9 Compact SUVs With The Most Passenger Room (With Pictures)

Passenger room is one of the most important things people consider before buying a vehicle.

No one wants to buy an SUV where the passengers always feel uncomfortable in the cabin because there isn’t enough legroom. 

Over the years, buyers have complained about compact SUVs not having enough cabin and cargo space.

This remains a pain point in the auto market, which is why we have compiled a list of compact SUVs with the most passenger room below.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Subcompact SUVs With the Most Passenger Room

Subcompact SUVs are the smallest SUVs around, which is why they are also known as “small SUVs.”

They are a tier below compact SUVs. Check out a list of subcompact SUVs with the most passenger room here. 

1. Honda HR-V

The Honda HR-V debuted in 1998 as a subcompact crossover SUV. Now in its third generation, the Honda HR-V has managed to sell about 500,000 units since 2014 after a seven-year-long hiatus. 

It is considered one of the best subcompact SUVs currently and it ranks #6 on U.S. News’ list of the best subcompact SUVs. The HR-V sports a dope interior, composed ride, nimble handling, and a cornucopia of standard features. 

In terms of cabin space, the Honda HR-V has a front leg room of 41.9 inches and a front headroom of 39.4 inches. A front hip room of 54.0 inches and a front shoulder room of 56.6 inches are also standard. 

For the back seat, passengers enjoy a rear leg room of 37.7 inches and a rear headroom of 38.0 inches. 

These are pretty solid front and rear seat dimensions for a small subcompact crossover SUV. 

Here are the demographic data on Crossover SUV owners.

2. Chevrolet Trailblazer

The Chevrolet Trailblazer is a subcompact crossover SUV and a descendant of the mid-size SUV of the same name (2001-2008). It debuted in 2020 and has already sold over 100,00 units after its first two full years. 

It has also achieved considerable critical success with mostly positive ratings across the board. All thanks to a great gas mileage, a simple/sophisticated infotainment system, and impressive off-roading capabilities. 

The Trailblazer also boasts comfortable seating characterized by roominess.

In the front, we have a headroom of 40.0 inches, a leg room of 40.9 inches, and a shoulder room of 55.4 inches. At the back, however, passengers get a headroom of 38.4 inches, a leg room of 39.4 inches, and shoulder room of 53.8 inches. 

This is a more-than-decent passenger space for a small SUV and it’s certainly worth your consideration. 

Make sure to check our article about compact SUVs with adjustable pedals.

3. Kia Soul

The Kia Soul debuted in 2008 as a 5-door subcompact crossover SUV.

Produced and marketed globally by Kia, the Soul entered its third generation in 2019 and has sold over a million units since debuting. 

Many critics and pundits consider it one of the best subcompact SUVs ever made. Some of its top features include well-mannered handling, a roomy cabin, and a slew of standard driver-assistance features. 

The Kia Soul also has one of the most impressive passenger room in its class.

At the front, we have a legroom of 41.1 inches, a headroom of 39.9 inches, and a shoulder room of 55.5 inches. At the back, the leg room measures 38.8 inches while the headroom and shoulder room measure 39.5 and 54.7 inches, respectively. 

Truth is, not many subcompact SUVs have a roomier cabin than the Kia Soul. For a broader view, browse through our article about boxy SUVs with lots of cabin space.

4. Mazda CX-30

The Mazda CX-30 debuted in 2019 for the 2020 model year. Based on the fourth-generation Mazda 3, the CX-30 has fought its way through intense competition to become one of the most popular SUVs in its class. 

It has sold about 100,000 units in the U.S. since debuting and is ranked #1 on the U.S. News list of the best subcompact SUVs.

Some of the CX-30’s best features include its nimble handling, balanced ride, standard AWD, and a slew of standard tech features. 

The CX-30 also boasts a gorgeous cabin with impressive seating space. At the front, you get 41.7 inches of legroom, 38.1 inches of headroom, and 55.6 inches of shoulder room.

And at the rear, you get 36.3 inches of leg room, 38.3 inches of headroom, and 53.6 inches of shoulder room. 

All in all, it’s pretty accurate to say the Mazda CX-30 has an outstanding passenger room. 

Please also read our article about SUVs with more headroom for tall people.

