Frequently Asked Questions

Honestly — it's an approximation. Real boots have wheel arches, uneven floors, sloped tailgates, and all sorts of quirks that I don't capture yet. The 3D model is based on the manufacturer's width, depth, and height, so it gives you a useful sense of scale, but it won't match the exact shape of the boot.

I'm still in the early days and improving things as I go. If something looks off or you have ideas for making it better, I'd genuinely love to hear from you.

Reach out on X (@bzbislawski).

Yes! Drop me a message with the make, model, and year and I'll add it for you.

Reach out on X (@bzbislawski).

The packer uses real dimensions but assumes perfect rectangular stacking. Real life has soft bags, odd shapes, and the "just shove it in" factor. Use it as a guide, not gospel.

The packing algorithm places items as rigid boxes and never overlaps them. In real life you tilt a suitcase, squash a soft bag, or wedge something into a gap — the algorithm can't do that. It will always be more conservative than what you can achieve with a bit of creative loading.

You might also notice a "tight fit" result — that means the items technically fit but only with a small tolerance that isn't guaranteed in practice. Think of it as a maybe rather than a yes.

This is exactly why the custom packing option exists. If a preset scenario says something doesn't fit but you know from experience that it does, try custom packing with your actual item dimensions. It gives you more control and a clearer picture.

Yes, completely free. No sign-up, no paywall, no limits. I plan to keep it that way.

Most manufacturers use the VDA method — filling the boot with standardised 200 mm × 50 mm × 100 mm blocks and counting how many fit. The result is reported in litres.

This gives a single number, but it hides important details. It doesn't tell you the width between the wheel arches, the height of the boot lip you have to lift things over, or whether the floor is flat. Two boots with the same VDA volume can feel very different in practice.

Some brands measure to the window line (seats-up volume), others to the roof. Always check whether a quoted figure is seats-up or seats-down, as the difference can be hundreds of litres. On BootSized, all dimensions are seats-up — the space you actually have with passengers in the car.

A boot quoted at 400 litres means 400 one-litre blocks fit inside using the VDA method. In real life you're loading oddly shaped bags, not uniform blocks, so usable space is always less than the headline number.

Seats-up capacity is the space behind the rear seats with the parcel shelf in place — this is what you use day to day. Seats-down capacity folds the rear bench and measures the full load area up to the roof, useful for moving furniture or bulky items but not a fair comparison between cars for everyday use.

Manufacturer dimensions are measured in controlled conditions and are generally accurate for the numbers they report. The catch is what they leave out.

The quoted width is usually the widest point of the boot floor, but wheel arches narrow things considerably at the sides. Depth is measured along the floor, but a sloped tailgate means tall items won't fit at the back. Height might be measured to the parcel shelf or to the roof — it varies by brand.

That's why BootSized exists. Instead of trusting a single litres figure, you can load specific items into a 3D model and see whether they actually fit given the real dimensions.

The preset scenarios cover the most common use cases: cabin and checked suitcases, pushchairs and buggies, golf bags, weekly shopping, and combinations for family trips and weekends away.

If your item isn't in the presets, switch to custom packing and enter the width, depth, and height in millimetres. You can add as many items as you like and see in real time whether they fit together.

Different sources measure differently. One site might quote seats-up volume to the parcel shelf, another quotes to the roof. Some include under-floor storage, others don't. Facelifted models within the same generation can have slightly different dimensions too.

Regional specs also vary — a car sold in the UK might have a different boot floor height than the same model in Europe due to battery placement or spare wheel options.

On BootSized I note the generation and year for each model so you can tell which version you're looking at.

It depends on what you carry regularly. As a rough guide: a folded pushchair takes up about 80–100 litres of space on its own. Add a couple of shopping bags and you're looking at 150–200 litres just for the basics.

For a family holiday with two suitcases, a pushchair, and a bag of toys, you'll want at least 400 litres — and the shape matters as much as the volume. A wide, shallow boot handles suitcases laid flat much better than a deep, narrow one.

Rather than guessing with litres, use BootSized to load your actual items into the car you're considering. I promise it will help you make a better decision before your next trip.