Last Updated on April 5, 2023 by Victor A
SUVs allow you to carry large objects that would normally be impossible to fit into passenger cars. Couches are one of those objects that are commonly transported in large vehicles, but can a couch fit in an SUV? The answer is yes, but there’s more to it.
Not every couch is the same, in terms of size and shape, as well as when it comes to SUVs, they come in different sizes and with different cargo capabilities, so the first step would be to identify the type of couch you’re moving.
Types of couch sizes
We can categorize couches by the number of people they are meant to seat, usually, the only difference between each is found in the width, while the depth and height don’t usually change between sizes.
However, be mindful that depending on the brand and the style of the couch these numbers may vary.
Use the following table as a guide to get an idea of how likely a couch with the number of desired seats will measure:
| Width | Depth | Height | |
| One Seat (Armchair) | 36” (914 mm) | 38” (965 mm) | 34” (864 mm) |
| Two Seats (Loveseat) | 63” (1600 mm) | 38” (965 mm) | 34” (864 mm) |
| Three Seats | 90” (2286 mm) | 38” (965 mm) | 34” (864 mm) |
| Four Seats | 117” (2972 mm) | 38” (965 mm) | 34” (864 mm) |
| Five Seats | 144” (3658 mm) | 38” (965 mm) | 34” (864 mm) |
| Six Seats | 171” (4343 mm) | 38” (965 mm) | 34” (864 mm) |
As you can see, each time you add a seat the width increases while the depth and height remain the same, this is important as you will be looking for an SUV with a cargo length that will be similar to the width of the desired couch.
Types of SUVs and their cargo size
The second most important point to understand how can a couch fit in an SUV is to know what type of SUV you will be using, and if its cargo capacity will be enough for the type of couch you’re going to transport.
First of all, understand that we usually categorize SUVs into three different classifications based on size.
Starting with crossover SUVs, they are similar to passenger cars but with higher ground clearance, then we have midsize SUVs, which are the most common and easily-identifiable ones, and then full-size SUVs, which are the largest ones, often they come standard with three-row of seating and plenty of cargo room.
In terms of cargo area, we need to understand that the way we will fit the couch into the SUV trunk is by folding the rear seats so we can use that extra length to fit inside the couch.
“Length to seat 2” means how long is the distance between the trunk to the second row of seating, while “ length to seat 1” is the length to the first row.
Here we need to take into account the width of the couch as this will tell us if we need to fold the second row of seating.
We won’t give you the distance to the third row because the length is so limited that you won’t be able to fit any type of sofa inside, so make sure you at least fold the third-row seating.
The cargo width is useful as it helps to know if the depth of the sofa is appropriate for our SUV, however, don’t worry much about this one since all SUVs come with enough cargo width so most sofas will fit.
And lastly, the headroom tells us the distance between the folded seat and the interior roof of the SUV. This one is tricky as many SUVs have a slanted back which makes the headroom lower at the end.
You want to find an SUV with a higher headroom than 34 inches (864 mm), as that’s the standard height of most couches.
The rule of thumb should be that some crossover SUVs will be able to fit all one seat couches, while two seat couches will also be possible, however, some SUVs will have trouble fitting them due to their headroom.
Midsize SUVs shouldn’t find problems fitting two seat couches, and some could even fit three seat couches. They have a decent cargo area and they can carry objects like dishwashers.
And for full-size SUVs, fitting three seat couches are almost guaranteed, but only the especially-large full-size SUVs, that can fit large objects like mattresses, and that will be able to fit four seat couches.
What’s the biggest couch I can fit in an SUV?
Now that we answered, can you fit a couch in an SUV? we need to understand how big a couch can be to fit inside one.
Couches that have five seats or more won’t fit any SUV since the minimum width of those couches is rated at 144 inches (3658 mm). And the largest SUVs won’t manage to have the required space for those sizes.
That means that we are limited to couches from one to four seats. Now, you may wonder how it is possible that we could fit a four seat couch in an SUV if those couches have a width of 117 inches (2972 mm).
The trick is to try to fit the couch inside the SUV by placing one side in the farther right (the one close to the first row) while placing the other side of the couch in the left corner (the one close to the trunk).
By doing so it’s possible that you could fit a four seat couch into some of the largest full-size SUVs like the Ford Expedition Max, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, or the Cadillac Escalade ESV.
For three seat couches, any full-size SUV will suffice, and for those with a slightly smaller cargo area, you can always do the same trick used in four seat couches.
And for one and four seat couches you shouldn’t find any problem when fitting them into any SUV, even in crossover SUVs it should be quite easy.
Here’s an example of two SUVs that could fit up to two seat couches, however, their limited headroom may make it hard to do so.
| Length to seat 1 | Length to seat 2 | Cargo width | Head Room | |
| Ford Bronco Sport | 76” (1930 mm) | 33” (838 mm) | 43” (1092 mm) | 33.3” (846 mm) |
| BMW iX | 76.9” (1953 mm) | 42.1” (1069 mm) | 43.6” (1107 mm) | 28.5” (724 mm) |
And here are some that will find no problem fitting two seat couches inside.
| Length to seat 1 | Length to seat 2 | Cargo width | Head Room | |
| Hyundai Palisade | 82.5” (2096 mm) | 49” (1245 mm) | 43.4” (1102 mm) | 33.5” (851 mm) |
| BMW X7 | 81.5” (2070 mm) | 45” (1143 mm) | 43.5” (1105 mm) | 34” (864 mm) |
| Mercedes GLS | 79.7” (2024 mm) | 54.2” (1377 mm) | 50.3” (1278 mm) | 34.7” (881 mm) |
For three seat couches things get more complicated, but still possible with these SUVs.
| Length to seat 1 | Length to seat 2 | Cargo width | Head Room | |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 90.4” (2296 mm) | 57.2” (1453 mm) | 49.4” (1255 mm) | 38.2” (970 mm) |
| Nissan Armada | 86.2” (2189 mm) | 49.1” (1247 mm) | 48.8” (1240 mm) | 36.7” (932 mm) |
| Ford Explorer | 93.5” (2375 mm) | 55.5” (1410 mm) | 54.6” (1387 mm) | 38.9” (988 mm) |
Very few SUVs in the market could fit four seat couches, but a clear example of one that could is the Ford Expedition Max.
| Length to seat 1 | Length to seat 2 | Cargo width | Head Room | |
| Ford Expedition Max | 103.1” (2619 mm) | 64.9” (1649 mm) | 51.3” (1303 mm) | 36.1” (917 mm) |
Can you fit a couch in an SUV? Yes!
As you can see above, it’s possible to fit a couch as long as you don’t try to fit a considerably big couch into your SUV, even most crossover SUVs will be able to transport most regular couches.
This is one of the main selling points about SUVs, they can fit large objects like grills, sofas, etc.
As always, we recommend that you take the exact measures of your SUV cargo area and you compare them with the ones of the couch you want to fit.
This is important since not all couches are the same, and the design of the one you want may have different measurements than the standard ones.
Also, be wary that depending on the automaker the cargo area may be different than similar SUVs, so it’s always a good idea to carry with you a tape measure.
Also, if you’re planning on fitting a Peloton bike, you might want to check this article.
