The battle of the boots – What SUV can really handle a load

I’m always harping on about SUVs, I’m sorry but they’re generally not my go. But I’ve decided to have a closer inspection, my main focus being space. When I say SUV, I mean one that sits in the large category and can carry up to seven people. I’m also ignoring the ute based SUV’s, that’s a debate for another day.

Toyota Kluger

The Kluger is a 7-seater and is actually bigger than it appears in photos. In fact, it hovers around the two-tonne mark irrespective of what grade you go for.

With the third-row seats down, the Kluger can accommodate 529-litres. With everyone on board, that figure is reduced to 195 litres, But with all three down a handy 1872 litres is on offer.

Mazda

I’ve always had a thing for the Mazda CX-9, but it did drink fuel like it was happy hour. It has 810 litres on offer when used as a five-seater That shrinks to just 230-litres when the third pew is up.

Hyundai Sante Fe

Hyundai’s Sante Fe has a cargo area that can cope with 547-litres or a maximum, with all seats down, of 1625 litres. Put all seats and you’ll have to deal with only 130 litres,

Mitsubishi Outlander

The Outlander is clearly a name we all know and obviously trust, it’s still in there mixing it with the big boys. With all seats down it chew up 1608 litres or 477 litres. But if you plan to carry seven people around, you’re looking at just 128 litres back there.

Ford Endura

The Ford Endura is a five-seater but worth looking at. With the second row up, there’s 602 litres. Put the seats down and off you go to IKEA with 1,847 litres on tap.

Kia Sorento

The Sante Fe’s close cousin manages 605 litres. With the 2^nd and third row up, you are faced with just 142-litres, or 1662 with all seats dropped.

Nissan Pathfinder

The current Nissan Pathfinder is now aging at an alarming rate. Trust me, so am I.

This big whale of a thing can still accommodate 453-litres, fold the third row down and it’s 1354-litres. If you are actually going to rob IKEA, fold all three rows down and 2260-litres is suddenly on offer.

Volkswagen Touareg

This German 5-seater SUV has a handy 810-litres of space or 1800-litres when the 2^nd row is folded flat.

Honda

The Honda CR-V is available as a five or seven-seater. With five people on board, it’s 522-litres or 1084-litres with the 2^nd row down. However, the CR-V can also be had as a 7-seater. Cargo capacity is as a result reduced to 472-litres with the third row down, or 957-litres when all the furniture is folded away.

Holden

Well I’m tipping this will be the last sentence I type about Holden. But its imported Acadia had more cargo space than most. The big yank has 292 litres when all rows are up, or when all folded down 2101 litres.