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Car classification
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Governments and private organizations have developed car classification schemes that are used for
innumerable purposes including regulation, description and categorization, among others. This article details
commonly used classification schemes in use worldwide.

Contents
1 Classification methods
2 Size and usage­based vehicle classification systems worldwide
3 Economy Car
3.1 Microcar
3.2 Hatchbacks
3.2.1 Ultracompact car
3.2.2 City car
3.2.3 Supermini/subcompact car
4 Family Car
4.1 Small family car/compact car
4.2 Large family / mid­size
5 Saloons / sedans
5.1 Large family / mid­size
5.2 Full size / large
5.3 Crossover SUV
5.4 Minivans / MPVs
6 Luxury vehicle
6.1 Compact executive
6.2 Executive/mid­luxury
6.3 Full­size luxury / Grand saloon
6.4 Estate cars / station wagons
7 Sports cars
7.1 Hot hatch
7.2 Sports saloon / sports sedan
7.3 Sports car
7.4 Grand tourer
7.5 Supercar
7.6 Muscle car
7.7 Pony car
7.8 Convertible
8 Off­roaders
8.1 Sport utility vehicle
9 Commercial vehicle
9.1 Van
10 Other car classification terms
10.1 Non­English terms
11 See also
12 References
13 External links

Classification methods

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Vehicles can be categorized in numerous ways. For example, by means of the body style and the "level of
commonality in vehicle construction as defined by number of doors and roof treatment (e.g., sedan, convertible,
fastback, hatchback) and number of seats" that require seat belts to meet safety regulations.[1]

Regulatory agencies may also establish a vehicle classification system for determining a tax amount. In the
United Kingdom, a vehicle is taxed according to the vehicle's construction, engine, weight, type of fuel and
emissions, as well as the purpose for which it is used.[2] Other jurisdictions may determine vehicle tax based
upon environmental principles, such as the user pays principle.[3] In another example, certain cities in the
United States in the 1920s chose to exempt electric­powered vehicles because officials believed those vehicles
did not cause "substantial wear upon the pavements."[4]

Another standard for road vehicles of all types that is used internationally (except for Australia, India, and the
U.S.), is ISO 3833­1977.[5]

In an example from private enterprise, many car rental companies use the ACRISS Car Classification Code to
describe the size, type and equipment of vehicles to ensure that rental agents can match customer needs to
available vehicles, regardless of distance between the agent and the rental company or the languages spoken by
either party. In the United States, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety uses a scheme it has developed
that takes into account a combination of both vehicle size and other vehicle features such as length and
wheelbase.[6]

Highway Loss Data Institute

Definition
classification
Sports Cars with significant high performance features
Luxury Higher­end cars that are not classified as sports
Length more than 495.3 cm (195 in) and wheelbase more than 279.4 cm
Large
(110 in)
Length 457.3 to 495.3 cm (180–195 in) and wheelbase 266.8 to
Midsize
279.4 cm (105–110 in)
Length less than 457.2 cm (180 in) and wheelbase less than 266.7 cm
Small
(105 in)

The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) separates vehicles into classes by
the curb weight of the vehicle with standard equipment including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, coolant,
and air conditioning, if so equipped.[7]

NHTSA classification Code Curb weight

Passenger cars: mini PC/Mi 1,500 to 1,999 lb (680–907 kg)
Passenger cars: light PC/L 2,000 to 2,499 lb (907–1,134 kg)
Passenger cars: compact PC/C 2,500 to 2,999 lb (1,134–1,360 kg)
Passenger cars: medium PC/Me 3,000 to 3,499 lb (1,361–1,587 kg)
Passenger cars: heavy PC/H 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) and over
Sport utility vehicles SUV –
Pickup trucks PU –
Vans VAN –

The United States Federal Highway Administration has developed a classification scheme used for
automatically calculating road use tolls. There are two broad categories depending on whether the vehicle
carries passengers or commodities. Vehicles that carry commodities are further subdivided by number of axles

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and number of units, including both power and trailer units.[8]

