Which 2016 Cars Have Hands-Free Liftgates?

By Rick Popely

November 11, 2016

2016 Volvo XC90
Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

CARS.COM — Ever wish you had a third hand to open the liftgate on your SUV because both your right and left are busy carrying grocery bags, a box or maybe a child?

A growing number of SUVs and passenger cars are solving that problem with hands-free liftgates, or trunks that open with the wave of a foot below the rear bumper or — on models with a proximity key — ones that open automatically when you come within a few feet of the back of the vehicle. No helping hands are required with this feature. You just need to have a “smart key” in your pocket or purse; it sends an electronic signal to the vehicle to open the liftgate.

Hands-free liftgates and trunks increasingly are becoming available on non-luxury brands, so this isn’t a feature reserved for the country club set. That doesn’t mean they come cheaply, however.

In some cases, hands-free access to the cargo area is offered only on the higher- or highest-priced versions of a particular model. In others, this feature might be part of an extra-cost option package that includes several expensive features, some of which you might not want.

Many more vehicles offer power liftgates or trunks activated by pushing a button on a key fob or inside the vehicle, but this list covers only those with hands-free operation.

If a vehicle you’re interested in isn’t listed here, check the 2017 models that offer them because that list is considerably longer.