Cars with the Most Cargo Capacity You Can Buy in the United States (As of 2024)

Which vehicles in production today have the biggest trunks of them all, and which vehicles offer the best cargo capacity behind the front-row seats? Be that as it may, large automobiles don’t necessarily equal cavernous trunks. There will always be surprises out there, offering a whole lot of trunk space for large and lengthy items where one would normally expect an average-sized trunk.

While searching for convertibles, hatchbacks, sedans, wagons, minivans, crossovers, and SUVs with the most cargo space as of 2024, we omitted pickup trucks and cargo vans for obvious reasons. What’s more, pickups and panel vans are more about max payload rather than cargo capacity.

In their respective segments, the following 10 vehicles are the most practical of the bunch. Let's begin with the ragtop that replaces both the C- and E-Class Convertible in Mercedes' US lineup.

Convertible car: Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet (13.5 cubic feet or 382 liters)

Revealed with much pomp in July 2023, the CLE Coupe was joined by the CLE Cabriolet in February 2024. Although the C in CLE implies a relatively compact vehicle, this convertible is almost identical in size to the outgoing E-Class Convertible.

13.5 cubic feet (382 liters) is nothing to write home about, yet much better than the 7.5 cubic feet (212 liters) of the AMG SL. The AMG division's fabric-top roadster can be furthered with an adjustable trunk ceiling, which improves trunk space to 8.5 cubic feet (241 liters). For reference, the Mazda MX-5 Miata makes do with 4.59 (130) for the soft top or 4.48 (127) for the retractable fastback.

Not yet available to order, the CLE Convertible should receive the very same powerplants as the CLE Coupe. Think 2.0-liter turbo I4 for the 300, a turbocharged I6 with 3.0 liters of displacement for the 450, and an AMG-enhanced sixer for the 53 series. The go-faster CLE 53 uses the AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G transmission rather than the 9G-TRONIC of the CLE 450 and CLE 300.

Subcompact car: Mitsubishi Mirage (17.1 and 47.0 cubic feet or 484 and 1,331 liters)

An econobox that will be discontinued in late 2025, the Mirage comes in either five-door hatchback or four-door sedan flavors. It goes without saying that the former is much superior to the latter in terms of cargo space. Dubbed Mirage G4, the sedan is – curiously enough – pricier than the hatchback.

The MSRPs are $17,795 and $16,695 at the moment of reporting. The entry-level specification is called ES CVT, and there's quite a bit of standard kit to speak of, beginning with automatic climate control. Highlights further include a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a forward collision mitigation system with pedestrian detection, a front USB port, and phone/audio controls on the steering wheel.

Rolling on 14-inch wheels, the Japanese model is exclusively front-wheel drive. Powered by a three-cylinder engine, Mirage develops a somewhat disappointing 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet (100 Nm) at 4,000 revolutions per minute. Looking at the glass half full, Mirage is the lightest car on this list, weighing 2,084 pounds (945 kilograms).

Compact car: Honda Civic Hatchback (24.5 cubic feet or 694 liters behind the rear seats)

As opposed to 20.4 and 56.0 cubic feet, respectively, for the hatchback-only Subaru Impreza, the Honda Civic Hatchback offers more cargo space behind the rear seat. American Honda Motor Co. quotes 24.5 cubic feet, but for some reason or another, the 2024 model's total cargo capacity is listed on Honda's website as TBD.

Even so, besting the Impreza's trunk space by 4.1 cubic feet suggests that Civic Hatchback offers more overall cargo volume than its rival. The Civic Type R is rocking 24.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat as well, making it way more practical than the 17.8 cubic feet of the Toyota GR Corolla.

On the flip side, Toyota charges $36,500 for the all-wheel-drive and hatchback with 300 ponies from a three-pot turbo as opposed to $44,795 for the front-wheel-drive Civic Type R with 315 horsepower from a four-cylinder turbo. The regular Corolla Hatchback and Civic Hatchback, by comparison, are $23,505 and $24,950 for model year 2024.

Mid-size car: Subaru Outback (32.6 and 75.6 cubic feet or 923 and 2,141 liters)

Still marketed as being a sport utility vehicle rather than a longroof with more ground clearance than regular wagons, the Outback is joined at the hip to the Legacy sedan. A tremendously spacious vehicle, Outback matches the Ascent in regard to maximum cargo space behind the front seats. The three-row Ascent, however, promises a few more cubic feet with the third row folded flat into the floor.

Outback was the best-selling Scooby in the United States in 2023, moving 161,814 units compared to 159,193 for the Crosstrek and 152,566 for the Forester. Prices for both the 2024 and 2025 models start at $28,895 excluding delivery or $30,290 with the $1,395 destination charge. Prospective customers who want the 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer have to spend at least $39,360/$40,755 for the well-equipped Onyx Edition XT trim level.

If fuel economy isn't that big of a concern, the one to have is the Wilderness. In addition to more ground clearance (9.5 inches compared to 8.7 inches), the Wilderness also features a 180-degree front view monitor, Yokohama GEOLANDAR all-terrain tires, and dual-function X-MODE.

Full-size car: Tesla Model S (25.0 and 64.6 cubic feet or 708 and 1,829 liters)

Although spacious in its own right, the biggest problem of the Lucid Air is the traditional-style trunk opening. The biggest rival of the Model S went for said trunk due to increased rigidity. Over at Tesla, the automaker's largest sedan is a five-door liftback with up to 64.6 cubic feet to its name.