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has developed a classification scheme used to
compare fuel economy among similar vehicles. Passenger vehicles are classified based on a vehicle's total
interior passenger and cargo volumes. Trucks are classified based upon their gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR). Heavy duty vehicles are not included within the EPA scheme.[9]

EPA car class Total passenger and cargo volume (cu. ft.)
Two­seaters Any (designed to seat only two adults)
Minicompact Less than 85 cu ft (2,407 l)
Subcompact 85 to 99 cu ft (2,407–2,803 l)
Compact 100 to 109 cu ft (2,832–3,087 l)
Mid­size 110 to 119 cu ft (3,115–3,370 l)
Large 120 cu ft (3,398 l) or more
Small station wagons Less than 130 cu ft (3,681 l)
Mid­size station wagons 130 to 159 cu ft (3,681–4,502 l)
Large station wagons 160 cu ft (4,531 l) or more

A similar set of classes is used by the Canadian EPA.[10] The Canadian National Collision Database (NCDB)
system defines "passenger car" as a unique class, but also identifies two other categories involving passenger
vehicles—the "passenger van" and "light utility vehicle"—and these categories are inconsistently handled
across the country with the boundaries between the vehicles increasingly blurred.[11]

In Australia, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries publishes its own classifications.[12]

Size and usage­based vehicle classification systems worldwide

This is a summary table listing several different methods of vehicle classification.

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Vehicle Classification
Not Well Defined / Vernacular Defined by Law or Regulation
Market Market Market
Euro NCAP Euro
Segment Segment Segment US EPA Size Euro NCAP Class Examples
Structural Market
(American (British (Australian Class[14] (1997 ­ 2009)
English) English) Category[15] Segment [16]
English) [13]
Bond Bug, Isetta, Mega
Microcar,
Microcar N/A N/A — Quadricycle City, Renault Twizy,
Bubble car
REVAi/G­Wiz
A­segment
mini cars Citroën C1, Fiat 500,
Hyundai Eon, Mitsubishi
Subcompact City car Microcar Minicompact
i­MiEV, Renault
Supermini (http://w
car Twingo, Smart Fortwo
ww.euroncap.com/s
Economy
upermini.aspx) Ford Fiesta, Kia Rio,
Car B­segment
Supermini Light Car Subcompact Opel Corsa, Peugeot
small cars
208, Volkswagen Polo
Small family car (ht DS DS4, Honda Civic,
C­segment
Small tp://www.euroncap. Mazda3, Peugeot 308,
Compact car Small Car Compact medium
family car com/small_family_ Renault Mégane, Toyota
cars
car.aspx) Corolla
Chevrolet Malibu, Ford
Large Fusion, Peugeot 508,
Mid­size car Medium Car Mid­size
family car Large family car (ht Subaru Legacy,
tp://www.euroncap. D­segment Volkswagen Passat
com/large_family_ large cars Acura ILX, Alfa Romeo
Compact Medium Car car.aspx)
Entry­level Giulia, Audi A4, Lexus
executive above N/A
luxury car ES, Mercedes­Benz C­
car $60,000
Class
Chevrolet Impala, Ford
Taurus, Mazda Xedos 9,
Hyundai Grandeur,
Full­size car Large Car Large Holden Commodore,
Executive (http://w E­segment first and second
Executive
ww.euroncap.com/e executive generation Škoda
car Passenger
xecutive.aspx) cars Superb, Toyota Avalon
car
Large Car Audi A6, Cadillac CTS,
Mid­size
above N/A Chrysler 300, Tesla
luxury car
$70,000 Model S, Acura TLX
BMW 7 Series, Lincoln
Upper Large
Full­size F­segment Town Car, Mercedes­
Luxury car Car above N/A —
luxury car luxury cars Benz S­Class, Porsche
$100,000
Panamera, Audi A8
Aston Martin DB9,
Grand Grand Bentley Continental GT,
N/A —
tourer tourer Ferrari FF, Jaguar XK,
Maserati GranTurismo
Bugatti Veyron,
LaFerrari, Lamborghini
Supercar Supercar N/A — Aventador, Pagani
S­segment Zonda, Porsche 918
Sports Car sports Spyder
coupés BMW 6 Series,
Chevrolet Camaro,
Convertible Convertible N/A —
Mercedes CLK, Volvo
C70, Volkswagen Eos
Roadster sports (htt BMW Z4, Lotus Elise,
p://www.euroncap.c Mazda MX­5, Porsche
Roadster Roadster Two­seater
om/roadster_sports. Boxster, Mercedes­Benz
aspx) SLK
Citroen C3 Picasso, Ford
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— Mini MPV N/A B­Max, Opel Meriva,