5. Nissan Kicks

The Nissan Kicks entered the production and marketing phase in 2016 as a subcompact crossover SUV.

In the last 4 years, it has sold well over 200,000 units in the U.S. alone and it has experienced a surge in sales every year since 2019. 

It is also considered one of the very best subcompact SUVs owing to its reliability and quality. Some of the Kicks’ most acclaimed features include great gas mileage, huge cargo space, and myriads of standard features. 

The Nissan Kicks also boasts a gorgeous and roomy cabin. At the front seat, you get a headroom of 40.4 inches, leg room of 43.7 inches, and shoulder room of 53.0 inches.

Rear seat dimensions open at 33.4 inches for the leg room, 38.5 inches for the headroom, and 53.2 inches for the shoulder room. 

Compact SUVs With the Most Passenger Room

Compact SUVs are also known as compact crossover SUVs and they are the second smallest SUVs.

Below are a few compact SUVs with the most passenger room:

6. Honda CR-V

Honda okayed production and marketing for its compact SUV offering, the Honda CR-V, in 1995.

The Honda CR-V entered its sixth generation in 2022 and is the second best-selling SUV model in the entire world. 

Many critics consider the Honda CR-V to be among the top echelon of compact SUVs in the auto market. It occupies the 3rd spot on U.S. News’ list of the top 20 compact SUVs for the latest model year. 

Among its best features are a massive cargo hold, excellent fuel economy, and a plethora of standard features. The CR-V also features a great cabin space with incredible dimensions. 

At the front seat, you have a leg room of 41.3 inches, a headroom of 38.2 inches, and a shoulder room of 57.9 inches. On the other hand, rear seats have a leg room of 41.0 inches, a shoulder room of 55.9 inches, and a headroom of 38.2 inches. 

Based on these dimensions, we make bold to tell you that you won’t find many compact SUVs that offer more passenger room than the CR-V. 

Make sure to also read our article about SUVs with the most comfortable seats.

7. Hyundai Tucson

The Hyundai Tucson is a compact SUV manufactured and marketed by Hyundai since 2004. It is the best-selling SUV in Hyundai’s lineup with over 7 million units sold worldwide. 

The model entered its fourth generation in 2020 and is considered by many critics to be one of the best compact SUVs on the market.

It boasts excellent features like nimble handling, exciting ride quality, great fuel economy, and a first-rate interior. Speaking of the interior, the Hyundai Tucson has one of the best passenger rooms of any compact SUV on the market right now.

The front seat features a 40.1-inch headroom, 41.4-inch leg room, and 57.6 in. shoulder room. The back seat features 41.3-inch legroom, 39.5-inch headroom, and a 56.0. inch shoulder room.

A compact SUV doesn’t get much roomier than that. That’s why you should see where the Hyundai Tucson ranks among compact SUVs with the most rear legroom.

8. Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester debuted in 1997 as a compact crossover SUV.

It is now in its fifth generation and has notched millions of sales and multiple awards, including Motor Trend SUV of the Year (2009/2014). 

It is ranked 4th on U.S. News’ List of the best compact SUVs with features like standard AWD and good gas mileage receiving the most acclaim.

The Subaru Forester also boasts huge cabin space for the convenience of both front and rear passengers.

At the front seat, we have a 43.3 in. leg room, 40.2 in. headroom, and 58.1 in. shoulder room. The rear seat also features a 39.4 in. leg room, 37.6 in. headroom, and 57.2 in. shoulder room.

These dimensions make for an excellent passenger room in the Subaru Forester.

You can also read about our article about the cheapest full-size SUVs with the best gas mileage.

9. Nissan Rogue

The Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover SUV that debuted in 2007 for the 2008 model year.

It entered its third generation in 2019 and has sold well over 1 million units in the U.S. in the last five years alone. 

It is considered one of the best compact SUVs on the market and occupies the 7th spot on the U.S. News list of the top compact SUVs. Some of its most meritorious features include its fantastic fuel economy and huge cargo hold. 

The Nissan Rogue also boasts an impressive passenger room for the front and rear seats.

At the front, there is a 41.1-inch headroom, 41.5-inch leg room, and a 57.1-inch shoulder room. The rear seat features a 38.5-inch legroom, a 39.2-inch headroom, and a 55.9-inch shoulder room. 

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