New Skoda Kamiq vs Kia Stonic vs Volkswagen T-Roc: space

Space and practicality

Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot

The Stonic feels the smallest in the front, and that’s borne out by its measurements. It has enough head room for someone over six feet tall but falls 70mm shy of the T-Roc and is 40mm down on the Kamiq. The latter, bear in mind, had an optional space-zapping panoramic sunroof (£935) fitted. The Stonic also has the narrowest interior, but all three have enough leg room for taller folks.

They all come with trays and cupholders for added convenience, but there’s more storage in the T-Roc and Kamiq. They both have bigger front door bins and a larger glovebox, plus useful drawers under their front seats.

Rear seat space leaves the Stonic with an even bigger shortfall. If you’re tall and sitting behind someone of a similar stature, your knees will be pressing into the back of the front seat and you might find head room marginal. And that’s despite the Stonic’s rear bench being designed to sit low in an effort to free up more space, to the detriment of seating comfort; your knees are so bent up that it’s like sitting on a small camping stool. The Stonic is also the hardest to climb in and out of, because it has the narrowest door openings, and it offers the least space for a middle passenger.

The T-Roc has a much nicer, more upright rear seating position; as a result, its outer rear seats are the comfiest here. Not the roomiest, though; knee room isn’t much better than in the Stonic, but the T-Roc does have the most head room and under-seat foot space. The Kamiq has the most rear leg room, plenty of space for feet under its front seats and, as in the front, decent head room.

So, the Kamiq just wins for rear seat space, but the T-Roc edges it for boot space. Both cars can hold a good tally of seven carryon suitcases below their parcel shelves, but the T-Roc’s boot is slightly bigger along every axis. It also comes with a height-adjustable boot floor (optional on the Kamiq) that creates a separate storage area and reduces the loading lip when raised; the other two have quite a ledge to heave items over. The Stonic also has a height-adjustable floor, but with far tighter dimensions, it can manage only five cases.

Rear seats that split and fold in a 60/40 arrangement make more space available in all of our contenders when required, but only the T-Roc has a ski hatch to allow you to carry both long loads and two rear passengers. With the Kamiq’s rear seats down, there’s a step in its boot floor, while the other two provide a smooth surface to slide loads along, right up to their front seats.

Kia Stonic

Stonic’s boot can’t hold as much as the others’, because it’s shorter and shallower. It does come with a useful height-adjustable boot floor, though

Boot 352-1155 litres Suitcases 5

Skoda Kamiq

Like the Stonic, the Kamiq has useful cubbies for small items at the sides of its boot. It’s not quite as big as the T-Roc’s boot and you have to pay £155 to add an adjustable floor

Boot 400-1395 litres Suitcases 7

Volkswagen T-Roc

T-Roc has a ski hatch through which you can slide long items, plus a variable-height boot floor that results in the smallest load lip when it’s in its highest setting

Boot 445-1290 litres Suitcases 7

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