The subcompact crossover and SUV segment has 19 entries, 32 if you include luxury models. This big segment of small vehicles is all about affordability and practicality, with a little utility and adventure sprinkled on top. Many of the cars these crossovers are based on have gone extinct, making the liftgate the new trunk.
It’s reasonably easy to visualize a cubic foot, the unit by which cargo volume is measured across all segments. But when the Kia Soul advertises 62 cubic feet of cargo volume, you might be saying to yourself, “Ah yes, 62. That is . . . a number.” That’s where our carry-on suitcase measurement comes in handy. People don’t put cubic feet in their crossover, they put luggage, groceries, furniture, a bike, the dog, and, in some extreme situations, children. (Don’t do that, people.) It’s easier to illustrate these cargo spaces with a roller bag, which is roughly 3.5 cubic feet.
We rank each vehicle by how many of those carry-on bags they can hold with all seats folded. We’ve also included the total cargo volume in cubic feet with the rear seats folded and in use. We’ve used the rear cargo area with the seats in use as the tiebreaker because every vehicle on this list holds at least 18 carry-ons. Click through for the results (and to see where larger crossovers rank, click here):
More New SUVs Ranked from Worst to Best:
Compact | Mid-Size | Full-Size | 3-Row
12. Ford EcoSport – 18
The Ford EcoSport is a wee lad. It’s a foot shorter in length than the recently discontinued Fiesta. We fit 18 carry-on suitcases behind the front seats, and its the only tiny traveler in the segment with a left-hinged rear door that opens to the side rather than upward. Interesting note: the EcoSports’s glovebox has a vent inside that blows air into the space from the air conditioner.
- Base price: $21,240
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 18 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 50 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 20 cubic feet
MORE ECOSPORT SPECS
11. Chevrolet Trax – 19
The Chevrolet Trax can fit more luggage than bigger crossovers like the Cadillac XT4. Its 60/40 split-folding rear seats and front passenger seat fold flat. This gives the Trax a leg up on the Ford EcoSport, Nissan Rogue Sport, and other vehicles with more rear cargo space. Maybe it’s not the sharpest tool in the segment, but it’s good at prioritizing space for those that need the extra wiggle room in a small package.
- Base price: $22,595
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 19 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 48 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 18 cubic feet
MORE TRAX SPECS
10. Kia Niro EV – 19
We were able to shove 19 carry-on suitcases in the Kia Niro EV, one more than the hybrid Niro, and two more than the PHEV model. Thank the lower floor that allows more space between the folded seats and the roof. The electric Niro only gets an EPA-estimated 239 miles on a single charge, so don’t forget to pack your charging cord.
- Base price: $40,265
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 19 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 53 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 18 cubic feet
MORE NIRO EV SPECS
9. Subaru Crosstrek – 19
The Subaru Crosstrek caters to the adventurous with a durable interior, standard all-wheel drive, nearly nine inches of ground clearance, and space inside for a team of Laberdoodles. It’s also one of only five crossovers and SUVs still sold with a manual transmission. We put 19 carry-on suitcases in the Crosstrek despite its 60/40 split-folding rear seats being unable to create a completely flat load floor. The Crosstrek Hybrid has a slightly higher cargo floor to accommodate its battery pack, but we were still able to fit 17 carry-ons for that model.
- Base price: $23,295
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 19 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 55 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 20 cubic feet
MORE CROSSTREK SPECS
8. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport – 19
The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is refreshed for this year, but the biggest of its updates are skin deep. Inside, the Outlander Sport can fit 19 carry-ons with its 60/40 split-folding rear seats set flat. The Outlander Sport also benefits from having a deep center console, but lacks door pockets for rear seat passengers.
- Base price: $22,090
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 19 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 49 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 21 cubic feet
MORE OUTLANDER SPORT SPECS
7. Nissan Kicks – 19
The Kicks is another model here wearing new shoes for 2021. Nissan’s smallest crossover, and the second-cheapest option on the list, can carry 19 carry-ons, but has more cargo space behind the rear seats than Outlander Sport, Niro, Crosstrek, and Trax. Front passengers benefit from large door pockets and a big glovebox.