Small MPV (http:// Renault Kangoo
www.euroncap.co Chevrolet Orlando, Ford
Compact m/small_mpv.aspx) C­Max, Opel Zafira,
MPV
MPV Renault Scenic,
Minivan
Volkswagen Touran
People
Mover Chrysler Town and
Large MPV (http:// Country, Kia Carnival,
Minivan Large MPV www.euroncap.co M­segment Citroën C4 Grand
MPV m/large_mpv.aspx) multi Picasso, Renault Espace,
purpose cars Toyota Sienna
Chevrolet Express 1500
Cargo, Fiat Ducato/Ram
Cargo van Van Van Cargo van — ProMaster, Ford Transit,
Renault Master,
Volkswagen Transporter
Chevrolet Express 1500
Passenger People Passenger Passenger, Ford E350
Minibus —
van Mover van Wagon, Mercedes­Benz
Viano
Daihatsu Terios, Ford
Ecosport, Jeep
Mini SUV Mini 4x4 Small SUV
Small Off­Road Renegade, Peugeot
Small Sport 2008, Suzuki Jimny
4x4 (http://www.eu
Utility
roncap.com/small_ Audi Q5, Chevrolet
Vehicle
Compact Compact Medium off_road_4_4.aspx) J­segment Equinox, Ford Escape,
SUV SUV SUV sport utility Honda CR­V, Jeep
cars Cherokee, Kia Sportage
Off­roader
(including Audi Q7, Ford
off­road Expedition, Hyundai
Mid­size vehicles)
Large SUV Large Off­Road Santa Fe, Jeep Grand
SUV Standard
4x4 (http://www.eu Cherokee, Volkswagen
Large 4x4 Sport Utility Touareg, Volvo XC90
roncap.com/large_o
Vehicle
ff_road_4_4.aspx) Range Rover, Cadillac
Full­size Upper Large
Escalade, Toyota Land
SUV SUV
Cruiser
Chevrolet Montana, Fiat
Mini pickup Strada, Renault Duster
truck Oroch, Volkswagen
Small Pickup Saveiro
Truck Pick­up (http://ww Ford Ranger, Chevrolet
Mid­size w.euroncap.com/Co Colorado, Mitsubishi
pickup truck ntent­CarClass/b9d Triton/L200, Nissan
Pick­up Pick­up Pickup — Navara, Toyota Hilux
af426­e95a­43af­be
a9­c5d2e7388aef/pi Dodge Ram, Ford F­
Full­size ck­up.aspx) 150, GMC Sierra, Nissan
pickup truck
Standard Titan, Toyota Tundra
pickup truck Chevrolet Silverado HD,
Heavy Duty
Ram Heavy Duty, Ford
pickup truck
Super Duty
Special Special
purpose — Limousine purpose — — — Lincoln MKT Livery
vehicle vehicle

Economy Car
Microcar

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Straddling the boundary between car and motorbike, these vehicles have
engines under 1.0 litre, typically seat only two passengers, and are
sometimes unorthodox in construction. Some microcars are three­
wheelers, while the majority have four wheels. Microcars were popular
in post­war Europe, where their appearance led them to be called
"Bubble cars". More recent microcars are often electric powered.

