Family cars in the Philippines with the biggest trunks

While cargo space and capacity may not be on top of the lists for most customers looking for a car in the Philippines, it’s still great to know that there are vehicles out there that maximize their capacity to carry things around, while still providing ample room and comfort for their passengers. Although, as our circles and families grow, needs can change and the need for an extremely versatile vehicle that offers varied cargo options becomes a top priority.

In this article, we’ll use the term “trunk” loosely as the cars on this list won’t be limited to sedans with separate compartments. We’ll also be covering hatchbacks, crossovers, and SUVs; basically, anything that can carry at least five or more passengers. Not in any particular order or ranking, these vehicles have some of the biggest and most configurable trunk and cargo capacities in the market, making them perfect for long drives and holiday getaways.

The Honda Brio has been a best-seller for the brand for quite some time now, winning the hearts of many Filipinos with its sharp looks and enjoyable driving characteristics. You don't have to give up practicality for all that fun, however, since the model comes with 258 liters of rear cargo space with all seats folded up! That means that you can carry your passengers a sizeable cargo load all in one go. To put things into perspective, the Brio's competitors more or less hover around the 200-liter mark for boot space, but the little Honda adds 58 more over the average. 

Another victory for Honda is in the bag, as the City takes the win for its spacious 519 liters of space. The sedan has indeed grown up both in style and in size so that means more space for the interior and beyond. The model continues the Honda tradition of making the most out of its dimensions. Even cars are large as it like the Geely Emgrand come close, but Honda managed to add a few more liters over the competition with its new-generation City Sedan. 

You could say that we're cheating a bit here, but since wagons are so few-and-far-between, we decided to add them to the list, and what do you know, the Wagons win the day. Well, one of the few wagons that are on offer in the Philippines include the Volkswagen Santana GTS, and it comes into the competition with a massive 372 liters of space in the rear with all the seats folded up. That's about the same as a compact hatchback in terms of size, which is impressive taking into consideration that this is a subcompact and not a compact-sized vehicle. 

Hyundai is one of the new leaders when it comes to published trunk capacity figures. The subcompact Creta boasts a total of 433 liters of space, which makes it the new ringleader in the segment if you want to haul as much volume as possible. The model is also not a bad daily driver, equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine and mated to Hyundai's own IVT, or Intelligent Variable Transmission. With the rear seats folded, you can expand this to nearly double, but no exact figure for this is available. 

In the realm of small MPVs, the Xpander takes the cake in terms of features, ride quality, and trunk space. The Xpander offers up a total capacity of 1,632 liters of space when the second and third rows are folded. If all seats are up, you get 150 liters of space. 

In the compact category of sedans, meanwhile, the Toyota Corolla Altis makes an appearance with its 470 liters of trunk space. The model comes in either a gasoline or a hybrid version, so pick your poison. Either model doesn't detract from the massive cargo space at the back, which means that you can save the earth and haul all your groceries at the same time. 

Mazda’s compact crossover, the CX-5, is an extremely handsome-looking car that benefits from the Kodo design language in almost every way. Alongside the curves and flowing lines, the interior is roomy and nicely appointed. The trunk also gets some loving, as you get to enjoy 875 liters with the rear seats up, and total capacity with the rear seats down reaches 1,687 liters.

The PPV segment is home to some of the most competitive vehicles in the market today, and there is no shortage of buyers who want one of these vehicles in their garage simply because they're so practical and capable. The Ford Everest boasts 259 liters of space with the third seats in place, 898 liters with them out of the way, and finally, a grand total of 1,823 liters with the middle row passengers ditched for cargo volume. 

Stepping up the crossover ladder, we have Ford’s midsize crossover, the Explorer. This seven-seater ferries people in comfort and has some tech goodies to boot. Speaking of boots, the trunk of the Explorer expands to 2,486 liters of usable space when all rows are folded down, and 1,359 liters when the second row is upright. If you want to haul seven people and their luggage, you still have a sizeable 515 liters of cargo space at the back.