- Base price: $20,650
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 19 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 32 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 25 cubic feet
MORE KICKS SPECS
6. Chevrolet Trailblazer – 19
The Trailblazer sits a step above the subcompact Chevrolet Trax. It has five extra cubic feet of interior space, a lower starting price, and can accommodate longer items thanks to fold-flat seats. Like the Trax, the Trailblazer’s front-passenger seat can also fold forward. There’s 54 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded, which is more than every vehicle on this list except the Kia Soul, Kia Seltos, and Honda HR-V.
- Base price: $20,195
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 19 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 54 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 25 cubic feet
MORE TRAILBLAZER SPECS
5. Buick Encore – 20
Buick doesn’t make cars anymore. Gone are the days of Regal and Lacrosse. It’s all crossovers and SUVs now. The Buick Encore is the smallest in that lineup, and it’s the cheapest luxury vehicle sold in the U.S. Depending on how generous your definition of luxury is. We fit 20 carry-on bags in the Encore, but with the rear seats in use, storage space is about average, and choices like the Kia Soul or Chevrolet Trailblazer offer more room for rear cargo.
- Base price: $24,395
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 20 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 48 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 18 cubic feet
MORE ENCORE SPECS
4. Kia Soul – 20
The Kia Soul‘s body is proportioned like an ice-cold tall boy. But that tall stature gives it the most cargo volume in the segment, with 62 cubic feet of available space. The Soul also has the lowest base price on the list. We fit 20 carry-ons, which is only two short of what we were able to fit in the larger Sportage. It doesn’t have quite as much room behind the rear seats as the Seltos, but its starting price is $4400 lower.
- Base price: $18,765
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 20 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 62 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 24 cubic feet
MORE SOUL SPECS
3. Kia Seltos – 20
Maybe the best way to describe the Kia Seltos is to call it a bigger Kia Soul with available all-wheel drive. It matches the Soul for maximum carry-on stuffage and cargo volume, but it has a slight advantage in terms of rear cargo space when the rear seats are in use. There’s also an adjustable two-tier cargo floor that turns the back of the Seltos into a small pit to prevent groceries and other cargo from rolling around. The Seltos is one of the best crossovers sold today, so even if you have to make a second trip to the store its not all bad news.
- Base price: $23,165
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 20 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 62 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 26 cubic feet
MORE SELTOS SPECS
2. Jeep Renegade – 21
The Jeep Renegade knows how to party. Before we filled it with 21 carry-on suitcases, designers at Jeep stuffed the brand’s smallest four-wheel driver with a bunch of hidden Easter Eggs. That began a trend that has caught on across several Stellantis models, including the Ram 1500 TRX and Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and into competitors’ models like the Ford Bronco and GMC Hummer EV. The Renegade might be second place on this list, but it has got the most personality inside and out.
- Base price: $24,345
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 21 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 50 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 18 cubic feet
MORE RENEGADE SPECS
1. Honda HR-V – 23
Remember Mr. Opportunity from Honda commercials in the late 2000s? The Honda HR-V is Mr. Practicality. We fit as many carry-ons in the HR-V as we did in larger vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. And it beat Infiniti QX50, Toyota RAV4, and the new three-row Mitsubishi Outlander by at least one suitcase. The Honda’s rear seats set flat to the HR-Vs low load floor. The bottom cushion of the rear seat can also be flipped, creating an even deeper area between the front and rear seatbacks. Honda calls this its Magic Seat. What, you thought the same company that built the Fit wouldn’t be at the top of this list? A redesigned HR-V is coming at the end of this year, with larger proportions and a hybrid powertrain that’s been announced for Europe.
- Base price: $22,395
- Carry-on capacity, rear seats folded: 23 suitcases
- Cargo volume, rear seats folded: 58 cubic feet
- Cargo volume, behind rearmost row of seats: 24 cubic feet
MORE HR-V SPECS
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