Where do I store my spare tire in my vehicle?

You have various options for storage but they depend on the make, model and year of your vehicle. Read on for more details.

In many cases, auto manufacturers have eliminated the traditional storage space used for a spare tire. Thankfully, a few models still have this space even if the vehicle is sold without a spare tire. Keep in mind, for models that still have this space, it may not be large enough to accommodate a spare tire that is designed properly.

As vehicles have become more advanced with very sophisticated traction control and AWD systems, gone are the days when just any "donut" spare would work without putting stress or even causing serious damage to your vehicle. 

When considering spare tire storage, vehicles can be placed in three categories.

These are:

• Vehicles with a dedicated spare tire storage space and the Modern Spare kit can be stored there nicely.
• Vehicles that have a dedicated storage space, but the space is too small for a spare tire properly designed for that model. 
• Vehicles without a dedicated spare tire storage space (like what is typically found under the trunk floor area).

Details on each- 

1. Vehicles with a dedicated spare tire storage space and the Modern Spare kit can be stored there nicely.

For these vehicles, the product page details will indicate if the spare can be stored in your car's storage space. Typically, the space is under the trunk or rear cargo floor area.

The carmaker usually fills the space with a molded foam insert that may need to be removed to store the spare tire kit.

There are models that vary. As an example, a Hyundai Tucson Hybrid will accommodate storing a spare under the rear cargo floor; however, on the plugin hybrid version of the Tucson, this space is occupied by additional electrical and battery-related components. This is an example of why reviewing your vehicle and the available space is important when choosing storage and kit options. 

2. Vehicles that have a dedicated storage space, but the space is too small for a spare tire. 

Some vehicles will have a storage space that appears to accommodate a spare tire.
The spare tire is too large to be stored in this space. If Modern Spare made the spare smaller and allowed it to fit in that space, the spare could potentially cause harm to the vehicle.

For all spare tires that cannot be stored in the traditional storage space, Modern Spare offers our reinforced carrying/storage case. This case keeps the entire kit neatly compact and stored in the main trunk area without occupying much actual trunk space. We recommend this kit option for these vehicles. 

3. Vehicles that do not have a dedicated spare tire storage space.

As many cars no longer have spare tires, carmakers design them without regard for spare tire storage. The spare tire can be stored in the main cargo or trunk area. 

We recommend our optional carrying/storage case. This case keeps the entire kit neatly compact and stored in the main trunk or cargo area without occupying much actual trunk space. 

SUVs

Some SUV models we support will have a storage compartment under the rear cargo floor, and this space may be large enough for the spare tire kit. However, this does not apply to all SUVs. 

Details will be shown on the product page specific to your vehicle model.