2015 Micra spare tire: full size spare or compact? Location?

[MetroMPG]

When I saw the Micra at the Ottawa auto show, I was surprised to see where the spare tire is located:



(Click to zoom.)

This picture was taken from the left, rear of the car, shot facing forward. It appears to be a space saver. To release the bracket that holds the wheel, there's a bolt inside the hatchback (it goes through the floor). You use the wheel wrench to loosen the bolt:

Attachment 174

This is the first time I've seen a spare tire mounted underneath a car. Very common on trucks, but cars? Not so much!

[Note-ified]

concerning the spare, it is exactly the same way on the US spec Notes

[MetroMPG]

I guess they gave over the interior room in the Note to the back seats... there's no room behind the seat for a tire in the floor?

Have you ever seen this approach on another car? I haven't.

[Daox]

I noticed that too. I thought it was odd, but no top access makes sense since the rear seat probably sits right on top of the tire. It does seem like it would be a pretty big pain to get at unless they have some slick way to get to it, which is likely.

[Note-ified]

I guess they gave over the interior room in the Note to the back seats... there's no room behind the seat for a tire in the floor?

Have you ever seen this approach on another car? I haven't.

I noticed that too. I thought it was odd, but no top access makes sense since the rear seat probably sits right on top of the tire. It does seem like it would be a pretty big pain to get at unless they have some slick way to get to it, which is likely.

mostly from what i can tell, the place where the spare tire would normally go was given up to gain a few inches of cargo space as in the JDM market there is a spare tire inside the car like most cars would do, but you can tell that the cargo floor sits a little higher to accommodate for the spare tire on the JDM Note.

[Note-ified]

I noticed that too. I thought it was odd, but no top access makes sense since the rear seat probably sits right on top of the tire. It does seem like it would be a pretty big pain to get at unless they have some slick way to get to it, which is likely.

on my Note, there's a bolt that you unscrew underneath the cover that goes over where the jack and associated tools go that releases the cage you see around the spare tire on the bottom of the car

[Darcane]

The only other cars I can think of that have a spare underneath like that are Corvettes. They put a plastic cover over the spare though.

Here's a clear shot of the bottom of a C4 Corvette. It's between the mufflers:



That's the 1 millionth Corvette made as it was being pulled out of the sinkhole.

[AlphaMicra]

Surprising it comes with a spare tire. Some auto makers are leaving it out, replacing it with a cheesy tire inflation/repair kit. I noticed this insane level of cheapness first on the Chevrolet Cobalt. More proof that the Micra represents great value.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/th...pare-tire.html

[MetroMPG]

That 'Vette picture: what a terrible way to illustrate the point!

I don't know, but I'd bet the newest ones have run-flat tires & no spares.

They're generally disappearing for cost & weight reasons.

[Daox]

Yeah, I'm a bit surprised too. I like the idea of having a spare tire... but I can honestly say I've never personally had to use one in my years of driving. So, giving one up doesn't seem like the end of the world. And, if it saves me some money, hurray.