The cars with the biggest boots

Boot size 1121 litres | Suitcases 16

The ID Buzz electric MPV was our 2023 Car of the Year because it’s safe and good to drive, plus it holds onto its value very well. On top of that, it's one of the most practical cars money can buy.

It's available with five or seven seats, and you’ll have no trouble stowing everyone’s kit – even if you’re transporting a four-person polo team with saddles, helmets and mallets. Its tally of 16 carry-on suitcases is twice as many as you’ll fit in the BMW iX3 electric SUV. The entry-level Buzz has a step in the boot floor when you fold down the back seats, but other versions have a useful shelf that partitions the space. 

The official cargo capacity we've quoted here is for the short-wheelbase five-seat version. However, a long-wheelbase seven-seater version is also available, although Volkswagen is yet to quote the official boot space figures for it.

Read our in-depth Volkswagen ID Buzz review

Boot size 1094 litres (measured to the roof)

The Land Rover Defender 130 is one of the biggest new cars you can buy today, and that's partly because of its length. In essence, it's a stretched version of the Defender 110, so you can fit up to eight occupants inside if you need to.

Another benefit of this extra length – other than the extra passenger space – is an enormous boot. Indeed, the 130 offers up to 1094 litres of space with the third row seats folded, which is more than all of its closest rivals, including the Audi Q7 and BMW X7. The Outbound five-seater version gets even more boot space, because it has an underfloor storage area where the third row seats would normally be stowed.

It's not all perfect, though, because the 130 doesn't have much boot space with the third row seats in place. What's more, the Defender's side-hinged tailgate can be a nuisance when loading items into the boot in a car park. 

Read our in-depth Land Rover Defender review

Boot size 971 litres (up to the rear screen and including front boot) | Suitcases 10

Think of the Tesla Model Y as the gym-buddy alter ego of the Tesla Model 3. It’s an electric SUV that’s bulkier than the Model 3 and a rival to the BMW iX3. 

Its boot is large and the opening is wide enough for a large pushchair. A parcel shelf to keep valuables out of sight costs extra, but there’s a smaller front boot for more luggage. The Model Y didn’t take any more cases than the Model 3 when we tested it up to where the parcel shelf would be, but its hatchback opening makes it easier to load. 

All Model Ys have an electric tailgate that can be opened and closed using the car’s touchscreen, a phone app or by pressing a button on the back of the car. 

Read our in-depth Tesla Model Y review

Boot size 927 litres

MPVs are some of the most practical cars around, and that's proved by the Volkswagen Touran. It has a big boot that's deep and wide, with a low entry point for loading bulky items. If you fold away the third-row seats you also have a flat floor with no big gaps for anything to fall down.

In the second of row seats, there's more room than in many seven-seater rivals. A couple of tall adults will be comfortable and the flat floor means even three sitting side-by-side won't feel too squashed in. The second row of seats also slide forwards and backwards independently, which is useful if you want to prioritise boot space over leg room, or vice versa.

Other strengths include an interior that's well-built and intuitive to use, while all models also come with a long list of standard equipment. 

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Touran review

Boot size 922 litres (measured to the roof) | Suitcases 9

It can be easy to overlook the Land Rover Discovery for the rugged Land Rover Defender 110, but it remains a very appealing seven-seater SUV.

For one, it gets seven seats as standard, whereas the Defender 110 gets them as an optional extra. Meanwhile, it has a bigger boot on paper too, with 922 litres of space as opposed to 786 litres with the 110. Of course, the Defender 130 beats both of them in this area, but it is much more expensive. The Discovery also gets a more useful roof-hinged tailgate.

One key strength of the Discovery is its price, because it's cheaper than the Audi Q7 and BMW X7. However, those cars are more sophisticated to drive, plus they're slightly more luxurious inside. 

Read our in-depth Land Rover Discovery review

Boot size 916 litres | Suitcases 10

Designed with families in mind, the Peugeot 5008 has plenty of boot space. In fact, it easily outdoes rivals such as the Nissan X-Trail and Skoda Kodiaq in that respect. It's the same story with the fully electric Peugeot e-5008, too, because it offers an identical load area to the regular version.

No matter which version you choose, the 5008 is a seven-seater as standard, but with the two rearmost seats folded into the floor, the boot has flat sides with no wheel-arch intrusion and lots of height from the floor to the tonneau cover. Access is good, too, because the opening is low and there’s no lip to negotiate to get heavy items stowed. 

If you opt for a 5008 in a higher trim level, you get a tailgate that will open when you waggle your foot under the rear bumper – handy when you have your hands full.

Read our in-depth Peugeot 5008 review

Boot size 910 litres

The Kodiaq large SUV gets its name from the Kodiak bear, which is befitting given its vast dimensions. It’s also Skoda’s most practical model, complete with a huge 910-litre boot and a seven-seat option.

The boot is big enough to easily fit in several suitcases or a couple of pushchairs, and folding the rear seats down will more than double the space available. Upgrading to the seven-seat option only marginally reduces the amount of space you get – in fact, you still get more space behind the three rear seats than you would in a Vauxhall Corsa.

A height-adjustable boot floor provides plenty of space beneath the main floor area, but this isn’t available on the plug-in hybrid version.

Read our in-depth Skoda Kodiaq review

Boot size 890 litres | Suitcases 11

At 5.2 metres long, the seven-seat Mercedes GLS is the firm's flagship model. The luxury SUV is almost as much of a behemoth as its BMW X7 rival. 

The GLS matches the X7 for suitcase-carrying ability too. We managed to fit 10 of our cases into the boot with the third row of seats folded down, plus one more in the storage space under the boot floor.

