What are the widest tires that can fit on stock Mazda 3, 17 inch rims?

I have an 06 Mazda 3 with stock 17 inch rims. It's time to replace my tires and I'd like to have a wider set, but don't know much about tire sizes. What size should I get to get more rubber on the road with my existing rims? A: Your Mazda 3s came originally with a P205/50R17 88V on a 6.5-inch wide wheel. That 6.5-inches is really your limiting factor since if you go for a wider tire you will also need to go lower profile and a lower profile tire is going to want a wider wheel. Really your only choice is a 225/45R17 91V (or 91Y or 91W) which is going to be a tight squeeze on that rim but should probably fit. Whether or not that combination will provide a real performance improvement (assuming that is what you are after) is a different story. That tire really needs at least a 7-inch wide rim and something 7.5-8.0 inches is ideal for best performance. 205/50R17 is already more rubber than a car the size of yours can really use anyway.  more