Compact SUV Size & Boot Space Guide: RAV4 vs CR-V vs Tiguan vs Kona vs Equinox

Compact SUVs have become the default “one car does everything” choice — school runs, commuting, road trips, pets, luggage, all in one package. But comparing their actual sizes is harder than it should be. Every brand measures things differently, cargo numbers flip between SAE and VDA, and spec sheets rarely explain what these numbers mean in real life.

This guide cuts through the noise.

Using verified dimensions from DriveSize, we compare six of the most popular compact SUVs worldwide, the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, VW Tiguan, Hyundai Kona and Chevrolet Equinox to show how big they really are, how much they carry, and which one fits your everyday life.

You can also view them side-by-side, front and back with DriveSize’s overlay tool.

How big is a “compact SUV”, really?

Compact SUVs are larger than hatchbacks and small crossovers, but noticeably smaller and easier to park than full-size SUVs. For context:

A compact SUV like a Honda CR-V is about 4.6–4.7 m (181–185 in) long.
A hatchback (e.g. VW Golf) is closer to 4.2–4.4 m (166–173 in).
A large SUV like the Toyota Highlander reaches almost 5 m (197 in).
The world's smallest car, the Peel P50, is less than a third of the length of a Hyundai Kona. (See comparison).
America’s best-selling pickup, the Ford F-150, spans 5.3–6.2 m (209–243 in) depending on the cab and bed. (See Ford F-150 Cab & Bed Sizes Explained)

So a compact SUV sits right in the middle: practical, not oversized, and usually the best fit for families who want space without driving something huge.

For visual comparisons, you can overlay a compact SUV against a hatchback, pickup or large SUV on DriveSize.

Length & wheelbase — how does it handle?

Length affects:

How the vehicle handles
How well it fits on a driveway
The amount of interior space

Wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) affects:

Rear passenger room
Ride comfort on long journeys
How stable or “city-friendly” a car feels

A longer wheelbase usually means more legroom and smoother cruising. A shorter wheelbase often means easier manoeuvring in tight streets.

For a full explanation, see How to Understand Car Dimensions: Length, Width, Wheelbase and More.

Here’s how our six SUVs compare.

Length ranking, from longest to shortest:

Honda CR-V – 469.4 cm (184.8 in)
Chevrolet Equinox – 465.1 cm (183.1 in)
Toyota RAV4 – 459.5 cm (181.0 in)
Volkswagen Tiguan – 453.9 cm (178.7 in)
Hyundai Kona – 435 cm (171.3 in)

Wheelbase ranking (longest → shortest)

Chevrolet Equinox — 272.5 cm (107.3 in)
Honda CR-V — 270 cm (106.3 in)
Toyota RAV4 — 269 cm (105.9 in)
Volkswagen Tiguan — 267.7 cm (105.4 in)
Hyundai Kona — 266 cm (104.7 in)

Everyday takeaway: In tight city spaces, the Kona and Tiguan are noticeably easier to slot into short bays. For rear-seat comfort and legroom, the Equinox and CR-V come out on top thanks to their long wheelbases.

Width — need some elbow room?

The width of your car affects everything from cabin shoulder room to how confident you feel threading through narrow streets.

Compact SUVs normally sit around 182–187 cm (71–74 in) wide before mirrors. All six in here fit into that band.

For context, UK parking bays are generally 240 cm (94.5 in) wide, and US garage openings are 240–270 cm (94.5–106 in) wide.

Width matters most when:

Squeezing through older residential streets
Getting past cars on narrow lanes
Pulling into multi-storey ramps
Swinging through garage openings
Shoulder room inside the cabin

From our list of six compact SUVs, these are the narrower options (body width):

Hyundai Kona – 182.5 cm (71.9 in)
VW Tiguan – 184.2 cm (72.5 in)
Chevrolet Equinox 184.4 cm (72.6 in)

These four feel noticeably easier if your daily routes involve tight car parks or driveways bordered by walls, fences or hedges.

The wider options from our list are:

Toyota RAV4 – 185.4 cm (73.0 in)
Honda CR-V – 186.7 cm (73.5 in)

The payoff is more shoulder room inside, at the cost of needing a little more awareness in tight spaces.

Boot (trunk) space — will it fit?

Boot space defines what your car can carry, this is everything from the weekly food shop to a dog crate, pushchairs and flat-pack furniture.

Manufacturers use two measurement standards:

VDA (Global method)

Measures usable space with “litre blocks” up to the parcel shelf height. Good for comparing practical, floor-level space.

SAE / EPA (USA method)

A newer method that measures the total internal volume up to the roof. This results in bigger numbers than the VDA method, but includes more of the boot’s contours.

See our guide on boot space sizes

DriveSize shows both when available.

Volume with the seats up — biggest to smallest

VDA (usable space):

Tiguan – 652 L
CR-V – 587 L
RAV4 – 580 L
Kona – 466 L

SAE (total volume):

CR-V – 1113 L
RAV4 – 1065 L
Equinox – 846 L

Seats folded — biggest to smallest

VDA:

RAV4 – 1690 L
CR-V – 1634 L
Kona – 1300 L

SAE:

CR-V – 2166 L
RAV4 – 1977 L
Equinox – 1809 L

Everyday takeaway: The CR-V is the overall cargo leader. With the seats up, the VW Tiguan has the most usable space, despite being one of the shortest cars — very efficient packaging.

The Hyundai Kona has less space overall but is surprisingly capable for its footprint.

Which compact SUV fits your lifestyle?

If you’re mostly driving in cities, and tackling tight parking and narrow streets, the Hyundai Kona is a good choice as it’s the shortest and narrowest of our list. The VW Tiguan has a compact footprint with excellent boot space with the seats-up. Both are ideal if your parking spot or garage is tight.

If you do mixed driving, school runs and weekend trips, the RAV4, CR-V and Equinox offer the best balance of everyday usability, space and comfort.

If you carry big cargo or camping gear, do long journeys or have dogs, the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 offer the biggest boots and most rear passenger space.

Our advice is to choose based on your lifestyle, needs and routine, consider where you park, who and what you regularly carry, and the roads you drive on.

FAQs

Which compact SUV is biggest overall?

The Honda CR-V is the longest (469.4 cm / 184.8 in)

Which compact SUV has the most boot space?

Seats up: Tiguan (VDA)
Seats down: CR-V leads with up to 2166 L SAE

Will all six fit in a standard UK parking bay?

Yes, even the widest (CR-V) fits easily within the ~240 cm bay width.

Which model is best for tall passengers?

CR-V and Equinox offer the longest wheelbases and best second-row room.