There is no substitute for cargo space. Well, unless it’s even more cargo space. Families, commercial travelers, couples, and singles with elaborate hobbies need a large trunk volume. But it doesn’t have to be a van or a bus.

Nor does it have to be an SUV. They are heavy and tall, which affects fuel consumption and agility. That leaves the station wagon. The only drawback is that station wagons need more length than vans to offer the same amount of space. An important factor when looking for a parking space.

Benefits of large station wagons

In the following, we will take a quick look at some of the advantages of the station wagons:

Large trunk volume, often low loading edge
Good rear-seat space
Lower profile, improved aerodynamics compared to vans or SUVs
Comparatively low weight, lower center of gravity
More agile than vans or SUVs of similar size
More economical than SUVs or vans of similar size

Because it is not a special achievement to get a lot of trunk volume over the length of the vehicle, we do not simply crown the one with the largest trunk volume as the “largest station wagon” in our top 7 largest station wagons. Instead, we’ve chosen the one with the best liter-per-meter ratio.

1. Kia Ceed SW

Our second compact station wagon in this top 7 list comes from Korea. Measuring 4.60 meters in length and with a trunk capacity of just under 1,700 liters (1,694 liters), the Kia Ceed SW achieves a ratio of 2.715, beating the E-Class by a narrow margin. At 2.779, its Hyundai sister model achieves a significantly higher value. Although it only measures 4.59 meters, it loads 1,650 liters according to the standard. Similar values are achieved by the Peugeot 308 SW (1,660 liters, 2.762).

The recommendation is, therefore, a bit fuzzy in the end. Accordingly, Peugeot’s 308 SW even comes in at 430 liters, and the VW Golf Variant is still at 420 liters. The norm does not always reflect reality. Still, one of the largest station wagons is the Kia Ceed SW.

And you can still recommend the large station wagon. It has a well-balanced ride, good workmanship, robust materials, up-to-date assistance technology and a modern infotainment system. It is also available as a plug-in hybrid – a rarity in the compact class, especially among large station wagons. At a base price of 17,690 euros, it also costs less than some of its competitors.

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