Examples of microcars:

Isetta
Smart Fortwo Abaca microcar (Japan)
Tata Nano

Hatchbacks

Ultracompact car

In 2012, Japan's Transport and Tourism Ministry allowed local government to use ultracompact cars as
transport for residents and tourists in their limiting areas. The size of ultracompact cars will be less than
minicars, but have engine greater than 50cc displacement and able to transport 1 or 2 persons. Ultracompact
cars cannot use minicars standard, because of strict safety standards for minicars. The regulation about running
capacity and safety performance of ultracompact cars will be published in early autumn. Today, there are cars
smaller than ultracompact cars, called category­1 motorized vehicles which it has 50cc displacement or less and
only one seat for the driver.[17]

City car

A city car is a small automobile intended for use in urban areas. Unlike
microcars, a city car's greater speed, capacity and (in perception at least)
occupant protection are safer in mixed traffic environments and weather
conditions. While city cars can reach highway speeds, that is not their
intended use. In Japan, city cars are called kei cars.[18] Kei cars have to
meet strict size and engine requirements: engines have a maximum
displacement of 660 cc and the car's length must be under 3400 mm.

Examples of kei cars:

Citroën C1
Daihatsu Move
Honda Life
Suzuki Cervo

Examples of city cars:

Fiat Panda
Maruti 800
Mini (Original 1959 model)

Other small cars:

Carver One
Citroën Type C
Smith Flyer

Supermini/subcompact car

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This class is known as supermini in the UK, subcompact in North

America. Superminis have three, four or five doors, and even as an
estate shape. They are designed to seat four passengers comfortably.
Current supermini hatchbacks are approximately 3900 mm long, while
saloons and estate cars are around 4200 mm long. Currently (2013)
sedan variants are generally not available in Europe and are marketed at
a lower price than hatchback models in North America.
Renault Clio IV
In Europe, the first superminis were the Fiat 500 of 1957 and the Austin
Mini of 1959. Nowadays, superminis can be some premium cars, like the Citroën DS3, named 2010 Car of the
Year by Top Gear Magazine. Superminis are some of the best selling vehicles in Europe with 25% of the
market shares (2013). In 2007, the Peugeot 207 has been the most sold car in Europe, whereas the best seller is
almost systematically a car from the compact segment.

In Australia, the motoring press tends to distinguish between a light car such as the Daihatsu Charade or early
models of the Holden Barina, and slightly larger models such as the Ford Fiesta which is considered to be a
small car. As the general size of vehicles in this class has gradually increased, the category of light car has
almost disappeared.

Examples of superminis/subcompact cars:

Opel Corsa
Peugeot 208
Volkswagen Polo

This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Superminis".

Family Car
Small family car/compact car

Small family/compact cars refer to the hatchbacks and shortest saloons

and estate cars with similar size. They are approximately 4,250 mm
(167 in) long in case of hatchbacks and 4,500 mm (177 in) in the case of
saloons and estate cars. Compact cars have room for five adults and
usually have engines between 1.4 and 2.2 litres, but some have engines
of up to 2.5 litres. Some early "muscle" compacts had optional V8
engines of up to 6.6 liters. These are the most popular vehicles in most
developed countries.

Examples of hatchback small family cars/compact cars: Volkswagen Golf

Peugeot 308
Toyota Auris
Renault Megane

This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Small Family Cars". In Australia, this class is generally
referred to as being small­medium sized cars.

Large family / mid­size

Traditionally, mid­size cars are drawn with a sedan shape, nevertheless some designers introduced some
innovations during the 2010s, like the Citroën DS5 which is a hatchback large family car. This joins the general
trend of making the design in a more sportive way and with a more cross­over approach, like liftback for SUV
or four doors sportive sedan coupés.

