.

Best Performance: Carbon Revolution 

So you want the best performance out of your Tesla Model Y and would love to shed those seconds or milliseconds from your quarter mile. 

Brace yourself because I have something that will give the kick like never before. 

Come closer. A little more. Ready? 

I see you are paying attention, so here it is…

Carbon Fiber Wheels by Carbon Revolution.

The thing about going fast is that it’s inversely proportional to the weight. The lighter you are, the faster you will go. 

When you want performance, the carbon fiber wheels are the best choice. 

Here’s one of those unboxing YouTube videos for Carbon Revolution wheels that will give you this weird satisfaction.

On top of increased performance, you will also get better range from your Model Y as there is less weight to work against. It is less unsprung weight—had to say it for the tech geeks out there! 

Carbon Revolution has set a target to achieve a 10% efficiency gain from EVs, so it’s a given that carbon fiber will be the go-to choice of most EV users in the future. 

Reasonably Priced Alternative: ESE

Another manufacturer that gives competitive pricing is ESE. 

ESE gives a whole catalog of carbon fiber wheels, especially for Tesla models, which also makes them worth checking. 

A single carbon fiber wheel by Carbon Revolution costs more than $2,000, while an ESE carbon fiber wheel costs about $1,300, which is less than the Vossen wheels. 

Here’s a helpful video that talks about servicing carbon fiber wheels.

Premium Option: Vossen 

A 22-inch with low-profile tires on a Tesla Model Y is a match made in heaven.

Vossen wheels are one of the best options to consider for your Tesla Model Y. The quality is top-notch, and the name itself is of a high pedigree. 

If you are the kind of person who makes no compromise on quality and are brand conscious, this is for you. 

Vossen has claimed its place in the leading brands of status symbols. It did that not because of the premium price tag, but because of the R&D behind making these beautiful sturdy wheels. 

As a result, the cost is quite high. A single wheel starts from $1,800, whereas some of the cheapest options can get you all four wheels plus average tires on top within the same price tag. 

Best Budget Option: Enkei

If you are looking for good-quality wheels at the best price, then one of Japan’s most respected wheel brands has got just the thing for you. 

Since Enkei is one of those manufacturers who make things in bulk, you are going to see Enkei rims/wheels for every other vehicle on the planet. 

It has one of the biggest catalogs for wheel designs. If you fancy a particular wheel design, they probably make them. 

You can check the fitment section, and once you know what size you need to order, you’ll surely get the stuff you need from Enkei without a hitch.

These wheels are so much cheaper than most other wheels that you might question their quality. However, their quality is not bad. 

The majority of the owners have given it positive remarks. One of them said,

Enkei is good, and the price is definitely right.

If you compare it with other performance brands, you might find them a little less competitive, but they do have the performance division in their catalog as well, which is anticipated to give a tough challenge to other major competitors.

A guy who owns a Porsche said,

Excuse me but what’s wrong with Enkei wheels? If they are good for some F1 teams and common on Japanese supercars pumping the same power as our P cars and more, they are certainly good enough.

I have had Enkei wheels on high performance cars and they are excellent in terms of weight, strength and quality.

Mr. C4

The only negative aspect is the perspective—brand image in other words. One person said,

not the quality for a TT….my bro had them on a GMC Denali but thats the most car id put em on…

Source

Bonus Recommendation : XXR Wheels

They’re the cheapest yet sturdy wheel for your Tesla Model Y

From what I have experienced my whole life being a consumer, expensive does not always mean that it would be the best. 

A normal quality brand name is going to cost you over $1,000 easily — where you can buy two whole sets of XXR wheels, and no matter how rough you are going to use them, they won’t bail.

Even if they did bail on you, you can always have an extra set lying around to be abused. 

Wheel Buyer Concerns

Will aftermarket wheels lower my range?’

Yes and no. It all boils down to the weight of the aftermarket wheel you put. If the aftermarket wheels weigh more than your stock wheels, your range will decrease. 

Normally, bigger wheels will decrease your range, and smaller ones will increase your range; the contributing factor is the unsprung weight. 

Now there is an exception as well. Some aftermarket wheels, even though bigger than your stock wheels, weigh less, like carbon fiber wheels. 

These lightweight wheels will not decrease your range, given that their actual weight is either equal to your stock wheels or less than your stock wheels. 

With every added inch, you will get 15 miles less range from your MY and vice versa. 

Can you get aftermarket wheels for a Tesla Model Y?

Yes, and you have plenty of options to choose from. There are a bunch of manufacturers making wheels specifically for Tesla models. 

You can refer to my wheel fitment guide to know which wheels will perfectly fit your Tesla Model Y. 

What wheels does the Tesla Model Y have?

Currently, there are three different wheel sizes depending on the trim. 

The Standard model has 19″ wheels as standard, which can be increased to 20″ as an option. The Performance model comes with 21″ wheels as standard. 

All Model Ys have a 5 x 120 bolt pattern. The offset, however, varies from wheel to wheel, which you can confirm by going through my wheel fitment guide above.

Do I need to buy a spare for my Tesla Model Y?

While ordering the wheels, you don’t have to worry about the spare because you ain’t got one. Most of the new cars these days are without a spare tire. 

You don’t get a spare tire from the factory, and even if you did, you would be damaging the underbelly of your Model Y where that expensive battery lies if you tried changing the tires. 

However, you can work your way to lift it safely by using this intuitive accessory: a jack pad adaptor. 

Make sure that you have this piece of equipment to prevent any battery damage.

Can I drive my Tesla with a flat tire?

If you are thinking of running flat if by chance you have to, don’t. Tesla recommends not to run flat. If you have a flat tire with no spare or jack equipment, call Tesla Roadside Assistance. 

Final Thoughts 

When searching for an aftermarket wheel, make sure that it fits right and keep in mind that it will affect the range.

Normally, with every inch increased, your range will decrease by 15 miles or so. 

However, if those bigger wheels are one of those performance lightweight wheels that weigh either less or equal to your stock wheels, your range might not decrease at all. 

The wheel manufacturer you choose is highly dictated by your budget. It is true that more money will give you better quality along with prestige; however, you can also get good quality from affordable wheels.

If you are the kind of person who prefers the quartermile prowess, you need the Carbon Revolution wheels. And as a bonus, you will also get better range as these wheels are very light.

On the other hand, if you are brand conscious and prefer buying only the top shelf stuff, you need Vossen wheels. 

If you are like me — a car enthusiast — you need HRE. 

And if you are like my cousin Danial who can never make a decision, just go for XXR; they are the most inexpensive wheels, so you won’t have that buyer’s remorse. In fact, you will love them for what they are.

Zac Ludicrous

Mechanical engineer by profession. TSLA shareholder before the hype. EV enthusiast all day long. Zac enjoys learning about the future of battery technology, autonomy, and EVs. He considers Tesla Model 3 the most important vehicle of the 21st century -- and is in a quest to improve the ownership experience of every Model 3 owner he possibly can.

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