The Model S for the US market comes in either Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive or Tri Motor All-Wheel Drive specifications. Better known as Plaid, the latter is a quarter-mile thriller. 9.23 seconds at 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour) from the factory is hugely impressive, and so is the maximum range of 359 miles (578 kilometers).

The lesser grade isn't exactly a slouch, for it needs 3.1 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) and nets an EPA-rated 402 miles (647 kilometers) of driving range. Tesla currently wants $74,990 from the outset for the dual-motor setup or at least $89,990 for the Plaid.

Minivan: Honda Odyssey (38.6, 92.3, and 158 cubic feet or 1,093, 2,614, and 4,474 liters)

Despite selling 74,738 examples in 2023 compared to 120,554 for the segment-leading Chrysler Pacifica, the Honda Odyssey is roomier. 38.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 92.3 behind the second, and 158 max, making the Odyssey the roomiest minivan in series production as of April 2024.

Five trim levels are available for model year 2024, starting with the $38,240 EX and topping with the $50,370 Elite. The most spartan grade of them all is anything but spartan, but you're better off getting the EX-L at $41,310 sans destination charge.

From the leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel to the power tailgate and one-touch power moonroof, the EX-L makes a world of difference over the EX for merely $3,070 more. Regardless of trim level, Odyssey is a front-wheel-drive affair with a 10-speed automatic and a naturally aspirated V6 with VTEC on the intake valves exclusively.

Subcompact SUV: Volkswagen Taos (27.9 and 65.9 cubic feet or 790 and 1,866 liters)

Technically a subcompact by American standards, the Taos is closer to compacts in wheelbase. At 105.9 inches (2,690 millimeters), the Taos plays second fiddle to the 108.5 inches (2,755 millimeters) of the roomiest crossover in the compact segment. But more on that fellow later.

Closely related to the Skoda Karoq and SEAT Ateca for Europe, as well as the Jetta VS5 for China, the Taos rides on the Volkswagen Group's ubiquitous MQB platform for transverse-engined vehicles. Produced by Volkswagen de Mexico in Puebla, the smallest Volkswagen-branded crossover in the US market starts at $23,995 compared to $28,880 for the three-row Tiguan (a.k.a. Allspace in Europe).

From the entry-level S to the range-topping SEL, prospective customers are presented with a 1.5-liter turbo connected to either a torque-converter auto or a seven-speed DSG. The dual-clutch box is a must if you tick 4MOTION off the options list.

Compact SUV: Hyundai Tucson (41.2 and 80.3 cubic feet or 1,167 and 2,274 liters)

Once a humble crossover that could barely pose a threat to the heavy-hitting Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, the Hyundai Tucson is the South Korean brand's most popular vehicle in this part of the world. Hyundai reported 209,624 deliveries in 2023 and 46,170 in the first quarter of 2024.

Named after the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, the Tucson received a plethora of updates for model year 2025, including a column-mounted gear selector toggle instead of buttons on the center console. Not much has changed under the hood, though, where you'll find either a 2.5-liter I4 or a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder for the hybrid and the more powerful plug-in hybrid.

Shown in US specification at the 2024 New York International Auto Show, the Tucson still doesn't pose a threat to the RAV4 and CR-V. The compact segment's best-selling crossovers moved 434,943 and 361,457 units, respectively, in 2023.

Mid-size SUV: Chevrolet Traverse (22.90, 56.60, and 97.60 cubic feet or 648, 1,603, and 2,764 liters)

Produced at Lansing Delta Township Assembly together with the all-new Buick Enclave, the Chevrolet Traverse is rocking a Tahoe-like front end. The front-biased crossover utility vehicle comes with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-pot derived from the 2.7-liter in the Silverado 1500 and mid-size Colorado, with GM's regular production order codes for these engines being L3B and LK0.

The LK0 is advertised with 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet (442 Nm) at full chatter, with maximum torque delivered at 3,500 revolutions per minute. Similar to the L3B-equipped Silverado 1500 and Colorado, the only transmission available is an eight-speed unit. It's not the same tranny, though, but a 9TXX with one less gear as opposed to the Hydra-Matic 8L80 for the body-on-frame trucks.

Considered a mid-size crossover despite having a Tahoe-matching wheelbase, the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse seats up to eight. Prices kick off at $38,995 with front-wheel drive, including destination charge, whereas the LS AWD can be yours for $40,995. The Z71, which has a twin-clutch AWD system, costs $47,795 at the moment of writing.

Full-size SUV: Chevrolet Suburban (up to 144.7 cubic feet or 4,097 liters)

Despite being more compact than internal combustion full-size SUVs, the Rivian R1S can fit a third row and up to 104.7 cubic feet (2,965 liters) of whatnots. The old guard can do much better, though, with the Chevrolet Suburban and technically similar GMC Yukon XL boasting up to 144.7 cubic feet or 4,097 liters of cargo space.

GM's truck-based sport utility vehicles also have a huge advantage over direct competitors, that advantage being an optional turbo diesel inline-six engine. Dubbed LZ0, the successor to the LM2 is a Duramax-branded workhorse with 10 percent more power and 7.6 percent more torque than its predecessor. Torque matters a lot more in this application, and 495 pound-feet (671 Nm) is better than the top V8's 460 pound-feet (623 Nm).

Revealed in November 2023, the 2025 model year Suburban and Tahoe will reach dealers nationwide in late 2024. Max towing capacities range from 8,200 pounds (3,719 kilograms) for the Suburban to 8,400 (3,810) for the slightly smaller Tahoe.