The loading volume in liters is usually the first criterion when looking for family cars with large trunks. Mainly if there is also a need for a room for a dog. An essential factor for practical loading and unloading in everyday life is the variability of the interior, including the back seat.
In many models, you can either fold down the back seat entirely or only partially – for example, just the right seat or just the left two seats. The benefit: with this “asymmetrical division”, you have different load capacities available for different transport tasks, from taking the kids on a trip to picking up a piece of furniture.
Further practical car equipment for families includes:
- Baggage compartment cover prevents objects from flying forward and causing injuries during emergency braking, for instance.
- Illuminated trunk: Keeps everything in view, even in poor lighting conditions, and prevents even the little teddy bear from getting lost.
- Lower loading sill: It makes it easier to load and unload heavy objects, such as drink crates or strollers.
- Lashing options for fixing the load, for instance, for the dog crate.
- Through-loading option for long items: to stow skis or a surfboard.
How do they measure trunk volume?
The trunk volume of a vehicle is usually specified with a range of liters. For instance: from 380 to 1,600 liters. It means that with upright rear seats, a car has a trunk volume of 380 liters. But if the rear seats are folded down, the load area increases to 1,600 liters.
So, suppose you’re traveling with children on the back seat bench, and the rear seat backrest is positioned vertically. In that case, you naturally can’t use the full 1,600 liters, but only the 380 liters, like in this example.
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Car with a large trunk for baby carriages
An essential requirement for many looking for a family car is the ability to accommodate the stroller as efficiently as possible. In addition, space should be available for additional, small luggage in addition to the stroller. A car must have the following criteria for guidance on precisely these requirements:
- The inner width of the trunk: At least 95 centimeters.
- Trunk opening height: minimum 62 centimeters
- Luggage compartment volume, roof high: minimum 600 liters
- Loading sill height: 70 centimeters maximum
Trunk space for dogs – this is what’s important
Even the beloved four-legged friends should be safe on the road. Lashing options should be available if dogs are placed in a transport box in the trunk. This will prevent the box from moving back and forth during the journey.
With larger dogs with correspondingly larger boxes, high-roof station wagons have proven practical, for example, the Citroën Berlingo XL, Peugeot Rifter or Dacia Dokker. Just as important: The trunk should not be separated from the rest of the interior. That way, you’ll know immediately if the animal is not feeling well during the journey and makes itself heard, for example, by whimpering.
Station wagon, SUV or van? What type of vehicle should it be?
If you’re looking solely at the size of the trunk, then both station wagons and SUVs come into question. Sometimes it’s the station wagon, and sometimes it’s the SUV that comes out on top when it comes to cargo volume, according to the model.
However, other factors come into play when choosing a vehicle, particularly for families: Station wagons are generally cheaper to maintain and insure. SUVs offer a higher seating position and all-round visibility. In addition, the massive construction also offers safety advantages, for instance, in the event of a crash.
The van is the best choice for large families with three or more children. It offers plenty of space and a very versatile interior. Many models, for instance, have a third row of seats, making it possible to take more children and dogs along.
Movable, folding and expandable seats thus make different types of transport possible – from transporting a group of children to loading the surfboard, from skiing trips including equipment to a weekend vacation with five suitcases.
7 family cars with large trunks
Now that we have much more information about what makes a good family car, in the following, we will take a look at 7 of the best family cars with large trunks currently on the market.
Seven seats and a load volume of up to 1,996 liters mean it won’t be cramped inside. Nissan X-Trail is based on the same platform as the Qashqai, but it is 30 centimeters longer, making a total of 4.69 meters. The backrests can be folded down asymmetrically, allowing you to vary the cargo space.
You can store small luggage under the variable load floor, where you can use around 115 liters of volume. The Japanese car also has lashing eyes for securing larger cargo such as the dog box. Next year, Nissan’s fourth-generation X-Trail will be launched in the summer of 2022.
