We've had a dealer-certified 2011 Prius for 11 years that I really like. The time has come for us to get a new car and we've been seriously looking at the 2024 Prius. I enjoyed the test drive for the most part however, I'm not thrilled with the trunk space as opposed to our current car and am concerned about there being no spare tire. When I asked the dealer about what to do if we get a flat tire, he told me to call AAA. What if it is later at night and we are in another state? Would you share what were your thoughts about no spare when you purchased the car? Thanks very much.
Well until the 2 l engine proves itself $170,000 mi plus I won't even be really looking at this kind of stuff personally and no spare not a deal breaker for me but just think about that in your head for a few minutes All of these manufacturers now are trying to force you to call people for the simplest and silliest things a flat tire you kidding me I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere and I have to call some whoever because what I have no spare because somebody at a car manufacturer has come up with this kind of nonsense like I say this ain't Dad's Toyota That's for sure.
Some people buy a spare (and jack) and bring it with them when they travel, otherwise don't keep it in the car when they are around home.
I would have demanded that the sales person immediately show me their AAA card AND proof that they drive a car without a spare tire. Then? I would have shown them mine. I've had AAA for more than 30 years, and in all that time I've never been foolish enough to knowingly travel in a car that did not AT LEAST have a functioning spare tire. Since I travel in somewhat non-urban areas I also carry some other basics like a jump pack, first aid kit, cables, a plug kit, the goofy stuff in a can that wrecks TPMS's, etc...etc. MY mileage. Others WILL vary - because I can imagine that there are people who live where tires are never shredded by road debris, who never travel after hours - or in inclimate weather, or in areas where being immobilized is......um......'unsafe.' For ME??? Hard pass. For the car, AND that dealership for hiring a foolish sales person. I remember when people used to joke about 'Prius Smug' because they were supposed to be 'the smart' people in the class. Driving without a spare tire? Not smart. I would say that they've all moved on to driving Teslas..... However (comma!!!!) Tesla vehicles do come with a spare either!!!! Tesla at least offers roadside assistance that is 'available' 24/7 - which is optimistic at best, and an outright LIE in some cases. You can also purchase a spare tire kit for a both a Prius AND a Tesla. If I were somebody else I would deduct the cost of a for-real, spare tire and jack from whatever final price I pay for either vehicle and accept the fact that an itty-bitty car (in both cases) will be even smaller. As for ME? I will not buy a car from a manufacturer that didn't provide an OEM spare, because for now there are better options available from those that do.
Since 2006, I've only driven Prius vehicles. The tire situation has made me look into the RAV4 Prime as my next vehicle. Driving around with a donut or spare tire in the cabin is inconvenient and takes up too much space. After two minor flat tires, transformed into nightmare situations... I'm done with the Prius. All Prius vehicles should be equipped with either 15 or 16 inch wheels & include a donut/spare tire.
That's Government for ya. They mandate TPMS and backup cams to 'for safety' and allow OEMs to sell vehicles without a spare tire.
My 2017 Prius 2 had a space saver spare. My new 2025 Camry XLE, and all trim levels have a space saver spare tire now. The new Camry is only available as a Hybrid.
i prefer a spare, or at the very least, a place for one. yes, triple a is fine, but they have to tow you to a dealer or tyre store. what if they don't have your tyre or everything is closed? vote with your wallet, it's the only power we have
Road service is an option, near where you live and commute - but not really an option out of cell range or on a road trip. Mine was a transition year and they deleted the spare donut but left the tools. I believe you have neither in a 2024. I put together a full size spare, with my best tire, after I replaced all 4 @ 40K. I encounter holes in three of them. Two patched with highway plugs and one with a standard patch. I also have a highway plug kit and pump in the trunk. Load-up the spare for road trips. Spare also comes in handy for tire rotations. This was the worst car I've ever had, regarding tires and flats. I had a 2012 Prius C that only got one flat, but had a spare - same commute and roadways. I've got proper tires on the car now, but did lose 3-4 mpg - I'll take that any-day over a flat! Hope this helps....
In the US for the 2017 Prius, the trims that did not have the spacesaver spare tire had a special compressor & tire goop. In Israel that year, the Prius had a full size spare so the spare tire cavity was designed for a full sized spare tire.
Most common issue is a slow leak due to nail or screw that goes undetected and results in an eventual unexpected flat tire. With the TPMS, you get advanced warning for this and can top off at gas station till tire can be fixed. In the past year I also purchased a Slime 45001 tire inflator device that connects to the cigarette lighter and with that I can fill the air anywhere. I was recently on a 4000 mile road trip, had a slow leak, and had to top off my tire every few days till I got home to repair the tire. This doesn't prevent against major issue such as hitting a curb and blowing out your tire, etc, but that is not the most likely tire threat. In driving 340,000 between my last 2 Prius' (2017, 2024), I've had many tire issues but always slow leaks identified first by TPMS.
No space in a Prime and I'm pretty sure the 2024 AWD is laid out a bit differently in the lower trunk area - Slime Kit ONLY since 2023. That would be ideal, I run higher than OEM tire pressures and reset my TPMS for those higher pressures. When I get the warning, it's usually down to OEM pressures. Pump it back up and tackle it on the weekend, if you don't see the nail sticking out. USE THE SLIME KIT AS A LAST RESORT, If you slime your tire, TPMS will need replacement and extra charges incurred for cleaning out the tire, if the flat is repairable. For those who say, most places do free flat repair - See what they say when they find slime in your tire....
No No No There is no issue installing a compact spare in a gen5 AWD. It was true in the gen4 AWD, but the changes to the gen5 allow it. I've got a honking big thread in the Care, Maintenance, and Troubleshooting forum about the topic, what you need, and plenty of pictures. Here's the before and after in my 2023 AWD LTD:
With 4th gen's, spare or not, they at least included a scissor jack and lug nut wrench. I guess that ship has sailed...
It's easy enough to add a spare to a regular Prius(non-plug-in) if you really want to. The price varies depending on how perfect you want it to look. Minimum like GcinFL in their post above(no tools): 20% off sale(a few times a year): about $315(FWD)/$345(AWD) 25% off sale(Black Friday only?): about $300(FWD)/$330(AWD) add new tool kit: +$73(20% off)/+$68(25% off) My version - complete and with tools(picture above) 20%: about $580(FWD)/$610(AWD) 25%: about $550(FWD)/$580(AWD)
Yep. Roughly $70 on sale for brand new. Might be able to find a used set on eBay or at a salvage yard for <$50.
Since you quoted me, the Prius, starting in 2016, had a tire repair kit as i stated in some trim levels. my Two had a donut spare tire. From Visual Tables of Gen4 Package Combinations | PriusChat
