Prius 2010 cargo area

I guess that would depend on the size of the suitcases

 

I was able to fit four full size suitcases on a recent family visit. There were 3 full size ones, about 27", and one slightly bigger. It was a tight fit and I had to close the rear hatch with more force than normal to make sure it latched, but it did fit. Sorry, didn't take any pictures though...

 

If you ahve the will you can fit it in. I've moved for someone using my Prius already. It can fit a lot more than you can imagine.
It is quite easy actually. Just fold one seat down and have two passengers sit on one side of the car while the whole trunk plus one side of the car fill it with luggages.

 

I saw a pic on this board once, no idea where, that showed the Prius totally packed up. It was crazy! Wish I knew where it was...

 

found it! Although the entire rear seat area is down.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...ifications/71439-cargo-liner.html#post1006184

 

See? People don't need SUVs. We just need to use the space that we have better, just that above pic shows.

 

Agreed...a lot of SUVs are just taller than the Prius, not necessarily that much bigger. I used to drive a Rodeo. It had a little more space, but I can still fit all my gear in the back of my Prius (I'm a musician).

 

The increase in the Gen III cargo area is actually minimal (at least with the seats up, so I have to assume with the seats down as well). Though even that minimal amount is helpful. It's about .5 - 1 cu ft larger if you use the same measurements. It *looks* like there's a much larger increase in space because the Gen II was measured from the floor to the cover, whereas the Gen III is measured from the floor to the hatch. Thus, the specs show something like 7 cu ft more space.

As for me, the measurement to the cover is important when traveling because I don't want to stack items where they could hit my kids in the back seat. I have a Gen II and we had to take our sedan to the beach this year because the Prius couldn't hold all of our luggage and other items. We had to do the same over Thanksgiving while visiting family out of town. So, I've been a little disappointed with the "family traveling" (seats up) cargo space. On the other hand, when we purchased 2 adult bikes over the summer, they couldn't fit in the sedan so I had to take them home in the Prius with the rear seats down. It was tight, but both bikes fit without removing the front tires. But even with the Gen III increase in space, it's still not as large as my sedan's trunk with the seats up.

This isn't to flame the Prius, I just wish there were a tiny bit more room yet from floor to cover for our needs, though I understand why there isn't (one reason being the stellar legroom for rear passengers given the size of the car).

One other thing about SUV size compared with the Prius (as discussed above), I've been considering the idea of upsizing to a wagon or a crossover/mini SUV, and they do indeed have quite a bit more cargo room. If you go to some of the different auto sites like Edmunds (or directly to the company sites), usually the "seats up" (luggage space) and "seats down" (total) cargo space is given. While the Prius is a nice car with plenty of cargo space for *many* needs with the seats down, it still doesn't compare to a larger vehicle -- it just can't. You can only do so much with the physical size of a vehicle. But, just on a personal note, the huge problem with switching to another vehicle means achieving substandard fuel efficiency! Every time I look at the EPA ratings, I think, that's all?? And they claim that's fuel-efficient!

 

I understand that packing luggage for a family might be challenging. I went on a weekend road trip with 3 friends, and we packed very carefully and were able to fit everything in the hatch area behind the rear seats. But I was able to transport an 8 ft. Christmas tree home last week inside my Prius with the hatch closed (and the seats down). Happy Holidays!!

 

Get a cargo barrier and stack it to the roof. Even moves forward when the seats are layed down.
Milford Industries
http://www.milfordind.com.au/shop/i.../category_id/48acc9419d7c4e1c02df6ee47bd459ad

 

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I could not easily fold one seat down and have both kids sit on one side in order to fit more lugguage in the car -- my kids are still small enough to sit in car seats. Even if I could, imagine them sitting that close on a long trip. And even for them, that would be terribly cramped. Also, the cargo barrier is a good idea for packing a load on short runs, but I still wouldn't want to use one for a family trip because it would greatly hinder visibility and compromise safety. The best solution is just to have more cargo space. No amount of "will" or repacking worked for me. I simply needed the extra trunk space that my sedan offered -- and believe me, I pack it pretty tight. Physical limitations still win over at some point.

Again, this isn't to bash the Prius at all. I think the car is fun to drive and I enjoy the terrific fuel economy. Even if it came down to the "least common denominator" (so to speak), saving $$ on gas is nice, even with the upfront premium on the hybrid powertrain and batteries. Had the price of gas hit $10/gallon as predicted last year, it's the only car I could or would have driven. And, I would still consider buying the Gen III knowing the limitations of cargo space in my situation. The FE is just so much better that it can outweigh other considerations depending on personal priorities. People who hate the Prius don't know what they're missing in terms of gas money in the pocket, though I realize other priorities are higher for some. But more cargo room and a higher safety factor are certainly important considerations for having to pay more for fuel. And on a limited budget, not everyone can afford the Fusion or the Hybrid Highlander to have everything.

 

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