My wife and I plan on buying a new 2018 Honda Fit. We want the safety features that are available on the 2018 model. My only problem might be the spare tire size. I want the spare to be 16" and have a tire the same size the car is sitting on. Can someone please tell me if Honda increased the spare tire size for the 2018 models? I sure hope they did. Thanks much for your help.

 

There was no information to that effect in the extensive press release, and I'd be surprised if they changed what the Fit has now.

 

The spare is a donut and not a full size spare. If any changes, I'd expect them to NOT include a spare. A lot of manufacturers are doing that these days and just giving you a patch and inflate kit.

 

This! Consider yourself lucky you even GET a spare tire at all these days.

 

Yup. The 2018 was just a mid term makeover with no major changes so the spare should still be there and in the previously existing size. The complete redesign, maybe in 2020 or 2021 will be the real opportunity to toss the spare out and redesign that space to serve some other function since everything is on the table for change. Assuming of course that they want to do that and I'm guessing they might since as 2Rismo2 says a lot of manufacturers are getting rid of the spares.

bountybuddy, if you don't like the size of the spare you can always buy a replacement yourself, checking first to make sure that a larger replacement will fit into the existing space.

 

i don't think a full sized spare will even fit under the trunk floor without raising it up.

 

Haven't tried it with my Fit yet, but it was possible with previous cars I've owned....just lost the factory ability to store the jack and crap asi ntended. Easy enough to find out, just jack the car, remove a tire, remove the spare , and try to fit it in the spare area....might fit, depending on the size of one's wheel/tire, but again, you'll lose the factory jack storage and likely lose support under the rear cargo area, as flimsy as it my already be from the factory

 

In over 35 years of driving, I've used a donut 1 time for 4 miles and a full sized spare in my '86 Civic SI for about 30 miles. I never had a flat on my 210K van or the most recent vehicles. I personally would not put a lot of thought into the spare tire size as a major criteria in vehicle selection, although it would always be nice to have matching size and consume zero pounds or space.

 

I don't know.
But I hope that parameter in regards to a spare tire isn't a deal breaker. Because that just isn't the direction the whole industry is moving in.
Especially with a sub-compact, with a primary benefit being fuel efficiency, I think we're kind of lucky we even get a donut sized spare tire.
A lot of vehicles are now coming with flat kits.

I'd be very, very surprised if Honda suddenly put a full sized spare in The Honda Fit.

 

Personally, I can't see any need for a full size tire unless you think you're going to do a five tire, tire rotation? That today would be very uncommon and probably not feasible even if any car had a full size spare? Most tires today are directional and many asymmetrical. Therefore most rotations are just going to be front to rear. Besides, tire technology has increased or at least on the types of tires I'll drive on. I haven't had a flat in over 20 years., but I also replace before they get down to the wear indicators. Closest I've come to a flat was I had a slow leak. Looked at the tire and it had a roofing nail in it. That was right after my house was re-shingled. Was able to drive it to the tire store without issue.

 

Well, you're luckier than me. I seem to average around a flat every 12-18 months. Lots of trash and construction debris seems to end up on the roads around here.

 

yah really. i usually get a puncture once a year or two. nothing out of the ordinary and it is 99% the rear tire that gets the puncture from the front tire kicking it up.

usually i can sense the tire loosing air and can pull over and add air before needing to do a donut swap. i have a collection of stuff that punctured my tires... from screws to nails to ocean container door lock pin to metal brackets to cuticle scissors.. yah wtf right?

 

^ you must drive in some shitty areas lol. Ive only had 2 punctures in 10 years of driving

 

I somehow caught the head of a railroad spike (!) in the tire of my Fit last year ... I usually get a flat every four years or so.

 

Not necessarily the case. I'm in NOVA and there is constantly construction going on around here. I had 2 punctures in one year. One was able to be patched, the other I had to replace the entire tire on a different vehicle.

On the Fit, I've had to replace a factory Firestone when a pothole deflated it. It tore the sidewall and I limped it home as I wasn't very far. I've since replaced all 4 with 205/50/16 and am hoping the extra tire width will help.

I guess I'm old school and still do a cross pattern on the Fit. That's what I was taught and that's what I do still. I don't have fancy tires though, as the Fit is my commuter.

 

Your tires aren't directional? Very few aren't anymore.

 

The info I have says no and I haven't seen a directional arrow.

 

a full-sized spare fits under there, it just doesn't leave the back completely flat...

 

I get a slow leaking puncture every couple of years, but nothing catastrophic, like a full on flat or blowout. I would pump it up as necessary until I could get to the tire store, and either get it fixed or replaced - I have no problem paying a few bucks xtra for the road hazard warranty. And I've only had one car over the decades where the full sized wheel/tire would fit in the well and have the cover sit flush......I have always hated the donuts, but.....tires sure seem to be a lot more reliable anymore, and I don't mind it as much as I'd mind having the fix-a-flat/pump deal.....although I always have a pump in the car....heh

 

so true!!

plus, if u have a full sized spare, the Fit' trunk is too shallow and the floor would be lifted..