Load capacity: how much can you safety carry?(Annual Auto Issue 2002)(Directory)(Buyers Guide)(Statistical Data Included)

It's natural to assume that if a vehicle has a large cargo area, you can fill it without any worries about overloading. But some vehicles with a large cargo area have a relatively low load capacity--the maximum combined weight of cargo and people that it's designed to carry safely.

Vehicle owners must be aware of this limit because overloading can compromise safety in several ways: It can degrade handling, stress the brakes, and possibly overheat the tires, increasing the risk of tire failure. If a tire is underinflated, the risks increase. SUVs are of special concern because a load can raise their already high center of gravity, making them more susceptible to rollover.

Most automakers provide load-capacity data for cars (usually on a doorjamb sticker), but not for pickup trucks, SUVs, or minivans--the vehicles that you might be most likely to load up.We provide the load capacity of every model we test. The figures below are for tested models that are basically the same as versions now on sale. For other versions, you can use this list as a rough guide. Load capacities can vary depending on the trim level and optional equipment. Consequently, a vehicle with a higher trim level can have a lower load capacity than the base model.

 
MAKE                               MODEL   MAX. 
& MODEL                            YEAR    LOAD 
                                           (LB.) 
SMALL CARS 
 
Chevrolet Cavalier LS              2001      880 
Daewoo Nubira SX                   1999      880 
Dodge Neon ES                      2000      865 
Ford Focus ZTS                     2000      880 
Honda Civic EX                     2001      850 
Honda Insight                      2000      365 
Hyundai Elantra GLS                2001      850 
Kia Spectra (sedan)                1999      850 
Mazda Protege ES                   1999      850 
Nissan Sentra GXE                  2000      825 
Saturn SL2                         2000      850 
Toyota Echo                        2000      775 
Toyota Prius                       2001      800 
Volkswagen Golf TDI                2000      935 
Volkswagen Jetta GLS 2.0           1999    1,050 
 
FAMILY SEDANS (4-CYLINDER) 
 
Daewoo Leganza CDX                 1999      880 
Honda Accord EX                    2002      850 
Infiniti G20                       1999      860 
Mazda 626 LX                       1998      850 
Mitsubishi Galant ES               1999      825 
Nissan Altima 2.5 S                2002      860 
Oldsmobile Alero GL                1999      900 
Pontiac Grand Am SE                1999      900 
Saturn L200                        2000      925 
Subaru Legacy L                    2000      850 
Toyota Camry LE                    2002      900 
Volkswagen Passat GLS              2002    1,060 
Volvo S40                          2000      825 
 
FAMILY SEDANS (6-CYLINDER) 
 
Chevrolet Impala LS                2000      925 
Chevrolet Malibu LS                2001      915 
Chrysler Sebring LX                2001      865 
Dodge Intrepid ES                  2002      865 
Ford Taurus SE                     2000    1,100 
Honda Accord EX                    2000      850 
Hyundai Sonata GLS                 2001      860 
Mazda 626 LX                       2000      850 
Mitsubishi Galant ES               2000      825 
Nissan Altima 3.5 SE               2002      860 
Nissan Maxima GXE                  2000      880 
Oldsmobile Alero GL2               2001      900 
Oldsmobile Intrigue GL             2000      915 
Pontiac Grand Prix GT              2002      915 
Toyota Camry XLE                   2002      900 
Volkswagen Passat GLS              2000    1,000 
 
UPSCALE SEDANS 
 
Acura 3.2TL Type-S                 2002      850 
Audi A4 3.0 Quattro                2002    1,145 
BMW 330i                           2001    1,060 
Chrysler 300M                      1999      865 
Infiniti I35                       2002      880 
Jaguar X-Type 3.0                  2002      880 
Lexus ES300                        2002      900 
Lexus IS300                        2001      860 
Lincoln LS (V6)                    2000      900 
Mercedes-Benz C320                 2001      865 
Mitsubishi Diamante                1999      825 
Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0              2001      900 
Saab 9-5 2.3t                      1998      920 
Volvo S60 2.4T                     2001      890 
Volvo S80 2.9                      1999      895 
 
LARGE SEDANS 
 
Buick LeSabre Limited              2000    1,075 
Buick Park Avenue Ultra            1998      950 
Chrysler Concorde LXi              1998    1,015 
Mercury Grand Marquis GS           ...