5 cars with more trunk space than a small SUV
Are you one of those increasingly rare consumers who prefer a car to an SUV or van? There may be many reasons, such as driving pleasure, roadholding and fuel economy, not to mention a generally more affordable price.
Convenience is not always sacrificed. Surprisingly, some cars - specifically hatchbacks - have larger trunks than the small SUVs they're related to. Examples from the used car market? Here they are...
Honda Civic
Honda has a knack for optimizing space on board its vehicles, and the Civic hatchback is a good example. The previous generation (2017-2021) was one of the most spacious compacts on the market and could carry up to 728 liters of luggage in its trunk, compared to just 657 liters in the HR-V. The same is true of the current generation, which boasts a load capacity of 693 liters versus 691 for the new HR-V.
Mazda3 Sport
Mazda launched the CX-3 in 2016 for those who wanted something smaller than a CX-5 but still with the option of all-wheel drive. The fact is, this pseudo-utility turns out to be less practical than the Mazda3 Sport, with a trunk of just 452 liters versus 569 or 572 liters for the compact hatchback depending on the year.
Hyundai Elantra GT
Discontinued at the end of 2020, the Elantra GT was an interesting compact not only in terms of driving dynamics, but also in terms of space. Its trunk accommodated 705 liters, well above the 544-liter capacity of the first-generation Kona. The latter could, however, make up for this with its optional all-wheel drive.
Kia Forte5
Let's say you like Kia and you're happy with two-wheel drive. Niro or Forte5? The latter impresses with a vast 741-liter trunk compared with 635 liters for the former. That's quite a bit more space than some sub-compact SUVs... but not the Kia Seltos, which can carry a tad more gear (752 liters).
Subaru Impreza
At Subaru, the Crosstrek has long outstripped the Impreza in terms of sales, especially in Quebec. However, the new 2024 model has a slightly smaller trunk than its sister, also renewed. In the case of the previous generation, the two are on an equal footing, with a volume of 588 liters.
Other examples, again among pre-owned models? Volkswagen's Golf Sportwagen does better than the original Tiguan (861 liters vs. 674). At Ford, it's the same story with the Focus hatchback compared to the EcoSport (674 liters vs. 592).
Keep that in mind!
