The Mazda MX-3 has 15 cu ft of cargo space. In practice that is 2 checked suitcases, or 7 carry-ons, or about 12 supermarket bags. A folded pushchair fits. Against 45 cars with a similar-sized cabin it sits above the average of 13.4 cu ft.
What actually fits in a MX-3
Cubic feet are an abstraction — 15 cu ft means nothing until you load it. Here is the same number in things people actually load, 2 checked cases or 7 carry-ons for the Mazda MX-3, with a packing allowance — a boot is not a cube, and corners go to waste.
| What you are loading | How many fit | Each item |
|---|---|---|
| Checked suitcases | 2 | 27 × 21 × 14″ — 4.6 cu ft |
| Carry-on cases | 7 | 22 × 14 × 9″ — 1.6 cu ft |
| Supermarket bags | 12 | about 1 cu ft each |
| Golf bags | 2 | full set, about 5 cu ft |
| Folded pushchair | Fits | about 6 cu ft |
Counts assume 80% usable volume: luggage does not tessellate, and a wheel arch eats the rest.
Cabin or boot — where the space went
Every car is a fixed envelope, and designers decide how to split it between people and things — the Mazda MX-3 gives 15.8% of its 95 cu ft to luggage. The share below is the honest way to compare an estate with a coupé of the same footprint, and among 45 cars with a cabin within eight cubic feet of the Mazda MX-3 the boot averages 13.4 cu ft.
| Space | Volume | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger cabin | 80 cu ft | |
| Cargo area | 15 cu ft | |
| Total interior | 95 cu ft |
A typical split for a family car: room for people first, luggage second.
Against cars with a similar cabin
Compared with 45 models whose passenger space is within eight cubic feet — a fairer group than marketing classes, which put an estate and a coupé in the same bracket.
| Measure | This car | Similar cars | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo volume | 15 cu ft | 13.4 cu ft | +1.6 cu ft |
| In checked suitcases | 2 | 2 | +0 |
Cars with the same room
Closest matches by load volume with the seats folded — useful when the boot is the deciding factor and the badge is not. The Mazda MX-3 sits at 15 cu ft, so these are the cars that carry the same load.
| Car | Load volume | vs Mazda MX-3 | Checked suitcases | Measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 318ti | 0 cu ft | 2 | 1999 | |
| Daihatsu Charade | 0 cu ft | 2 | 1992 | |
| Dodge OMNI | 0 cu ft | 2 | 1990 | |
| Hyundai Excel | -1 cu ft | 2 | 1994 | |
| Mitsubishi Precis | -1 cu ft | 2 | 1994 | |
| Nissan 300ZX | -3 cu ft | 2 | 1996 |
Boot space is one number. Buying is a longer list.
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How we count
Cargo and passenger volumes come from EPA interior-volume records — the same figures manufacturers file for the window sticker, measured to a standard method rather than claimed in a brochure.
The luggage counts are ours — 2 checked cases for the Mazda MX-3 come out of its 15 cu ft. We assume 80% usable volume, because a boot is not a cube: wheel arches, a sloping tailgate and the shape of the cases themselves waste the rest, which is why the Mazda MX-3 counts as 12 cu ft of usable space rather than 15. Suitcase sizes are the airline standards — 22 × 14 × 9″ for carry-on, 27 × 21 × 14″ for checked, so the Mazda MX-3 takes 7 of the small ones. Numbers are deliberately conservative; if we say four cases fit, four cases fit.
Frequently asked questions
How much cargo space does the Mazda MX-3 have?
15 cu ft behind the rear seats, plus 80 cu ft of passenger cabin.
How many suitcases fit in a MX-3?
About 2 checked cases (27 × 21 × 14″) or 7 carry-ons, allowing for the fact that a boot is not a perfect cube.
Will a pushchair fit in a MX-3?
Yes — a folded pushchair takes roughly 6 cu ft and this car has 15, so it fits with room for shopping.
Is that a lot for this size of car?
Compared with 45 cars of a similar cabin size, it is above the average of 13.4 cu ft.
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