Spare tire?
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Underneath...just like the Tribeca
Oh, interesting. Thanks. Is it a full-sized spare then? That would be nice.
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Most likely a temporary spare tire.
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If its a temporary spare then I hope the allowed range on that tire is good enough for long distance commutes at regular highway speeds because I will be taking this on road trips. If not it will be more of a reason for me to just rent a Suburban.
It comes down risk and cost to mitigate. What is the frequency and probability of a flat? If you are on a mountain road with shale gravel, probability is high, but on a highway it is low. However, even with low risk, you still have the spare which should take you to the nearest town where the tire can be fixed. I also carry plugs in some of my vehicles, which are good for fixing nail or screw flats very easily and quickly.
So on a shale gravel road way out in the boonies somewhere, I might be more comfortable with a full size spare. But on a highway, with low risk, a small temp spare is fine with me.
So on a shale gravel road way out in the boonies somewhere, I might be more comfortable with a full size spare. But on a highway, with low risk, a small temp spare is fine with me.
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250 Posts
As was stated earlier, the spare tire is located under the cargo area and appears to be a temporary spare. I was able to snap a (low quality) picture at the Indy Auto Show last week.
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Smart move, just knowing that in 20 minutes you can be back on the road sells me enough on keeping the spare. I hate depending on roadside when its something I can easily do. Only in the city can I see myself without a spare. Roadside reponse times are greater then.
I'm keeping the possibility of a new Outback out there as an alternative to the Ascent if it doesn't seem like a good fit for mountain camping trips and whatnot. I had no idea that newer Outbacks had moved to a full-sized spare. That is so great and the kind of practicality I'm looking for and hoping the Ascent won't just be an AWD minivan.
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I think there may be some confusion on what a "full-size" spare is.
Dominick Infante in the posted video, as well as pictures from the auto show floors, show that the spare is a "full-size" donut / temporary tire. On any AWD Subaru with a spare, the tire needs to be "full-size" in regards to circumference due to the all-wheel drive system mechanicals.
Just like on a current Forester or Outback, the tire is equivalent in circumference / diameter to a normal tire, but the width and tire design are not the same. This spare does not appear to be acceptable for off-road use or towing, as it is still a donut / temporary design.
A conventional "full-size" spare would be equivalent in tire circumference, width, and design to allow no degradation or limitation of performance when changing to a spare tire.
Dominick Infante in the posted video, as well as pictures from the auto show floors, show that the spare is a "full-size" donut / temporary tire. On any AWD Subaru with a spare, the tire needs to be "full-size" in regards to circumference due to the all-wheel drive system mechanicals.
Just like on a current Forester or Outback, the tire is equivalent in circumference / diameter to a normal tire, but the width and tire design are not the same. This spare does not appear to be acceptable for off-road use or towing, as it is still a donut / temporary design.
A conventional "full-size" spare would be equivalent in tire circumference, width, and design to allow no degradation or limitation of performance when changing to a spare tire.
Gotcha, that makes sense. My biggest question about the spare size is if it is the same circumference, would a REAL full-size spare fit in the same spot? I drove my 2012 Outback for a year before I realized mine would BARELY fit under the deck in a pinch.
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Since the spare is mounted underneath the vehicle in the Ascent, there is a good possiblity a real full-size spare would fit. The increase in width compared to the donut would mean that the tire would hang down lower, which could hurt departure angle or appearance from the rear (if the tire shows below the bumper). The next question would be if the mounting hardware would work with the wider wheel / tire, but it may be not too difficult to make work.
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170 Posts
Whoa.... I hope you're good at bench pressing 65+ pound overhead!?!? Maybe consider aftermarket hitch spare tire mounts?
It's not something I've had to do very often and it's never been a problem. Would just like to have the top freed up for my roof top tent and Skybox as-needed. I keep bikes on the back daily.
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I was just wondering the answer to this question. Thanks! This is great news. It's nice to not have to call for roadside assistance and be self sufficient. To my shock, my wife's Volvo s60 doesn't even have any kind of spare! Yes we had to get it towed and rode in the tow truck. Luckily it was before we had kids.
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