Unknown Facts About Car Trunks That Will Surprise You

The trunk or the car’s cargo hold is a large compartment with a lid located at the rear of the car, used for storing objects. While some car models have the trunk located at the front, the majority have it at the rear.

The trunk in the early days

In the early days, cars did not have built-in trunks, and the cabins were very small. Therefore, users attached small boxes to the rear of the car to carry belongings and luggage.

This led to the birth of companies specializing in producing trunks for cars. The leading company in producing rear-mounted trunks for cars was Moynat of France.

The trunk came later than cars

While the first car, named Benz Patent Motorwagen, was born in 1886, it took around 40 years for American car manufacturers like Buick and Duesenberg to start producing car trunks integrated into the rear.

However, trunks were still quite rudimentary and separate from the cars. It was not until about 10 years later that trunks were truly integrated with the rear of cars and officially appeared on models like the Buick Club Sedan 1934 and the Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet 1936.

The birth of the hatchback

Citroen created the 11CV Commerciale with a trunk integrated into the cabin, along with two doors, one lifting upwards and one sliding horizontally. This design was aimed at serving traders who needed space for their goods.

Nowadays, this design has become one of the most popular car body styles known as hatchbacks.

The trunk handle appeared later

The trunk handle was introduced in 1920, but it wasn’t widely used until the 1950s when Ford started installing handles on the trunk lids. This made opening the trunk easier and more convenient.

This decade also saw the emergence of electric trunks, with the first electric trunk being applied to the Packard Predictor introduced at the 1956 Chicago Auto Show. However, only luxury car models were equipped with electric trunks at that time.

Not every car has a rear trunk

Not all cars have a rear trunk. Examples include the Volkswagen Beetle and Chevrolet Corvair, which have their engines located at the rear, so the trunks are shifted to the front of the cars.

On the other hand, cars like the Porsche 911 are equipped with both front and rear trunks.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class changed the design

When it was launched, the trunk was a small compartment for holding belongings. However, in 1984, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W124 completely changed the design. It introduced a larger storage compartment with higher walls.

This new design not only made it easier to load heavy objects onto the car but also significantly expanded the trunk opening, providing users with more convenience when putting in and taking out things.

In addition, Mercedes-Benz also introduced a hidden trunk handle that can be folded away when the lid is closed. This design helps keep the user’s hands clean when opening the trunk.

Opening the trunk by foot

The hands-free trunk opening feature is now available not only on luxury models but also on mainstream cars. Users can open the rear trunk by kicking their foot under the rear bumper when carrying heavy objects with both hands, without having to put the objects down.

The trunk is not just for storage

Some luxury car models now equip the trunk with additional features such as a tray, a refrigerator, seating, and other optimizations to better serve users.

Trunk volume is not always the most important factor

While a larger trunk volume generally means a wider trunk, it also depends on the size and interior equipment of the car. Flat-floored SUVs or hatchbacks with fold-flat seats can allow for more luggage to be loaded, even with the same volume as cars without this design.

Additionally, a square rear end makes it easier to carry more items in the trunk.

Is the trunk lid considered a car door?

For some car types, if the trunk is integrated into the cabin space, it can also function as a seat, and the trunk lid is considered the rear door of the car. This is why there are car models with 3 or 5-door configurations.

Is the pickup truck bed considered a trunk?

Although pickup truck beds serve a similar purpose, they are not considered trunks. Some pickup truck models do not have trunk lids, and the items placed in the bed may be prone to dirt and damage. However, some pickup truck models like the F-150 Lightning do have trunks at the front or rear.

The car trunk is like Doraemon’s magical pocket

The trunk not only stores items but also contains various accessories offered by manufacturers, such as spare wheels, toolkits, emergency warning signs, and first aid kits. In some cases, the trunk may also house compartments for small items located under the trunk floor or on the side of the trunk.