5 of the Spacious SUVs Under $50,000, Ranked by Cargo Capacity – SlashGear

There are plenty of benefits to choosing an SUV – benefits that have made the segment one of the most popular on American roads. With almost every major manufacturer producing a variety of different large vehicles, the competition has never been fiercer, and neither has the choice of which one to buy. One of the benefits is the extra space you get for cargo, in addition to the natural increase in on- and off-road versatility thanks to the size.

While the largest full-size models command quite high price tags, there are a handful of mid-size models that manage to stay under $50,000 and encroach on those in the full-size segment. Manufacturers generally try to offer as much cargo space as possible to claim the title of most spacious midsize SUV, leading to the high numbers you’ll find in some of the newest models on the market. Here’s a look at five SUVs with the most cargo space, all under the $50,000 MSRP.

The top Asian manufacturers offer some of the best SUV trucks in their respective segments. Marketed as the sportier, more modern brand when it comes to design philosophy, Kia isn’t far behind parent company Hyundai in the SUV scene, and its Telluride is the biggest nameplate in the brand’s segment.

The 2025 Kia Telluride is certainly one of the more attractive SUVs. At $36,390, it’s also one of the cheapest among spacious midsize SUVs, but it didn’t lag much behind when you looked at the spec sheet. Behind the first row, the Telluride offers a whopping 87 cubic feet of cargo volume, narrowly outpacing its Hyundai counterpart in the Palisade by 0.3 cubic feet. Like most midsize SUVs in this price range, the Telluride comes standard with three rows of seats. You get 46 cubic feet of space behind the second row, and 21 cubic feet behind the third row.

The Telluride 2025 comes standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen. This is connected to a 4.2-inch gauge display in the first three trims, but SX models get a larger matching 12.3-inch screen. Looking under the body, the SUV is powered by a 3.8 liter V6 engine, which produces 291 hp and 262 Nm of torque.

As for European brands, Volkswagen is the best choice if you are looking for a mid-size SUV with plenty of space in the back. However, the largest model is not actually sold in Europe. Instead, it’s produced on this side of the pond in Tennessee. The manufacturer does not have a full-size SUV in production, but that does not stop it from offering one of the most spacious SUVs in the Atlas at this price. Although it is comparatively a mid-size SUV, this is a different nameplate in the segment with a third row of seats as standard. It boasts a solid 33.7 inches of legroom in addition to its incredibly generous trunk space. This is something we particularly appreciated in our review of the 2025 model.

In terms of cargo space, the 2026 Volkswagen Atlas offers a whopping 96.6 cubic feet of volume behind the first row, which is slightly less than the models closest to the top of the list. Behind the second row, the number drops to 55.5 cubic feet, and to 20.6 cubic feet behind the third row. Across the board, you can expect the Atlas in its SE trim to check all the boxes when it comes to storage for the $39,310 price tag, along with a destination charge. Under the hood, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.

Among Toyota’s large fleet of SUVs, the Japanese giant offers two slightly different models under the Highlander umbrella: the standard Highlander, which is a great SUV in its own right, and the Grand Highlander. Since cargo volume is a crucial aspect in your search for your next SUV, the Grand Highlander is essentially an extended version of the Highlander, offering both more cargo space and room for more third-row passengers.

While the standard Highlander measures 84.3 cubic feet, which is still not small, the 2026 Grand Highlander stretches to a massive 97.5 cubic feet. With the third row folded you get 57.9 cubic feet of cargo volume, and 20.6 cubic feet with all rows upright. The latest Grand Highlander is one of the models on this list that has broken the $40,000 barrier, at $41,360 (with a $1,495 destination charge). Sharing its platform with the standard Highlander, the Grand Highlander is powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, which helps justify its higher price tag compared to its rivals.

After the 2024 refresh, the Traverse remains one of the most attractive SUVs for a few key reasons, cargo space being one of them. Chevy’s most expensive midsize SUV didn’t get off to a good start, plagued by reliability issues that make some model years a complete no-no. For the newer models, however, the outlook is much better, with the 2026 Traverse earning a score of 84/100 from JD Power.

In terms of cargo space, the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse has a volume of 97.6 cubic feet behind the first row of seats. Chevrolet says this is the best in class, which, if you don’t follow the measurement guidelines used in the next entry on this list, would be correct. Nearly 100 cubic feet inside a midsize SUV is quite impressive, with quality consistent throughout the cabin. You get 56.6 cubic feet behind the second row and 22.9 cubic feet behind the third row.

In addition to its cargo space, the 2026 Traverse comes standard with the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque, another way the Traverse bests the competition. In terms of pricing, the 2026 Traverse tops out at $40,800, with a destination charge of $1,895.

Finally, there is the Honda Pilot. Honda doesn’t have a full-size SUV in production, leaving the midsize Pilot in the top spot for overall interior space. The Pilot is also recently reworked for its fourth generation in 2023 and looks and feels as fresh as you’d expect for its $40,200 price tag.

You also get a solid selection of tech, including the well-equipped Honda Sensing safety suite, but it’s the cargo dimensions that can cause some confusion. Following standard SAE J1100 guidelines, the 2025 Pilot has 87 cubic feet of space behind the first row. While that still ranks among the most spacious in the segment, Honda also delivers volume based on SAE J1100 plus guidelines, increasing total capacity to 111.8 cubic feet. The difference between the two is that the latter measures the floor area between the rows, which cannot be said of measurements used by all manufacturers.

But whatever size you use, there will be no case where you will run out of space in the Honda Pilot. The mid-size SUV is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, keeping it in the fight in terms of performance.