Which family cars have the biggest boots?

Who knew kids came with so much STUFF!? It starts with prams and bassinets, then as they grow the kids progress through scooters, bikes, skateboards, hockey sticks and surfboards.

And that’s without them deciding they want to learn the double bass!

Beyond everyday duties, there’s family holidays and camping, which requires everything including the kitchen sink and a whole other level of storage!

So we parents need our car’s boot to be VERY capable mobile storage facilities.

As a mum, family car journalist and founder of BabyDrive.com.au, I have tested hundreds of cars over the past seven years for their family practicality, with prams, child seats, bikes and more.

I don’t measure the boots in litres because that’s not going to tell us if what we need will fit. Instead, I test them with grocery bags and various types of pram, as you’ll see in the comparison charts below.

We’ve found you the biggest boots in the business when it comes to large family SUVs, luxury SUVs, the ever-popular mid-size SUVs and people-movers. So let’s start cramming…

Relatively new to the competition and current reigning champion of family boot space among large family SUVs is the Hyundai Palisade.

It’s a practical option for families with children of all ages. If you need to use all seven seats you can fit a side-by-side pram in the boot or eight grocery bags, and for those only needing to use five seats it holds a whopping 21 bags of shopping!

Prams, bikes and sporting equipment are no concern in the boot of this gentle giant. It has great underfloor storage for the cargo blind and extra items too.

Second highest is the Toyota Kluger, with its nice tall boot space for scooters and bikes in the back when you’re using five seats.

As you can see in the chart below, 20 grocery bags fit nicely in the boot or any size of pram.

With twins or two infants, the Kluger is practical as a side-by-side double pram fits easily in the boot when you use all seven seats.

Third place goes to the Isuzu MU-X, with its neat underfloor storage compartment where you can keep valuables out of sight.

A great option for families with infants or teens, the boot is practical whether you need five seats or seven and there’s lots of room for groceries or scooters and a double side-by-side pram will fit with either seating configuration.

If you are looking for a premium option, the BMW X7 is a beautiful seven-seat luxury SUV for families, with a practical boot holding 18 grocery bags when you’re only using five seats, or for those needing all seven seats it holds seven grocery bags.

This is a good option for families with varying-age children as it fits a modular pram with all seats in use but not a side-by-side double.

Those with twins may find the Audi Q7 a better luxury option for boot space, as when you use all three rows a side-by-side double pram will fit in the boot.

Although it holds slightly less than the BMW X7 when you use all seven seats, it is a better fit for larger kids’ equipment.

In joint first place for boot space in the medium family SUV segment are the Mitsubishi Outlander and Subaru Forester.

Both cars carry 15 bags of groceries or a double side-by-side pram and six grocery bags.

Being a seven-seater, the Mitsubishi Outlander has that flexibility when the grandparents come to stay or your kids have a playdate. The boot is still practical when using all three rows, fitting a double side-by-side pram or five grocery bags.

The Toyota RAV4 is also one of the best mid-size SUVs when it comes to boot space, and it’s a practical use of space too.

A flippable boot floor with carpet on one side and plastic on the other is great for easy cleaning after transporting muddy dogs or bikes. The boot holds 15 grocery bags or a double side-by-side pram with five bags of groceries.

If our best mid-size and large SUV boots weren’t big enough for you, there are a couple of other options in the people-mover segment that are worth considering.

With a boot big enough to rival Beyoncé, the Hyundai Staria is perhaps the biggest of the big boots available!

For families that need to use all three rows of seats, the boot is equal to most large SUVs when they’re only using the first two rows.

Best of all, you can stand your pram up in the boot without collapsing it down (which is my favourite part).

If you only need the first two rows of seats, the boot capacity equals that of some dual-cab utes when you compare it for grocery bags. You can lay the seats down on one side to fit your surfboard too.

The Kia Carnival has an unconventional trough-like boot that gives great practicality for prams and other things to sit into so they don’t roll out when the tailgate is opened and the increased depth gives height for bikes, musical instruments and sports equipment to fit.

A ladder of storage shelves run up the side of the Carnival’s boot for all those loose everyday items and four bag hooks across the seatbacks keep unruly school backpacks in check too.