FORCAR
Go Pro

Toyota Tercel Trunk Space

The 1999 Toyota Tercel has 9 cu ft of trunk space: room for 1 checked suitcase or 4 carry-ons.

EPA interior volume · 9 cu ft trunk · 90 cu ft cabin · measured 1999 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

Among 185 sedans and coupes with a similar-sized cabin, the average is 12.9 cu ft, so the Tercel carries less than 84% of them. It gives 9.1% of its interior to luggage, one of the smallest shares we measure.

What actually fits in a Tercel

The biggest single change came in 1995: −2 cu ft against the 1994 car.

FIG.01·Toyota Tercel — what fits in the trunk
What you are loadingHow many fitEach item
Checked suitcases127 × 21 × 14″ — 4.6 cu ft
Carry-on cases422 × 14 × 9″ — 1.6 cu ft
Grocery bags7about 1 cu ft each
Golf bags1full set, about 5 cu ft
Folded strollerFitsabout 6 cu ft
ROWS 5·SOURCE ForCar, computed from EPA cargo volume

Cabin or cargo — where the space went

FIG.02·Toyota Tercel — cabin versus cargo
SpaceVolumeShare of total
Passenger cabin90 cu ft90.9%
Cargo area9 cu ft9.1%
Total interior99 cu ft100%
ROWS 3·SOURCE EPA interior volume

Against cars with a similar cabin

FIG.03·Toyota Tercel against similar cars
MeasureThis car185 sedans and coupes with a similar cabinDifference
Cargo volume9 cu ft12.9 cu ft-3.9 cu ft
In checked suitcases12-1
ROWS 2·SOURCE ForCar, computed across cars of similar cabin size

Cars with the same room

Against its closest rivals: the Infiniti J30 has 10 cu ft, next to 9 cu ft for the Tercel. That makes the Tercel the tightest of the two.

FIG.04·Toyota Tercel — cars with the same cargo room
CarTrunk volumevs Toyota TercelChecked suitcasesMeasured
BMW 328iS9 cu ft0 cu ft11999
Hyundai Scoupe9 cu ft0 cu ft11995
BMW 318i10 cu ft+1 cu ft11998
BMW 840Ci10 cu ft+1 cu ft11997
BMW 850CSi10 cu ft+1 cu ft11995
Infiniti J3010 cu ft+1 cu ft11997
ROWS 6·SOURCE EPA interior volume + ForCar
Upgrade to Pro

Trunk space is one number. Buying is a longer list.

  • Check a VIN for recalls, complaints and its exact build
  • Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
  • The original window sticker and factory options
  • Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
  • No ads, on every page
  • No ads, no tracking — and much more
See plans → Start free →
Free plan available — no credit card needed
Everything on the Toyota Tercel
Recalls24 campaignsFuel economy33 mpg bestReliability3.5/5Common problems411 complaintsCheck a VINAgainst this exact buildDimensionsSize, weight, generationsWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car1981–1999

Frequently asked questions

How much cargo space does the Toyota Tercel have?

9 cu ft in the trunk in the 1999 model, with 90 cu ft of passenger space. The average for 185 sedans and coupes with a similar cabin is 12.9 cu ft.

Does the Tercel have more cargo space than the Infiniti J30?

No: 9 cu ft against 10 cu ft for the 1997 Infiniti J30, about 1 cu ft less.

Has the Tercel's trunk got bigger over the years?

Not much overall: 10 cu ft in 1987 and 9 cu ft in 1999, though it ranged from 9 to 11 cu ft in between.

Which cars have the same cargo room as the Tercel?

The closest by volume in the same body family are the BMW 328iS (9 cu ft), Hyundai Scoupe (9 cu ft) and BMW 318i (10 cu ft), against 9 cu ft for the Tercel.

Cargo and passenger volumes from EPA interior-volume records, measured 1999 for the Toyota Tercel, seats up. Luggage capacity computed by ForCar at 80% usable volume against airline-standard case sizes (how we count). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
Found this useful?

Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.

Prefer ForCar →