Tesla's Model 3 isn't an SUV — but you can almost use it like one (TSLA)

In some respects, the new Tesla Model 3 sedan is the wrong car for the current SUV-mad market in the US.

Americans are buying lots of compact SUVs. In fact, some automakers now think that a structural change has occurred and that SUVs have completely displaced passenger cars. If you want to buy or lease, you can start with a small SUV and never look back.

Tesla plans to roll out a compact SUV, the Model Y, but until then, we have to content ourselves with the four-door.

The Model 3 has a conventional, manually operated truck that is reasonably roomy. But compared with the cargo hatch of a compact SUV, the Model 3 looks a bit meager. That is until you get the Tesla's secret cargo weapon: the frunk!

Read on.

The Model 3! It's smaller than the Model S sedan, to be sure. But ...

It has a decent-size truck that could swallow up a lot of video equipment.

And of course a front trunk, or "frunk."

The total cargo capacity for the Model 3 is 15 cubic feet.

Tesla's can have the extra space up front because all-electric cars don't have a engine under the hood.

Here's the rear cargo area of a Model S.

And here's the frunk in the Model S.

The Model S offers 30 cubic feet in total.

Moving right along, here's the rear cargo area of Model X SUV.

And the Model X frunk.

In total, a whopping 88 cubic feet of capacity for the Model X.

On paper, the Tesla Model X looks like it could handle as much as the Toyota Sienna minivan. But in practice, I don't think I could pack five kids' camp gear into the X.

Maxed out, with the third row down, the Sienna can offer 150 cubic feet.

Just to be clear, you can put all kinds of things in the cargo area of a conventional compact SUV. Nissan even let me borrow its "Rogue Dogue" concept model.

Read the review. The Rogue Dogue isn't a car you can buy — Nissan just did it as a car-show special.

Here's a BMW X1. There's more space back there, so for longer jaunts, the X1 beats the Model 3.

Total capacity is close to 30 cubic feet for the X1.

The bottom line is that for day-to-day use, the Model 3 can perform about the same as a compact SUV.

However, if you need to routinely strike out on long weekends with four or five passengers, the Model 3 would show the strain.

That said, the fastback design is far more elegant and sporty that what you'd get in a compact SUV, with an Upswinging hatchback.

Tesla's Model 3 isn't an SUV — but you can almost use it like one (TSLA)

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