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Honda Civic Hatchback Cargo Test: How Much Fits in the Trunk?

Does the Civic hatchback really hold more stuff than the sedan?

Honda Civic Hatchback Cargo Test
  • The Honda Civic hatchback has 24.8 cubic feet of cargo space versus the sedan's 14.8 cubes.
  • Cargo capacity is the same with optional hybrid powertrain.
  • Our real-world test shows the hatchback's figures are deceptive.

It's long been common wisdom that a hatchback is better for hauling stuff around than a sedan. The Honda Civic would seem to be a perfect example of that, as the Civic Hatchback has 24.8 cubic feet of cargo space versus the Civic sedan's 14.8. It's right there in the numbers, a whole 10 cubic feet. Wow!

Not so fast. This test is about to show you that the Honda Civic is actually a perfect example of something completely different: cubic-foot cargo volume numbers really aren't comparable between body styles. I will be trying to fit my standard set of six suitcases into the new-for-2025 hybrid-powered Honda Civic Hatchback and then compare the result to a past test of the Civic sedan. Time to challenge some conventional wisdom.

Honda Civic Hatchback cargo area

Here is the Honda Civic Hatchback's cargo area. There are a few things to cover here before we get to the bags.

First, there is no difference in cargo capacity between the new hybrid-powered Civic models and models with the naturally aspirated gas-only base engine. There is still a significant difference lurking in this picture, however.

The area beneath the floor in the Honda Civic Hatchback hybrid

The Civic hybrid does not have a spare tire. Instead, it has a battery pack covered by a tire repair kit encased within a big foam thing. This area is occupied with a compact spare in the non-hybrid Civic sedan and hatchback.

The lateral sliding cargo cover in the Honda Civic Hatchback

A big reason to get a sedan instead of a hatchback is the added security and sun protection that a trunk provides. Fair enough, but like other hatchbacks, the Civic comes with a cargo cover to provide some of that security and protection. Except that the Civic Hatchback's cargo cover is unlike that of any other hatchback.

Most hatchbacks have a rigid cargo cover that serves as a sort of parcel shelf over the cargo area. That's nice for noise abatement, I suppose, but it's a royal pain when you need more space than what is lurking below that cover.

The Civic's cargo cover is in fact two pieces. One connects directly to the hatch and is a mesh piece with a wire support structure. You do need to physically remove it for maximum cargo capacity, but it's not ultimately covering much. It's basically filling in the small gap between the hatch and the other, much cooler cargo cover.

As you can see above, the main cargo cover uniquely slides from left to right over the cargo area instead of the usual front to back. This allows the cartridge to be a tiny handheld thing that can be removed.

Cargo cover retracted in Civic Hatchback

Chances are you won't actually have to remove it, though, considering how little space it takes up when in place.

This really is a fantastic feature, although it's largely made possible by the Civic's distinctive hatchback design that's more like an Audi Sportback than the sort of traditional hatchback design of a VW Golf.

OK, before we go any further, here's some nice boilerplate information about the bags I use and their dimensions. There are two bags you'd definitely have to check at the airport: Big Gray (26 inches long x 16.5 inches wide x 12 inches deep) and Big Blue (26 x 16.5 x 10). There are three roll-aboards that usually fit as carry-on: Medium Tall (24 x 14 x 9), Medium Wide (23 x 15 x 9) and the smaller Green Bag (21 x 14 x 9.5). Finally, there's everyone's favorite Fancy Bag (21 x 12 x 11), a medium-size duffle.

Six suitcases in the Honda Civic Hatchback

So all the bags fit, but as you can see, the Fancy Bag is plopped up on top. It's prevented from flying forward into the cabin by the seatback, so that avoids one Cargo Test safety-and-security no-no. The other, visibility, is still maintained sufficiently.

Civic Hatchback rear visibility with six suitcases aboard

As you can see, the Fancy Bag isn't blocking much more of the view than the Civic Hatchback's head restraints.

Now, before I get to comparisons with the Civic sedan, let's stop for a moment to acknowledge that this compact hatchback can swallow all six of these bags. I had a very hard time fitting these same bags into the Honda HR-V (it took so many Tetris attempts) and plenty of small SUVs can't fit them at all. I also didn't come close to fitting them all in the Volkswagen Golf GTI/Golf R — it was just the four biggest bags and that's it. With the cargo cover, it was just the four smallest bags. As the Civic Type R has this same hatchback body style, keep that in mind if cross-shopping with the VWs.

OK, now to the sedan.

2022 Honda Civic Sedan Trunk

Here is the Civic sedan's trunk. Sadly, I cannot provide photos of the bags inside it, but I do have the data. Sorry for telling and not showing.

In short, the Civic sedan's trunk is longer than the hatchback's. If I stacked my four biggest bags side by side in the sedan's trunk lengthwise, there would be room for the Green Bag to fit widthwise behind them. There would be barely any space behind them at all if I did the same in the hatchback.

As a result, I could also fit all six bags in the sedan, but entirely within the trunk. You will note that the Hatchback's fancy cargo cover was retracted when I fit all six bags inside.

Five suitcases underneath the cargo cover in the Honda Civic Hatchback

If I wanted to hide the bags from the sun and prying eyes using the cargo cover, I would need to leave the Fancy Bag behind.

In this test, then, the Civic Hatchback has less cargo capacity than the Civic sedan. What's going on here?

Remember, cubic feet is a measurement of volume. If this was a test to see how many ping-pong balls I could fit inside both, I have no doubt the Civic Hatchback would be able to hold way more of them. Perhaps even 10 cubic feet worth of them.

The Civic Hatchback's extra space is not only up high above the seat line, but that space is basically shaped like a triangle. That's less useful for carrying luggage than the Civic sedan's extra trunk length. As a result, the Civic sedan did better in this test.

But the Civic Hatchback is still more versatile than the sedan. While it may be worse at securing away luggage, it is much better when you need to carry bigger, bulkier items. I once stuffed a giant cardboard box, two Rubbermaid bins and a disassembled Little Tikes children's playground in the back of the Civic Hatchback that collectively would've been too tall to fit in the sedan. The huge, gaping maw of its cargo opening also makes loading whatever a lot easier, including the above pieces of luggage.

Moral of the story? Cargo volume numbers never tell the whole story, but at the very least, definitely don't compare the numbers of hatchbacks and sedans.