The distance between the centreline of the wheel and the plane of the hub-mounting surface of the wheel is known as the wheel offset.

The offset can be either positive or negative, and is typically measured in millimeters. Offset has a significant effect on many elements of a vehicle’s suspension, including suspension geometry, clearance between the tire and suspension elements, the scrub radius of the steering system, and visually, the width of the wheel faces relative to the car’s bodywork.