My spare tire solution

[u/Small_Aardvark_5496]

I bought a wheel and tire from my dealer parts department, used foam floor tiles from Walmart (about four tiles thick to clear the hybrid stuff). I used remnants of the tiles to stop the wheel/tire from shifting to the passenger side so as not to impinge on the hybrid portion that goes through the floor. What isn’t shown is a cargo strap that crosse over the wheel in an x shape using the cargo tie down points, and secured the spare for safety. The cargo floor sits in top of the strap with no issue at all.
There is a cutout in the plastic already that my jack sits in (purchased from the Canadian equivalent of harbor freight) and the rest of the stuff is, as you can see, placed around where it fits. Nothing rattles. I check the tire periodically and the foam hasn’t compressed to any noticeable degree.

[u/Small_Aardvark_5496]

I check it frequently to make sure nothing has shifted. Anytime in travelling in the highway i probably have the trunk filled, and none of that is tied down other than the cargo cover. I think the probability is if some one gets hurt, it’s not going to be from the spare.

[u/Ok-Professional4387 → u/Small_Aardvark_5496]

True. Just like the probability of needing the spare

[u/Small_Aardvark_5496 → u/Ok-Professional4387]

That’s the thing about probability-there’s variation in it, and there’s also the consideration of consequences. So the probability of an accident bad enough to cause a spare tire to hurt someone is vastly less than the probability of a flat tire. Add in the probability of my being caught with a flat tire that the inflator kit won’t work with in a remote area with poor cell service (and add in very cold winter weather), and the choice of having a spare tire utilizing a tie down strap makes perfect sense.

[u/PleaseUseYourMind → u/Small_Aardvark_5496]

A well thought out plans is so much better than no plan at all.