Hatchbacks With the Most Cargo Space

Spacious Inside, Compact Outside

Hatchbacks aren’t the type of vehicle that will appeal to everyone, even though they can offer you immense cargo space, low prices, and surprising fuel economy estimates. The vehicles on this list have the most cargo space of any hatchback on the market. From the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt to the all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza, there will definitely be a vehicle on this list for you.

Hatchbacks have the unique ability to combine the footprint of a compact car with the cargo capacity of a small SUV. Some vehicles even have front passenger seats that fold down to extend their cargo space.

Don’t forget to take a look at the rest of the vehicles in U.S. News’ hatchback rankings to compare all of the cars in this class. Read on to find out which hatchback offers you the most cargo space. 

• Read the 2017 FIAT 500L Full Review
• See 2017 FIAT 500L Photos
• See Wagons Rankings

10) 2017 Chevrolet Sonic

Cargo Space: 47.7 cubic feet | $15,145 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.6/10

Sitting right behind the 2018 Honda Fit in our subcompact car rankings, the Sonic received quite a few technological updates for the 2017 model year. The Sonic now comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a standard touch-screen infotainment system and a rearview camera.

Offering 47.7 cubic feet of cargo space, the Sonic can’t match up to vehicles like the Bolt or 500L. However, what the Sonic lacks in cargo space it makes up for in affordability and, believe it or not, performance. The Sonic is one of the most fun to drive vehicles in the subcompact car class.

• Read the 2017 Chevrolet Sonic Full Review
• See 2017 Chevrolet Sonic Photos
• See Subcompact Cars Rankings

9) 2017 Kia Rio

Cargo Space: 49.8 cubic feet | $14,165 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.1/10

A finalist for our 2017 Best Subcompact Car for the Money award, the Kia Rio is more than just a cheap rental car. It has a strong engine for its size, a surprisingly upscale interior, and athletic handling.

The 2017 Rio offers drivers just short of 50 cubic feet of cargo space. However, if you’re using the rear seats you shouldn’t expect to put that much in the trunk. Cargo space drops to just 15 cubic feet when the rear seats are in use.

• Read the 2017 Kia Rio Full Review
• See 2017 Kia Rio Photos
• See Subcompact Cars Rankings

7) (Tie) 2018 Honda Fit

Cargo Space: 52.7 cubic feet | $16,190 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.8/10

Currently sitting at the No. 1 spot in our rankings of subcompact cars, the 2018 Honda Fit offers a surprisingly upscale interior, impressive fuel efficiency when matched with the automatic transmission, and available tech and safety features you would find in a luxury car.

The Fit has 52.7 cubic feet of available cargo space, and that number drops to 16.6 cubic feet when the rear seat is in use. The Fit’s rear seat comes with Honda’s Magic Seat functionality, which allows for multiple folding configurations to create maximum cargo space.

• Read the 2018 Honda Fit Full Review
• See 2018 Honda Fit Photos
• See Subcompact Cars Rankings

7) (Tie) 2017 Volkswagen Golf

Cargo Space: 52.7 cubic feet | $19,895 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.5/10

Even though Volkswagen hasn’t had the best of days as of late, they still produce one of the best hatchbacks available on the market. The Golf offers 52.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 22.8 cubic feet with the second row in use.

The Golf’s performance sibling, the GTI, offers identical cargo space. However, by choosing the GTI ($25,595) you also receive a more performance-oriented version of the Golf. This will let you haul almost everything you own and have fun on the road while doing it.

• Read the 2017 Volkswagen Golf Full Review
• See 2017 Volkswagen Golf Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

6) 2018 Hyundai Elantra

Cargo Space: 55.1 cubic feet | $19,350 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.5/10

The redesigned 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT will definitely turn heads. What it won’t do is make you turn around for a second trip, as it has 55.1 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, as well as impressive fuel economy.

