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That's the problem with the Contour and a lot of other midsize cars like the Grand Am, Stratus, Jetta, etc.: They take up the space on the road like a midsize, while having less interior space than many compacts. The Focus has more interior space than the Contour, and my old roommate had a late 80s/early 90s Civic that was absolutely cavernous inside. I suppose maybe engineers just aren't under the gun to utilize space efficiently when they've got more space to work with...



I'm not sure about the current Jetta platform but old Jetta's and Contours are technically compacts. I'm almost certain that early 90's civics have less space than a Contour.

The difference between a small midsize and a large compact isn't total size, but the dimensions. Modern compacts have a lot of space because they are taller and shorter with tall seats that position your legs more vertically. They tend to be 2-3" higher with a wheelbase that is generally 3-5" shorter and width that's about 2" narrower than a Contour. Interior space ends up about the same with leg comfort going to the modern compact, depending on whether you enjoy being seated more upright.

For me, the dimensions of modern compacts ruin the driving experience. A lot of the Contour's good driving dynamics come from its dimensions, in my opinion.