But while automakers readily highlight the overall luggage capacity of their offerings, not all of that generous-sounding cargo room is usable space.
To determine which vehicles offer the most utility, Consumer Reports’ auto testers use a specialized pipe-frame box to measure usable cargo volume rather than accepting the theoretical space often cited by car companies. We enlarge it enough to just fit through the rear opening and extend it into the cargo bay as far as possible without preventing the hatch from closing. Cargo capacity is the volume enclosed by that box, because it doesn’t help you to have a cavernous space with a small hatch opening. (Learn more about how Consumer Reports tests cars.)
Below, we’ve identified the large SUVs with the most usable cargo space based on our testing. They’re ranked by cubic feet of cargo room with both rows folded down, with the top performer first. Though we’ve tested other large SUVs, their usable cargo room is less than that of the best midsized SUVs. If available, we’ve included the number of large suitcases and duffel bags they can fit behind the raised third-row seat.
Each SUV comes standard with automatic emergency braking (AEB), AEB that works at highway speeds, blind spot warning (BSW), and rear cross traffic warning (RCTW) unless otherwise noted. Not every vehicle is recommended. This may be because of below-average reliability or an Overall Score that’s too low.
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