Some Newer Cars Are Missing a Spare Tire
CR explains why tire sealant kits are becoming more common and shares tips on how to prepare for a flat tire
Q. I was stunned to discover that my new car doesn’t have a spare tire. Was I ripped off?
A. Not really. As automakers strive to cut production costs and reduce vehicle weight to aid fuel economy, many are tossing out the seldom used spare tire. It may seem to be a reasonable way to shed pounds, right until that rare moment when you have a flat tire. There is no beating having a full-sized tire when you get a flat, especially in a remote area.
How Many Cars Still Have a Spare Tire?
Since 2020, about 10 percent of the cars tested by Consumer Reports have come with a full-sized spare. Just under 50 percent have come with a temporary (aka space-saver) spare tire, and the rest have been equipped with a sealant kit or a run-flat tire, or nothing at all.
Simply put, based on our test fleet, about 40 percent of new cars today don’t come with a spare tire, though they might also be equipped with a compressor and sealant kit to temporarily fix a flat tire. Some cars without a spare come with a run-flat tire, which is designed to operate for a limited distance after losing air from a typical puncture.
Carmakers are skipping the spare because of regulatory pressure to squeeze more miles out of every gallon of fuel. Ditching the 50 or 60 pounds that a tire, wheel, and jack usually add to a car’s weight helps to increase fuel economy slightly. (It also incidentally increases automakers’ profits because they don’t have to pay for those parts.)
The problem is that a sealant kit won’t help you if a tire’s sidewall gets sliced or if the flat is caused by more extensive damage than a minor tread puncture.
Cars often have the space to store at a space-saver tire, even if it isn’t so equipped. If your car doesn’t come equipped with a spare tire, consider a spare-tire kit, which includes a tire, jack, and lug wrench. These kits start at around $150.
“Know how your car is equipped before you take delivery,” says Ryan Pszczolkowski, who oversees Consumer Reports’ tire program. “Don’t assume the car you’re about to buy has a spare tire. The best time to find out is in the showroom—so you can also use it as a negotiating point—not on the side of the road after you’ve had a flat.”
How to Be Prepared for a Flat Tire
Spare tire or not, plan on setting aside half an hour with all the people who drive the car (especially newer and teenage drivers) and read through the owner’s manual to learn how to follow each step for changing a flat tire. The familiarity will make it much easier to address a roadside emergency, especially under less ideal conditions, such as foul weather or heavy traffic. In doing so, you might identify ways to prepare better, such as supplementing the included lug-nut wrench with a longer torque wrench that may be easier to use.
How to Change a Flat Tire
