My X-Trail has a liftgate and interior spare, and my old Sidekick of course had a right-side hinged, swing-out door with exterior spare. I don't think either design is perfect, but I kind of prefer the Suzuki design. You can change a tire without hauling your cargo out and leaving it on the road. If your arms are full, you can close the door with your knee, hip or butt. If the door swings out instead of up, it doesn't interfere with the canoe, kayak or ladder on the roof rack. The hinges on the right seem to bug some people, but they keep the door open even when the road has a high crown. IMO, the worst arrangement is the spare that hangs under the vehicle on the outside where it's hard to retrieve, even before it seizes up in the salt and sand, or falls off because the supports rust away.
