Some Subarus Still Come With Spare Tires – But Only These Models

All new vehicles came with spare tires not too long ago, but the automotive landscape has changed rapidly. You'd be lucky if your jalopy has a spare tire from the factory, but automakers like Subaru have mostly ditched full-size spares for space-saver or donut tires. Now, the majority of their lineup comes without — the only new Subarus with full-size spares (as of the 2026 model year) are the Forester Wilderness, Outback Onyx Edition XT, and Outback Wilderness.

The Forester Wilderness comes standard with 17-inch wheels and Yokohama Geolandar 235/60 R17 102T all-terrain tires, which means buyers get a spare tire and wheel combo of the same size and type. It's a similar deal in the Outback Wilderness, which has 17-inch matte black wheels wrapped in Yokohama Geolandar 225/65 R17 all-terrain rubber. Meanwhile, the Outback Onyx Edition XT has a full-size spare to match its factory-spec 18-inch alloy rims and 225/60 R18 100H all-season tires.

As you probably know, we're not heaping praises on Subaru or any automaker for making the spare tire an afterthought, but it seems change is on the horizon since the US Senate revoked California's waiver to set its own emission standards, which essentially means our beloved, gas-guzzling V8 engines are back from the dead. Hopefully, the spare tire returns with it, but let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

As for other new Subarus, buyers either get a donut spare or a tire repair kit, depending on the model and trim variant. For instance, the Subaru WRX, BRZ, Impreza, some Crosstrek Hybrid models, and Solterra EV all get tire repair kits. It doesn't include a spare, but it does come with a bottle of sealant and a handy inflator. These repair kits are an awesome quick-fix to a flat, but there are downsides.

Inflator kits are practically useless if the puncture is larger than 4mm or if the hole is on the sidewall, and they won't work if the tire has separated from the rim. What's worse, you'll most likely need to replace the tire after messing up its innards with sealant, which instigates a chemical reaction with the rubber and is almost impossible to clean out. Furthermore, you need to buy a new bottle of sealant after the repair, since most inflator kits only contain enough fluid for a single flat.

On the other hand, some new Subaru models leave the dealership with donut spare tires, or what Subaru refers to as a "temporary use spare tire." It includes the Subaru Crosstrek (including Base, Sport, Premium, Limited, and Wilderness), Forester (Base, Premium, Limited, Touring), Outback (Base, Premium, Onyx, Limited, touring, Limited XT, Touring XT), and the Ascent SUV (Premium, Limited, Limited Bronze Edition, Touring, and Onyx Touring). Donut spares are lighter and more compact, helping to save weight and free up space in the trunk. Then again, they're not perfect, and there are limitations to donut spares.

Unlike a tire repair kit, you'll need to remove the punctured tire to install the donut spare, and this means having a jack, a tire wrench, and some elbow grease at your disposal. In short, it helps to know a thing or two about fixing a flat tire. Once installed, donut spares must not be driven over speeds of 50 mph, and they're not meant to support your vehicle's weight for more than 70 miles.

Donut tires come in many sizes and specs, too. For example, the Subaru Crosstrek has a T145/80 D17 spare tire. The "T" means Temporary, while the 145 is the width of the tire in millimeters. Moreover, the "80" is the aspect ratio or "thickness" of the sidewall, while the "D" and the 17 stand for "Diagonal" (referring to the tire construction) and rim size, respectively.