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Citroën DS5

Saloons / sedans
Large family / mid­size

A class described as "large family" in Europe and "mid­size" in the

USA, these cars have room for five adults and a large trunk (boot).
Engines are more powerful than small family/compact cars and six­
cylinder engines are more common than in smaller cars. Car sizes vary
from region to region; in Europe, large family cars are rarely over
4,700 mm (15.4 ft) long, while in North America, Middle East and
Australasia they may be well over 4,800 mm (15.7 ft).
Toyota Camry
Examples of large family cars/mid­size cars:

Chevrolet Malibu
Ford Mondeo
Kia Optima

This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Large Family Cars". These are known in Australia as
Medium sized cars.

Full size / large

This term is used most in North America, Middle East and Australia
where it refers to the largest affordable sedans on the market. Full­size
cars may be well over 4,900 mm (16.1 ft) long.

Examples of full­size cars:

Dodge Charger
Ford Falcon
Toyota Avalon [19] Holden Commodore

Crossover SUV

Crossover SUVs are derived from an automobile platform using a monocoque construction with light off­road
capability and lower ground clearance than SUVs. They may be styled similar to conventional "off­roaders", or
may be look similar to an estate car or station wagon.

Examples of crossover SUVs:

Chevrolet Equinox
Nissan Qashqai
Tata Aria
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Minivans / MPVs

Also known as "people carriers", this class of cars resembles tall estate
cars. Larger MPVs may have seating for up to eight passengers.
(Beyond that size, similar vehicles tend to be derived from vans (see
below) and in Europe are called minibuses.)

Being taller than a family car improves visibility for the driver (while
reducing visibility for other road users) and may help access for the Mitsubishi Outlander
elderly or disabled. They also offer more seats and increased load
capacity than hatchbacks or estate cars.

Examples of mini MPVs:

Citroën C3 Picasso
Ford B­Max
Nissan Note

Examples of compact MPVs: Renault Espace, one of the first true

minivans
Opel Zafira Tourer
Peugeot 5008
Renault Scénic

Both categories are equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Small MPVs".

Examples of large MPVs / minivans:

Dodge Caravan
Ford S­Max
Mazda5

This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "MPVs".

Luxury vehicle
Compact executive

These are luxurious equivalents to mid­size and compact cars. Rear seat
room and trunk space are smaller than executive cars simply because of
their smaller overall size.

Examples of compact premium cars/entry­level luxury cars:

Audi A4
BMW 3 Series
Buick Regal
Lexus IS
This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Large Family
Cars".

Executive/mid­luxury

These are luxurious equivalents to full­size cars. This also refers to the largest hatchbacks within the similar
length in this class, such as the Porsche Panamera.

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Examples of executive cars/mid­luxury cars:

Peugeot 607
Jaguar XF
MG Magnette

This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Executive Cars".

Full­size luxury / Grand saloon BMW 5 Series

Also known as full­size luxury cars, grand saloons, or premium large

cars, while "Oberklasse" is used in Germany. Typically a four­door
saloon (sedan). These are the most powerful saloons, with six, eight and
twelve­cylinder engines and have more equipment than smaller models.
Vehicles in this category include some of the models from the flagship
lines of luxury car brands, such as Cadillac CT6,[20] Lincoln Town Car
and Maserati Quattroporte.
Mercedes­Benz S­Class
Examples of grand saloons:

Audi A8
Lexus LS
BMW 7­Series

This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Executive Cars".

Estate cars / station wagons

A station wagon (also known as an estate or estate car) is an

automobile with a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof
extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at
the back via a third or fifth door (the liftgate or tailgate), instead of a
trunk lid. The body style transforms a standard three­box design into a
two­box design—to include an A, B, and C­pillar, as well as a D­pillar.
Station wagons can flexibly reconfigure their interior volume via fold­
Audi A6 avant
down rear seats to prioritize either passenger or cargo volume.

Examples of estates/station wagons:

Hyundai i40 Tourer

Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Mercedes­Benz CLS Shooting Brake

Sports cars
Hot hatch

A hot hatch is a high­performance hatchback, based on standard superminis or small family cars with
improved performance, handling and styling. Hot hatches are very popular in Europe, where hatchbacks are by
far the most common body style for this size of car. In North America, sport compacts are usually sold as
saloons or coupés rather than hatchbacks.