If you decide to keep the rear seats up, you’ll have 25 cubic feet of cargo space. However, with the lack of cargo space also comes a lack of rear-seat legroom. Most adult passengers won’t be comfortable in the second row.

• Read the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Full Review
• See 2018 Hyundai Elantra Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

5) 2017 Subaru Impreza

Cargo Space: 55.3 cubic feet | $18,895 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10

Fully redesigned for the 2017 model year on Subaru’s new Global Platform, the Subaru Impreza hatchback is one of the hottest new vehicles on the market. Continuing with Subaru’s unique, all-wheel-drive-only model lineup (minus the BRZ), the Impreza comes in near the middle of our hatchback rankings.

The 2017 Impreza offers 55.3 cubic feet of cargo space, 2.9 cubic inches more than the 2016 model. However, the Impreza offers scant space for a hatchback (20.8 cubic feet) when the second row is in use. That small cargo space does allow for adults to feel comfortable in the back.

• Read the 2017 Subaru Impreza Full Review
• See 2017 Subaru Impreza Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

4) 2017 Kia Forte

Cargo Space: 56.4 cubic feet | $18,200 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.5/10

Another vehicle on this list with a sub-$20,000 price point, the 2017 Kia Forte5 is the 5-door hatchback model of the Kia Forte. Offering over 55 cubic feet of cargo space, the Forte5 gives drivers the space they need to haul almost anything.

The Forte5 also offers enough room in the rear seat for three passengers, and even the person stuck in the middle seat will feel fairly comfortable. Add in newly available features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and the Forte5 is hard to beat.

• Read the 2017 Kia Forte Full Review
• See 2017 Kia Forte Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

3) 2017 Chevrolet Bolt

Cargo Space: 56.6 cubic feet | $36,620 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.9/10

While not your typical hatchback, the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is one of the most versatile electric vehicles currently on the market. Taking the top spot in our compact car rankings, hybrid and electric car rankings, and hatchback rankings, it’s tough to find a vehicle that offers a range of 230 miles and won’t break your bank.

Offering over 55 cubic feet of cargo space, the Bolt can hold chairs, coffee tables, or a bike with ease. This is even more impressive when you remember the Bolt is an electric vehicle – many electric vehicles’ batteries reduce cargo space.

• Read the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt Full Review
• See 2017 Chevrolet Bolt Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

2) 2017 Kia Soul

Cargo Space: 61.3 cubic feet | $16,100 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.9/10

One of the cheaper vehicles on this list, the Kia Soul offers a one-of-a-kind design; it’s one of the best all-around vehicles on the market. Topping our compact car, hatchback, and small car rankings, the Soul drove away with both our 2017 Best Compact Car for the Money and Best Compact Car for Families awards.

The 2017 Soul offers 61.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, although the seats don’t fold completely flat. When the rear seats are in use, you still have over 24 cubic feet of cargo space to use, and you’ll have plenty of room in the second row for adults.

• Read the 2017 Kia Soul Full Review
• See 2017 Kia Soul Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

1) 2017 Fiat 500L

Cargo Space: 68 cubic feet | $20,995 | U.S. News Overall Score: 6.7/10

While the 2017 Fiat 500L may fall to the bottom of the barrel in our rankings of hatchbacks, it does offer the highest cargo capacity for the class. The 500L offers a total of 68 cubic feet of cargo space when the rear seats are folded. However, it only offers 22.4 with the second row in use.

One good aspect of the 500L’s smaller cargo space when you’re using the rear seats is that the rear-seat passengers will have plenty of room to stretch out their legs. Don’t expect the smaller Fiat 500 to wow you with cargo space though; it only offers 30.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

• Read the 2017 FIAT 500L Full Review
• See 2017 FIAT 500L Photos
• See Wagons Rankings

More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report

If any of the hatchbacks on this list piques your interest, head over to our best lease deals and financing deals pages. There, we’ve compiled a list of all the best incentives manufacturers are currently offering. You can even compare cars by visiting our new car rankings.

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