Trunk comparison: BMW X3 vs VW Touran

Key Differences and Implications for Usability

The most noticeable difference concerns the trunk volume with seats upright: the BMW X3 offers significantly more cargo space in the "all seats upright" condition (+24 in, +179 %) than the VW Touran.

This makes the X3 more practical when regularly transporting luggage, strollers, or larger shopping items with a full load of passengers without folding seats down.

Another relevant difference is the loading edge height: the loading edge of the BMW X3 is +3.1 in (13 %) higher above the road.

Practically, this means heavy or bulky cargo is easier to load and unload in the Touran due to the lower entry height. The X3 requires more effort when lifting and can make loading and unloading less convenient.

Other, smaller deviations (under 10 %) and their effects:

• The VW Touran is minimally longer in maximum cargo space with folded seats (+0.4 in / 1 %) and slightly longer with the first row upright (+2.4 in / 6 %) — hardly noticeable in practice.
• The trunk opening of the Touran is somewhat higher (+2.8 in / 9 %), which facilitates loading tall items, but the difference remains below the 10% mark.
• The trunk width at the narrowest point (+2 in) and the width of the opening (+3.1 in) are slightly larger in the BMW X3, making it easier to store wider items.
• The remaining dimensions (differences in trunk depth by a few centimeters) are impractical and hardly relevant.

Conclusion

If you frequently travel with a fully occupied vehicle and still want to transport a lot of luggage, the BMW X3 offers better everyday usability due to its significantly larger cargo space with seats upright.

If, on the other hand, you regularly load heavy or bulky items and prefer a lower loading edge and a slightly higher opening, the VW Touran is more practical.