Examples of hot hatches:

Volkswagen Golf GTi

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Peugeot 205 GTi

Fiat 500 Abarth

Sports saloon / sports sedan

These are high­performance versions of saloons. Sometimes originally

homologated for production based motorsports (touring cars or rally
cars) and like regular saloons, seats four or five people.

Examples of sports saloons/sedans:

Peugeot 205 GTI crowned "The
BMW M5 Greatest Ever Hot Hatch"[21]
Mazdaspeed6/Mazda 6 MPS
Dodge Charger

Examples of sport compact saloons/sedans:

Dodge SRT­4
Lotus Cortina
Mitsubishi EVO

Sports car Pontiac G8 GT

The term "sports car" does not appear to have a clear definition.[22] It is
commonly used to describe vehicles which prioritise acceleration and
handling; however, some people claim it is also defined as a vehicle
with two seats.[23]
A Sports car (sportscar or sport car) is a small, usually two­seat, two­
door automobile designed for spirited performance and nimble
Jaguar E­Type
handling.[24] Sports cars may be spartan or luxurious but high
maneuverability and minimum weight are requisite.[25]

Examples of sports cars:

Chevrolet Corvette
Mazda MX­5
Porsche 911

Grand tourer

Larger, more powerful and heavier than sports cars, these vehicles
typically have a FR layout and seating for four passengers (2+2). These
are more expensive than sports cars but not as expensive as supercars.
Grand Tourers encompass both luxury and high­performance. Some
grand tourers are hand­built.

Examples of grand tourers:

Maserati GranTurismo
Aston Martin V8
Lexus SC300/400
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

Supercar

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Supercar is a term generally used for ultra­high­end exotic cars, whose

performance is superior to that of its contemporaries. The proper
application of the term is subjective and disputed, especially among
enthusiasts.

Examples of supercars: Lamborghini Countach

McLaren P1
Koenigsegg Agera R
Bugatti Veyron 16.4

Muscle car

The muscle car term generally refers to rear wheel drive mid­size cars
with powerful V8 engines, manufactured in the U.S.[26][27] Some
definitions limit it to two­door vehicles;[28] however, others include
four­door body style versions.[29] Although opinions vary, it is generally
accepted that classic muscle cars were produced in the late 1960s and
early 1970s.[30][31][32][33] Muscle cars were also produced in Australia
and other nations.
1970 The Machine
Examples of American muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s:

Ford Torino
Plymouth Road Runner
Pontiac GTO

Examples of Australian muscle cars:

Ford Falcon
Holden Monaro
Valiant Charger

Pony car

The pony car is a class of American[34] automobile launched and

inspired by the Ford Mustang in 1964. It describes an affordable,
compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance­oriented
image.[35][36]

Examples of pony cars:

AMC Javelin
Chevrolet Camaro 1966 Ford Mustang
Dodge Challenger

Convertible

A body design that features a flexibly operating roof for open or enclosed mode driving. Also known as a
cabriolet or roadster (if a 2­seater). Historically, convertibles used folding roof structures with fabric or other
flexible materials. Some designs have roofs made of metal or other stiff materials that retract into the body.

Examples of cabriolets:

Mazda MX­5
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Honda S2000
Volvo C70

Full­sized convertible with its fabric

covered top folded behind the rear
seat

Off­roaders
Off­road vehicles, or "off­roaders" are sometimes referred to as "four­wheel drives", "four by fours", or 4x4s —
this can happen colloquially in cases where certain models or even an entire range does not possess four­wheel
drive.

Sport utility vehicle

Sport utility vehicles are off­road vehicles with four­wheel drive and
true off­road capability. They most often feature high ground clearance
and an upright, boxy body design. Sport Utilities are typically defined
by a body on frame construction which offers more off­road capability
but reduced on­road ride comfort and handling compared to a cross­
over or car based utility vehicle.

Examples of compact SUVs:

Jeep Commander
Land Rover Freelander
Jeep Patriot
Toyota FJ Cruiser

This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Small Off­

Roaders".