Even with all seven seats in use, there’s 355 litres of room in the GLS’s boot, which is almost as much as you get in a VW Golf. The two rearmost seats can be folded flat electrically when not needed, and the parcel shelf can be stowed in the underfloor compartment in the boot. 

Read our in-depth Mercedes GLS review

Boot size 828 litres

When it comes to practicality, not many electric SUVs come close to the Kia EV9. It’s available with six or seven seats, but with all the seats in use, the EV9 offers even more boot space than the Toyota Yaris – which is quite a feat.

For even more space, the second and third row of seats fold electrically to give you a maximum capacity of 828 litres – practically transforming it into a funky-looking van. The EV9 also offers some storage under the bonnet, but it isn’t quite spacious enough to fit a carry-on suitcase, like in the Model Y.

Elsewhere, there’s plenty of interior stowage space, including a huge tub under the centre console for the front passengers and a pull-out drawer in the second row of seats.

Read our in-depth Kia EV9 review

Boot size 818 litres (measured to the roof) | Suitcases 10

Bigger and pricier, the latest Range Rover is more lavishly equipped than ever. It’s available in standard length or long wheelbase (LWB) form, and the longer version can be had with seven seats – a first for a Range Rover. That third row is pretty roomy, albeit not quite as accommodating as the BMW X7’s. 

You get the same vast boot on all Range Rover models, including the LWB and plug-in hybrid. An electrically operated two-piece tailgate is standard, and the bottom section can be used as a seat when you’re parked up. There’s also the option to add a fold-up section to the boot floor that can act as either a backrest or a divider for luggage. 

Read our in-depth Range Rover review

Boot size 813 litres | Suitcases 10

The Sorento is a practical load-lugger that can transport seven people in comfort. There’s hardly any boot lip to lift heavy items over and the large load area is a useful square shape, with recesses for extra width at the back. 

A couple of carry-on suitcases will fit behind the third-row seats when they’re in use. The hybrid Sorento has a small underfloor storage compartment that can be used with the third seat row raised or lowered. The batteries for the plug-in hybrid version take up that space, so it has a little less capacity overall.  

It’s also worth noting that the rival Hyundai Santa Fe and Peugeot 5008 can carry just as many cases.

Read our in-depth Kia Sorento review

Boot size 810 litres | Suitcases 10

The Touareg shares its underpinnings with the huge Audi Q7 luxury SUV, so it’s no surprise that it has one of the largest boots in its class. Unlike the Q7, it’s not available as a seven-seater, but its second seating row slides back and forth so you can decide whether to prioritise cargo space or leg room for your passengers. The seats also split 40/20/40, making it easier to load long or awkward items into the car alongside people. 

The load area is a good, square shape, and there’s no lip to lift your luggage over. Although the boot floor isn’t too high off the ground for an SUV, you can opt for a model with air suspension that lowers the car when it’s parked. 

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Touareg review

Boot size 775 litres | Suitcases 10

Volvo’s flagship SUV is big, luxurious and practical, and comes with seven seats as standard. The boot area is wide, with no intrusions, and it’s one of the longest in its class, so you can stow some larger items without folding down any of the three middle-row seats. Those seats slide back and forth independently, adding to the XC90’s versatility. 

There’s no load lip to negotiate to lift heavy items into the boot, and the opening is large. With all seven seats in place, there’s enough room for only a couple of carry-on suitcases in the boot, but there’s an underfloor stowage cubby in most models, although the T8 plug-in hybrid loses this to the battery. 

Read our in-depth Volvo XC90 review

Boot size 772 litres

Porsche was known for its sports cars, but the original Cayenne changed that. The latest model is among Porsche’s most popular – and for good reason. Not only does it deliver the incredible performance you’d expect from a brand known for its sports cars, it’s also exceedingly practical.

Combustion-only models get a huge square boot, which can be expanded when the rear seatbacks are folded into a 40/20/40 split. There’s also underfloor storage for when you need even more space. On the downside, plug-in hybrid models lose quite a lot of boot space, with around 545 litres, but you can still fit seven carry-on suitcases comfortably.

The Cayenne is accessible too, with hardly any lip to lift your luggage over, which makes it a lot easier to load heavy items.

Read our in-depth Porsche Cayenne review

Boot size 770 litres | Suitcases 10

The Q7 has long been one of the best luxury SUVs you can buy because it’s comfortable, quiet and surprisingly agile for a seven-seat SUV. 

When it’s in five-seat mode, the boot is cavernous enough to accommodate a couple of pushchairs or other large items below the tonneau cover. There are four fastening points that can be used to stop objects from sliding around, and there’s a small storage cubby on one side. 

When the rearmost pair of seats are in use, the boot halves in size, but it can still take a couple of our suitcases. If you desire pace as well as space for seven, the Audi SQ7 sports SUV version is just as roomy.

Read our in-depth Audi Q7 review

Boot size 750 litres | Suitcases 11

BMW's biggest and most practical model is the X7. It comes with seven seats as standard, and the two at the very back are more spacious than in the equivalent Mercedes-Benz GLS or Range Rover. That means when they’re folded flat into the floor, there’s masses of room for the whole family’s kit.  

The X7 has a storage compartment under the boot floor, and by including that in our test, we fitted in 11 carry-on suitcases. 

With all seven seats in use, there’s still enough space for a couple of cases. Like the smaller BMW X5 the X7 has a split tailgate with a separate lower section that can be folded down and used to sit on while you’re taking off muddy boots. 

Read our in-depth BMW X7 review

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