One of the key pieces of feedback I received from the interim presentation was to focus on a particular point within the car rather than the general car interior or exterior.. In light of this, I decided to look at 3 major areas I feel are great options for smart storage within a family car:
- The Roof (external)
- The Boot (or Trunk) (interior)
- Dead Space within the car - top and bottom (interior)
The Boot/Trunk
There seems to be a lot of great uses for the boot of the car, which is not surprising as it was designed for storage. I especially like the draw systems as they look neat elements to the car rather than the add-ons such as the baskets or fold-able storage. One of my favourite options is creating a 'false' bottom to the boot that elevates the true on so that the boot can still be implemented for it's normal uses but have hidden means of storage below.
- BMW Genuine Car Boot Floor Luggage/Storage Organiser Panel
- Foldable Cooling Box
- Boot Storage Units
- KIA Cee'd SW
- Landrover Freelander 2 Double Draw
- Portable Folding Storage Solution
- Car Trunk Organiser
- Bar Boot Organiser
- Modular Roller Drawer System
The Roof
- Car Top Carrier Cargo Basket
- Travel Gear and Cargo Carriers
- Thule Pro Ride 591 Roof Top Bike Carrier
- Garage Ceiling Storage
- Rightline gear Waterproof car top duffle bags on roof of a jeep
- Tailor Fit Car Racks
- Overhead Garage Shelving
- Roof Top Cargo Carrier
- Toyota FJ Cruiser Roof Rack
Dead Space
- Honda made it standard across the CR-V lineup for 2012. The gigantic 10.8-liter console bin easily held my large purse. It can also hold a laptop; a sliding cover keeps it hidden. Smaller cubbies on the side of the console are an added bonus and good for holding smaller items.
- The Dodge Dart features a bonus cubby in the passenger seat. The bottom cushion flips up to reveal a plastic-lined, 203-cubic-inch bin ideal for maps and CDs, if you still use either of those. There are also small pockets in the center console for smaller items like phones and pens.
- Like the Dart, the passenger seat cushion flips up to reveal a hidden storage hold that measures 10.75 inches by 8.75 inches. According to Dodge, the bin is large enough to store a purse, umbrella, camera, planner or headphones. Also hidden are two under-floor storage compartments in the second row. They have latching lids and removable, washable liners for easy draining and cleaning. Dodge says that combined, they can hold 12 beverage cans. Lastly, the largest hidden storage compartment is behind the last row of seats. In five-passenger models, the standard bin is huge, comprising most of the available load floor. Seven-passenger models have a smaller bin behind the third row. Bonus: The load floor is reversible with a carpeted side and a hard-plastic side, handy when carting messy cargo.
- Nissan's minivan has a permanent under-floor storage well that's behind its third row of seats. Since the seats fold forward and flat instead of tumble down into the floor, as they do in most minivans, the storage space is usable even when the third row is in the folded position.
- This midsize crossover is the king of cupholders for its class. Toyota boasts that its Highlander has 10 cupholders peppered throughout its interior and four bottleholders in the door panels. That's great for the family that wants to be well-hydrated or the one that just forgets to throw out the empties.
- Nothing can touch well-known storage kings like Chrysler's minivans with 140.6 cubic feet of cargo volume once the Stow 'n Go seats are folded. That's why I wanted to look at vehicles with storage places that range from inventive (hidden in-seat cubbies) to excessive (10-plus cupholders).