Examples of SUVs:
Ford Kuga
Land Rover Discovery
Mitsubishi Pajero
Mahindra Scorpio

This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Large Off­Roaders".

Commercial vehicle
Van

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In some countries, the term "van" can refer to a small panel van based
on a passenger car design (often the estate model / station wagon); it
also refers to light trucks, which themselves are sometimes based on
SUVs or MPVs. (But note that those retaining seats and windows, while
being larger and more utilitarian than MPVs, may be called
"minibuses".) The term is also used in the term "camper van" (or just
"camper") — equivalent to a North American recreational vehicle (RV).

In the United States, the term "van" refers to vehicles that, like
European minibuses, are even larger than large MPVs and are rarely
seen being driven for domestic purposes — except for "conversion American conversion van
vans". These possess extremely large interior space and are often more
intended for hauling cargo than people. Most vans use body­on­frame construction and are thus suitable for
extensive modification and coachwork, known as conversion. Conversion vans are often quite luxurious,
boasting comfortable seats, soft rides, built­in support for electronics such as television sets, and other
amenities. The more elaborate conversion vans straddle the line between cars and recreational vehicles.

Examples of North American "vans":

Dodge Ram Van

Ford E­Series
GMC Savana

Examples of European "vans":

Ford Transit
Volkswagen Transporter
Mercedes­Benz Sprinter

Examples of Japanese "vans"

Toyota Hiace
Nissan NV

Other car classification terms

Bakkie
A generic South African term for light pickup truck.[37]

Baquet
refers to cars made in the early 1900s in Europe. Baquet means bath tub. These cars had two rows of
raised seats similar to horse­drawn carriages. Baquets usually did not have front doors, a top, or
windshield.[38]

Buggy
A Buggy is an automobile with wheels that project beyond the vehicle body.

Cabrio coach
Normally a two­door body design with special form of car roof, where a retractable textile cover amounts
to a large sunroof.[39]

Coupé
A 2­door, 2­ or 4­seat car with a fixed roof. Its doors are often longer than those of an equivalent sedan
and the rear passenger area smaller; the roof may also be low. In cases where the rear seats are very small
and not intended for regular use it is called a 2+2 (pronounced "two plus two"). Originally, a coupé was
required to have only one side window per side, but this consideration has not been used for many years.

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Coupé utility
A passenger­car derived vehicle with an integral exterior cargo area.

Crossover (or CUV)

A loose marketing term to describe a vehicle that blends features of a SUV with features of a car —
especially forgoing the body on frame construction of the SUV in favor of the car's unibody or
monocoque construction. Crossovers usually borrow drivetrains and other parts from traditional cars in
the same manufacturer's line. Crossovers typically employ an FF layout or an FF­based four­wheel drive
layout with a transverse engine, rather than an FR layout or an FR­based 4WD layout with a longitudinal
engine as is typically used on traditional truck­based SUVs.

Drop Head Coupe

Generally a European term referring to a 2­door, 4 place automobile with a retractable canvas / cloth top
with both a padded headliner and rollup windows (as opposed to side curtains).

Estate
British name for a station wagon.

Fastback
A design where the roof slopes at a smooth angle to the tail of the car, but the rear window does not open
as a separate "door".

Flower Car
in US, similar to ute in Australia, i.e. generic for Chevy El Camino, Ford Ranchero, GMC Sprint/Diablo,
etc.

Hatchback
Incorporates a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth
door, typically a top­hinged liftgate—and features such as fold­down rear seats to enable flexibility
within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two­box design, the body style typically includes A, B
and C­pillars, and may include a D­pillar.

Hardtop
Originally a removable solid roof on a convertible; later, also a fixed­roof car whose doors have no fixed
window frames, which is designed to resemble such a convertible.

Hearse
A converted car (often a station wagon), light truck or minivan usually used to transport the dead. Often
longer and heavier than the vehicle on which they are usually based. Can sometimes double up as an
ambulance in some countries, such as the United States, especially in rural areas.

