Things I'd like to improve on my Skoda:

[wfdTamar]

I wouldn't mind if they could work out a (neat and clean) way to get at the spare wheel from underneath rather than having to unload everything.

[k_rider]

+1

Even worse if you have the heavy rubber boot mat fitted, which has to be lifted out, it's too stiff to roll up out of the way.

The spare is a bitch to lift out too, given that it sits quite low in the car - not at all good for your back.

One of the best systems I've seen was on a Peugeot 504 which had the spare wheel sitting in a cradle under the boot . It had a release handle inside the boot, which when pulled, allowed the cradle to drop down and the spare slide out toward the rear. Getting the wheel back into it however, was a different story! The only way to swing the wheel and cradle back and locked into position was to lift it back up with the jack! Still way better than having to unload everything to get the spare out and then re-load afterwards.

[Mysticality]

My Kia Sorento had the same system as most utes.
You pop a plastic cover and use the tyre iron to wind the spare down under the car onto the ground. Then you unclip the chain and take the spare out.
Pop the centre cap, clip the chain back in and wind it back up to store the spare back up under the car.

Once I actually worked out the system, it was amazingly easy! Even when stressed and yelling expletivs at inanimate objects!

[wfdTamar]

+1

Even worse if you have the heavy rubber boot mat fitted, which has to be lifted out, it's too stiff to roll up out of the way.

[snip]

One of the best systems I've seen was on a Peugeot 504 which had the spare wheel sitting in a cradle under the boot. [snip] The only way to swing the wheel and cradle back and locked into position was to lift it back up with the jack! [snip]

Don't tell us - the jack was at the bottom of the boot?

I have the rubber mat (one of their better accessories) and the carpet version (which is a bug*er to get out because there is nowhere to grab hold of it).

[k_rider]

Don't tell us - the jack was at the bottom of the boot?

No, the jack and handle/wheelbrace were actually stored in the engine bay! Clipped onto the back of one of the strut towers. Now that was "simply clever"!!