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This month, Toyota launched an all-new generation of one of the most important vehicles in America. The RAV4 is a top seller, and it is the single highest-selling vehicle with an average transaction price under $40K in America. Now that Tesla’s Model Y is verboten by the liberal left, the RAV4 is poised to remain the top-selling non-truck vehicle for years to come. But two-thirds of the people most likely to buy one say that if Toyota drops the spare tire, they will look at a different model, likely from a different brand other than Toyota
Every Top-Selling Vehicle In America but One Has a Spare Tire
Please feel free to rush to our comments section and offer an opinion on this, but be advised that factually, every top-selling automobile in America – except the Tesla Model Y – comes with a spare standard, or the model has trims that include a spare tire. Many offer full-size spares. Heck, you can get two spares in the new Honda Passport.
Toyota’s Launch Does Not Reveal the Verdict on RAV4 Spare Tires
Toyota has done a masterful job whetting the public’s appetite for the new 2026 RAV4. Selected outlets were given a sneak peek, and influencers were invited to do walk-around videos. I think I may have watched them all. Literally dozens. Not a single influencer or content creator bothered to lift the cargo mat and see if the new RAV4 has a spare. Even those who took time to focus on the all-terrain tires that Toyota is fitting to off-pavement themed trims. Shame.
I have it on good authority that it would not have mattered anyway. The units being used for the early reveal are betas. A.k.a. pilot production units. The RAV4s we are seeing in the new videos and images were likely shipped without any contents under the cargo mat, regardless of Toyota’s space tire plan. Honestly, I’d do the same if I were with Toyota.
Poll Results – 64% of RAV4 Lovers Want a Spare
To see how those most likely to own a new RAV4 felt about it having a spare tire, we conducted the poll you see here. Hundreds of owners of RAV4 Hybrids answered the poll, and many commented. As you can see, 64% of RAV4 Hybrid owners feel very strongly that the vehicle should have a spare tire. Almost half (45%) say they flat out won’t buy another RAV4 if the spare tire goes away. I’m in that group. Less than one in five owners are indifferent on the subject.
What RAV4 Owners Say About the 2026 Having a Spare
Here are a few comments owners left about spare tires under our poll post.
JB – “Our work vehicle did not have a spare tire, only a pump with sealant. We had a leak and used the pump, it limped us a couple of miles, and then had to have it towed. It cost us work time and the tow charge. I won’t buy a vehicle that doesn’t come with a spare tire.”
BC – “I would look elsewhere. It’s why I skipped on the CR-V Hybrid.
SH – “I replaced my compact spare with a full-size spare.”
SY – “I have a full-size spare in my 2025 Hybrid SE.”
SM – “My Bahamas-market 2025 Hybrid SE has a full-size spare.”
SM even included photos of her matching full-size spare.
As you can see, many owners of this crossover SUV value a spare tire.
Your Author Is Not Just a Loud Mouth – I Buy Toyota Hybrids and Cars With Spares
Who am I to broach this touchy subject? Well, I’m a long-time fan of the Toyota brand. I’ve owned one off and on, but almost continually since 1985. In our family, we’ve had Celicas, Supras, Camrys, Corollas, a Highlander, a Lexus RX350 and IS350C, and now we own a 2024 Venza (Hybrid). I walk the walk and buy or assist in the purchase of a lot of Toyotas for my family’s personal use. All of those models have a spare. Only our sporty GR86 is missing one, and it’s allowed since it is a high-performance car.
When Will We Know If The 2026 RAV4 Will Have a Spare Tire?
Toyota’s first media drives of the production version of the new 2026 RAV4 happen this late summer or early fall. So, we will know shortly if the company has opted to continue to offer a compact spare tire in every U.S.-spec RAV4 (like they have done for the prior two generations). We have our fingers crossed that Toyota will continue to offer the standard spare tire in every RAV4 trim.
Are you a potential RAV4 buyer? If so, is a spare tire a safety and convenience feature you would like to have in yours? Tell us in the comments below.
John Goreham is a long-standing member of the New England Motor Press Association and an expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on LinkedIn and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John’s by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ grammar and punctuation software when proofreading and he also uses image generation tools.
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Source: torquenews.com
