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While it is a much-abused cliché, we must repeat it once again: original Niche Wheels do help you find a niche of your own in a market that is overflowing with custom rims that offer more or less equal value.
Formally known as Niche Road Wheels, the brand is owned by the well-known premium rims major MHT Alloys. This is the same company that also owns the likes of Rotiform, Fuel, & DUB Wheels. Niche was set up in 1992 and is headquartered in California.
Unlike its sibling brands like Fuel or Rotiform, Niche rims do not adhere to certain types of aftermarket wheels. It offers very high-quality customized rims for the most premium vehicles (think of Bentleys and Rolls-Royces), off-road specials, and a range of forged rims.
A mixed bag; that’s Niche Wheels for you.
A few new models across segments hit shelves in the 1st week of 2023; some of them are upgrades of existing bestsellers. Niche Road Wheels takes client feedback very seriously and implements them each year; it is one reason why most people who have tried out a set of Niche rims remain loyal for years on end.
If you are looking for a new set of rims that will deliver equally brilliant performances on city & suburban roads and on asphalt, you might want to check out these 5 models.
The 5 best Niche Wheels available right now
Note that all of these rims are manufactured using high-quality 6061-T6 aluminum alloys for heightened durability and better performance.
- M117 Misano: The M117 is the flagship of the Misano range of cast rims. Available in 5 sizes and several finishes, it is the 18-inch matte black model that outsells the others by a pretty large margin. The M117 Misano is a city-driving vehicle and is highly recommended for large sedans, station wagons, coupes, and hatchbacks.
This is a very premium product and is often seen adorning the likes of the latest Mercedes-Benz and BMW sedans, besides almost all compact cars including classy subcompacts from Japanese giants Lexus and Honda.
One great advantage of the 18-inch M117 is its high offset; it allows you to fit bigger and wider rims for deluxe passenger cars. This 10-spoked model scores high on looks and weighs a mere 22 pounds. Oh, and it also allows larger calipers for customization.
- Staggered M257 Flash: This elegant model dreamt up by the designers at Niche Wheels has been turning heads for a while. The 20-inch staggered rim has a glossy white face that’s punctuated with fine black outlines, a very unique look that works wonders on any vehicle you try it on.
The M257 Flash is a Monoblock cast city-driving rim with 6 spokes beautifully crafted for extra concavity for a more aggressive look and a feline stance. It is intended for premium cars and adds an extra dose of panache to even the most aerodynamic and sleek sedans.
The 20-inch rim is roomier than it appears since it can accommodate larger custom-made braking and TPMS systems.
You should go for this particular model if your vehicle has a lighter color scheme. White rims on pristine white cars were and still are classy as heck!
- M168 Verona: The M168 Verona, at a glance, appears to be a 6-spoke Plane Jane. But it is so much more; with superior load and speed ratings and lightweight spartan design, this is one of the best cast aluminum rims for city driving ever launched. It is one of the few models of Niche Wheels that suits Range Rovers, Mustangs, modified Ferraris, Hondas and Volkswagen sedans and hatchbacks equally well!
We encourage you to go for the 20-inch Verona for 2 reasons. The first is that they were really highly recommended by the professionals at AudioCity USA, our favorite retailer of automotive parts and spares in California. These guys have been selling aftermarket rims since 1989!
Second, we have used a set of Verona 20” rims in gloss black on our 2020 VW Passat. The setup included brand-new Continental PureContact tires with an aspect ratio of 40%.
These rims are so good you won’t have a hint of a hitch even on wet or snowed-out roads. Yes, these tires are excellent too, but we learned never to underestimate the M168 Verona!
- Staggered M186 Misano in Candy Red: Here’s another topper from the Misano Niche Wheels family. It looks pretty similar to the M117 and shares the 10-spoke design. However, it is the 20-inch M186 staggered rims that are most in-demand. The bright candy red finish adds a dash of color that is not OTT at all, but a welcome change from the boring blacks and grays and chromes.
The candy red staggered rims look fantastic on everything from an Alfa Romeo coupe to a Mercedes Maybach (with those gullwing doors) to a Tesla Roadster and on to a Camaro and beyond.
There’s a warranty on the red finish.
By the way, if you own a modded beauty (perhaps a Nissan GT-R, anything from the BMW 3 family or even an Audi TT), go for the edgy red M186 Misano. You simply cannot go wrong!
- M195 Methos: Rounding up this list is the 20-inch Methos, a culmination of sass and functionality. This is a uber-stylish and futuristic-looking rim meant for city driving. The matte bronze spokes plus central face coupled with a bright black rim has gone viral; the other finishes have been pushed out of the ring!
The M195 Methos is a bit more expensive than the 4 other models here and is at home on every sedan, hatchback, modded street-legal racers, and deluxe models like the Cadillac STS-V or a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Wrapping up
Always buy Niche Wheels only from established retailers or via the company’s website. Fakes abound!
