Will a dishwasher fit in an SUV? Here’s how!

Last Updated on March 13, 2023 by Victor A

Transporting a dishwasher in an SUV can be a tedious job, as it’s not as simple as it looks. But more importantly, you need to know if your SUV has the required cargo space to fit it. In short: will a dishwasher fit in an SUV? yes, it might, but it depends on the type of SUV you drive.

One of the most annoying things about the automobile industry is how the cargo space is measured. Automakers tend to give the data in cubic feet, instead of practical dimensions like inches or centimeters. This can be frustrating for the customers, as what matters are the real dimensions.

You may have two different SUVs with the same cubic feet dimensions in the cargo area, however, the distribution of the boot of each SUV could be completely different, one could have a short trunk, with a wide space, while the other may have a tall boot but lack much depth.

This is a problem when transporting things like a dishwasher since it requires much height and a decent depth.

Know what type of dishwasher you have

Before attempting to transport a dishwasher, make sure you know in which category it fits.

Dishwashers can be categorized into 4 types based on their size, knowing the dimensions is crucial because the width, depth, and height of your SUV’s cargo space might be too tight for the job.

You should look closely at the height figures as this is the one where most SUVs differ in terms of cargo space. Note that the minimum height you’ll need is 35 inches (89 cm), that’s a lot, as many midsize SUVs don’t even get close to that.

We emphasize the height because if you want to make sure your dishwasher arrives in the best conditions, you have to transport it upwards, otherwise you might damage the internals.

Here’s a chart with the types of dishwashers (based on size) that you might find handy:

Which SUVs can fit a dishwasher? 

Now, based on the above chart you can get an idea of which SUVs might be able to fit a dishwasher, for example, a Honda CR-V, which has a width of 54 inches (137 cm), a depth of 40 inches (102 cm), and a height of 39 inches (99 cm) will be able to transport any dishwasher without problems. 

On the contrary, a Toyota Highlander won’t be able to fit any dishwashers as it lacks the proper space. In case you’re wondering, the highlander has a width of 46,5 inches (118 cm), a depth of 20,75 inches (53 cm), and a height of 30 inches (76 cm).

Find below a chart with the cargo space dimensions of some popular SUVs:

Always transport the dishwasher upwards

When moving the dishwasher, you need to make sure that it’s always in an upward position at all times. If it lays on its side, it can be damaged by bumps caused by the inner and outer tubs.

If this happens the dishwasher might get a damaged suspension or find its support pads broken.

So when moving the dishwasher from your SUV to your home, make sure you carry it upwards.

How to move a dishwasher

Moving a dishwasher can be done in 7 easy steps. Again, we emphasize how important is to keep it upwards at all times:

• 1) Fasten the power cord properly.
• 2-) Load the dishwasher onto an appliance dolly.
• 3-) Load it into your SUV.
• 4-) Drive to the desired place.
• 5-) Unload it onto an appliance dolly.
• 6-) Level and balance it into the desired place.
• 7 -) Install it.

As you see, it doesn’t require much thought, however, we highly recommend that the job is carried by two people as dishwashers are quite heavy, ranging from 150 to 175 pounds ( 68 to 79 kgs). Therefore you might need some help, since you may be strong enough but having to make sure the dishwasher is carried upwards would make the moving trickier.

In conclusion – Will a dishwasher fit in an SUV? Yes

It will depend on what type of SUV you drive, and the shape of it. As you might have a coupé midsize SUV, like the BMW X6, which will find its cargo space height compromised because of the design, but then, there’s the BMW X7, which has a slightly bigger size and a more conventional shape, which could easily fit a washing machine. So make sure to measure, the cargo space before loading a dishwasher.

SUVs are attractive for many people because their cargo capacities, they can carry large objects like big luggages, couches, etc. Just remember to have the right SUV, since a crossover SUV is not the same as a full-size SUV.