What Is A Cubic Foot & How Big Is 1 Cubic Foot of a Vehicle’s Cargo Area

Every car enthusiast knows that the cubic feet of a vehicle are used to measure the size of the vehicle’s cargo space. Want to know the size of your vehicle’s cargo area? Then check the vehicle’s review of the manual that specifies the exact cubic feet of the car.

However, only a few understand a cubic foot in a vehicle. A cubic foot is a unit used to measure the size of the cargo space inside a vehicle.

What is a Cubic Foot?

A cubic foot is a unit of measurement commonly used by landscapers and other contractors to measure the volume of an area. Just like its name, cubic feet measure the area of an object as if it were a cube or box. So, if one cubic foot looks like a square box whose sides measure one foot each, to find the cubic feet of an object, this is the formula used: length x width x height. 

If the object you’re measuring isn’t a standard square or rectangle, there are other ways to find its cubic footage. For things like pipes or tubes, you multiply the height and diameter of the object by feet. Multiply that number by 3.14, and you get the cubic feet of a cylinder. 

Once you know an object’s length in cubic feet, it’s easy to convert that to other units of measurement. Multiplying the total cubic footage by 28,316.8 for conversion to cubic centimetres. If you want the cubic inches of an object, multiply your cubic foot measurement by 12. 

The Official Cargo Space Numbers Given To Cars Are Not Always Accurate 

Cubic feet are mostly useful for measuring the depth of an area than feet or height alone. Even so, using cubic feet to measure the cargo capacity of a car could often be inaccurate. Additionally, there’s only so much you can safely put into an SUV or hatchback despite the cubic feet size from the manufacturer says. 

Experts note that automakers typically use the “SAE J1100 Motor Vehicle Dimensions” to measure cargo space. However, because there are different versions of the SAE J1100, your car could have more or less cargo area than advertised. 

In some vehicles, the cubic feet could be as high as 23 cubic feet than what the manufacturer says, or 23 cubic feet less. 

Is There A Better Way To Determine Your Vehicle’s Cargo Space

The system used by automakers to determine the cubic feet of a vehicle’s cargo space is still the most commonly used method. The reality is that there’s no exactly accurate cubic feet measurement. Sometimes, it could be more, while less at other times. 

Conclusion

If the vehicle you bought has cubic feet of 38, there’s a chance it could fit more items than a cubic space of 38 can fit into. However, it’s important to note that there are always discrepancies when it comes to determining the exact cubic feet of a vehicle.