A flat tire rarely gives fair warning, and most drivers don't think about their spare until it's the only thing standing between them and the side of the road. A new Extreme Terrain survey of 1,005 U.S. car owners set out to measure exactly how ready American drivers are for that moment, from whether they know what kind of spare is sitting in their trunk to whether they'd trust themselves to swap it out.
The survey found gaps at nearly every stage of flat tire readiness, including drivers who aren't sure their vehicle has a spare at all and drivers who trust roadside assistance more than their own two hands. It also turned up sharp differences by brand, gender and generation, findings that are especially relevant for truck and Jeep owners, who are more likely to face a flat somewhere far from the nearest service station.
Key Takeaways
- Around 39% of drivers would be stranded without roadside assistance if they got a flat today.
- Subaru owners are the least likely drivers to know how to change a flat tire, with just 24% saying they could do it themselves, while Chevrolet owners are the most likely at 43%.
- About 1 in 10 drivers don't know if their vehicle has a spare tire.
- Only 29% of drivers feel "very prepared" for a flat on a road trip.
- About 61% of drivers say they know how to change a tire, but 44% have never personally changed one.
Do Drivers Know What's in Their Trunk?
Many drivers believe they'd be ready for a flat tire because there's a spare in the trunk, but the data suggests that the spare is often untested, mismatched, or something they haven't checked in years.
Many Spares Don't Match the Tires They're Meant to Replace
- About 26% of drivers say their spare tire doesn't match the size of the tires currently on their vehicle, and another 20% aren't sure, meaning nearly half of drivers don't have a confirmed matching spare.
- Among drivers who upgraded to larger tires, 41% say their spare no longer matches their current tire size, compared with 30% of drivers who kept their original tire size.
Checking Habits Vary Widely by Gender and Brand
- Nissan owners are the most likely of any major brand to say their vehicle has no backup tire at all (13%), while just 2% of Honda owners report the same.
- About 35% of Nissan owners have never checked their spare tire (more than any other major brand), while Ford owners are the most consistent checkers, with just 20% saying they've never looked.
- One-third of female drivers (31%) don't know how to change a flat tire at all, compared with 7% of male drivers.
- More than a third of female drivers (34%) have never checked their spare tire, compared with 19% of male drivers.
- Gen X drivers are the most likely to say they could change a flat tire on their own, at 47%, followed by baby boomers (37%), millennials (33%) and Gen Z (23%).
The Brand With the Most Self-Reliant Drivers (And Who Reaches for the Phone Instead)
Self-reliance on the road turns out to depend heavily on what's parked in the driveway, with some brands' owners reaching for a jack and others reaching straight for the phone.
Confidence Behind the Jack Depends on the Brand in the Driveway
- Chevrolet owners are the most confident in changing a flat on their own (43%), followed by Ford at 41%, while Subaru owners are the least confident (24%), followed by Nissan at 25%. This marks a 19-point gap between the highest and lowest brand.
- Ford drivers report the highest confidence across every step of a tire change, with 31% saying they feel confident doing every step, 10 points above the overall rate of 21%.
When Drivers Would Rather Call for Help
- Subaru, Hyundai, and Nissan owners are the most likely to give up entirely. 23% to 24% of each brand says they wouldn't attempt to change a tire themselves, compared with 19% overall.
- Nissan owners are the most likely of any major brand to call roadside assistance first (41%), while just 22% of Jeep owners say the same, the lowest of any major brand.
- Jeep drivers are the most likely to call a partner or spouse first (41%), nearly double the overall rate of 22%. At 6%, they are also the most likely to worry about driving on a temporary spare. This is twice the overall rate of 3%, a pattern that tracks with off-road use.
- About 59% of Subaru owners and 53% of Nissan owners have never personally changed a flat tire, compared with 39% of Chevrolet owners and 40% of Ford owners.
Confidence vs. Capability on the Side of the Road
Drivers often assume that knowing how to change a tire means feeling prepared for one, but the survey suggests confidence and readiness don't move together as much as expected.
Confidence and Preparedness Don't Always Match
- Among drivers who say they could change a tire on their own, 62% feel "very prepared" for a road trip, compared with just 6% of drivers who don't know how, showing how far confidence and preparedness can drift apart.
- About 65% of male drivers say they could change a flat on their own, compared with 15% of female drivers.
- About 44% of female drivers feel "not at all" prepared for a flat in a remote area, compared with 17% of male drivers.
Jeep Owners Feel the Most Ready for Whatever the Road Throws at Them
- Jeep owners feel the most prepared for a flat across every scenario, at 44% for a commute, 41% for a road trip, and 34% for a remote area, while Nissan owners feel the least prepared, at 20%, 24%, and 11% for the same scenarios.
- About 29% of Subaru owners say they don't know how to change a flat at all, more than any other major brand. They’re followed by Hyundai at 24% and Nissan at 22%.
Methodology
We surveyed 1,005 U.S. car owners to understand how prepared American drivers are for one of the most common roadside emergencies. The survey examined whether drivers know what type of backup tire their vehicle has, how recently they have checked it, whether they could actually change a flat themselves, whom they would call for help, and how prepared they feel for a flat during a daily commute, a road trip, or a remote or off-road outing.
The average age of respondents was 43. The gender breakdown was 57% women, 42% men, and 1% nonbinary or not listed. Millennials made up the largest share of respondents (51%), followed by Gen X (28%), baby boomers (11%), and Gen Z (10%). Most respondents mostly use their vehicle for commuting (78%), while 16% use it for a mix of purposes, and 5% take frequent road trips. The most common vehicle brands owned were Toyota (18%), Honda (14%), Ford (11%), Nissan (8%), Chevrolet (8%), Hyundai (6%), Kia (4%), Subaru (4%), and Jeep (3%).
The survey was conducted online in June 2026.
About Extreme Terrain
Extreme Terrain is a premier retailer specializing in Jeep parts and accessories for trail-ready builds. From daily drivers to weekend rigs, Extreme Terrain offers wheels and tires for 4x4 vehicles built to handle rough terrain, mud, rocks, and everything in between.
Fair Use Statement
The data in this article is available for noncommercial reuse. If you reference this study, please link back to this page so readers can view the complete results and Extreme Terrain and its survey respondents receive proper credit.
