The new cars with a full-size spare wheel in Australia

It may not be something on your must-have list, but chances are you won’t realise how much you need a full-size spare wheel until you’re stuck on the roadside dealing with a flat tyre.

Cars with full-size spares are becoming something of a rarity as SUVs shrink even smaller in size, and factors like weight, production costs and fuel usage become increasingly front-of-mind for manufacturers.

Managing to squeeze a full-size spare under the floor while retaining ample boot space and an affordable pricepoint is an art form.

The benefit, of course, is that a full-size spare can keep you on the road indefinitely, without the need for a visit to a mechanic or service centre.

Meanwhile, space-saver and temporary-use spares, or run-flat tyres, usually have speed and distance limits, and are often really only designed to get you to the mechanic.

Meanwhile, repair and puncture kits typically work best on smaller punctures and require a bit more know-how to use.

To help you make an informed decision, we’ve rounded up every car available in Australia to see which models are the wheel deal.

NOTE: All wheel or tyre types listed are standard from the base grade and included across all body/engine types on a model unless otherwise stated. N/A denotes that a model receives no wheel or tyre equipment as standard from the base model.