How expensive is the flat tire charge, if you have no spare?

Just don’t buy vehicles that don’t have a spare. That solves your personal dilemma, AND, if it catches on, the majority of potential customers eschew vehicles without spares, this “trend” would undoubtedly cease.

 

There’s no “free lunch”, but retrofitting a spare is a frustrating and expensive chore, often done belatedly and in a way that compromises interior space and/or safety. A properly designed, factory installed spare is the way to go.

IF nobody buys cars without such spares, they will be reinstated, VERY fast. Research and education is key: you hear so many stories here, someone buys a car, gets a flat, and it’s “guess what I discovered” time.

 

Spare removal is likely being done after that other weight trimming.
Or it is to game fuel economy rules and testing.
Or to counter the weight added by high margin features people are asking for.

 

Gen 4 saw lower levels with a spare, and top levels without, adds credence to that. Mighta been Toyota trying to stay within some weight range, safety/practicality be damned.

I do wonder about "high margin features people are asking for": is it more a case of "features the manufacturers are telling customer they must have"? Many of them either mandated, or in some cases, nearly pure cost-cutting?

When it comes to making room for spares, I don't see them "trying hard", more "this'll do". This is a good example, the placement of the inverter for 4th gen with AWD.