Kammback
Originally, a car with a tapered rear that cuts off abruptly.

Landaulet
A limousine with the passenger section covered by a convertible top.

Leisure activity vehicle

A small van, generally related to a supermini, with a second or even a third seat row, and a large, tall
boot.

Liftback
A broad marketing term for a hatchback, which incorporates a shared passenger and cargo volume, with
rearmost accessibility via a top­hinged liftgate.

Limousine
By definition, a chauffeur­driven car with a (normally glass­windowed) division between the front seats
and the rear. In German, the term simply means a sedan.

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Microvan
Term for a boxy wagon­type of car that is smaller than a conventional minivan; often without rear sliding
door(s). Examples are Citroën Picasso, Renault Scénic, Toyota Yaris Verso or Mercedes­Benz A­Class.
In Japan, this term is used for Kei car based vans.

Minibus
Designed to carry fewer people than a full­size bus, generally up to 16 people in multiple rows of seats.
Passenger access in normally via a sliding door on one side of the vehicle. One example of a van with a
minibus version available is the Ford Transit.

MPV
Multi­purpose vehicle, a large car or small bus designed to be used on and off­road and easily convertible
to facilitate loading of goods from facilitating carrying people.

Notchback
A configuration where the third box of a three­box styling configuration is less pronounced — especially
where the rear deck (third box) is short or where the rear window is upright.

People carrier or people mover

European name to describe what is usually referred to in North America as a Minivan.

Phaeton
A Phaeton is a style of open car or carriage without proper weather protection for passengers.

Pickup truck (or pickup)

A light­duty, open­bed truck.

Pillarless
Usually a prefix to coupé, fastback, or hardtop; completely open at the sides when the windows are
down, without a central pillar, e.g. the Sunbeam Rapier fastback coupé.

Ragtop
Originally an open car like a roadster, but with a soft top (cloth top) that can be raised or lowered. Unlike
a convertible, it had no roll­up side windows. Now often used as slang for a convertible.

Retractable Hardtop
aka Coupé convertible or Coupé Cabriolet. A type of convertible forgoing a foldable textile roof in favor
of a multi­segment rigid roof retracts into the lower bodywork.

Roadster
Originally a two­seat open car with minimal weather protection — without top or side glass — though
possibly with optional hard or soft top and side curtains (i.e., without roll­up glass windows). In modern
usage, the term means simply a two­seat sports car convertible, a variation of spyder.

Sedan
A car seating four or more with a fixed roof that is full­height up to the rear window. Known in British
English as a saloon. Sedans can have 2 or 4­doors. This is the most common body style. In the U.S., this
term has been used to denote a car with fixed window frames, as opposed to the hardtop style wherein
the sash, if any, winds down with the glass.

Sedan delivery
North American term for a vehicle similar to a wagon but without side windows, similar to a panel truck
but with two doors (one on each side), and one or two rear doors

Sport utility vehicle (SUV)

Derivative of a pickup truck or 4­wheel­drive vehicle, but with fully enclosed passenger cabin interior
and carlike levels of interior equipment.

Spyder (or Spider)

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Similar to a roadster but originally with less weather protection.Nowadays it simply means a convertible
with two seater only. The name comes from the old carriages with two seats and no roof, whose small
central cabin and big wheels at the corners are reminiscent of a spider.

Shooting­brake
Initially a vehicle used to carry shooting parties with their equipment and game; later used to describe
custom­built wagons by high­end coachbuilders, subsequently synonymous with station wagon or estate;
and in contemporary usage a three or five­door wagons combining features of a wagon and a coupé.

Station wagon
A variant of a sedan/saloon, (also known as estate or estate car) or with its roof extended rearward over a
shared passenger/cargo volume; access at the back via a third or fifth door instead of a trunk lid; flexible
configurations to vary passenger or cargo volume; and two or three rows of seating — in a two­box
design with a A, B & C­pillar, as well as a D pillar.

T­top
A derivative of the Targa top, called a T­bar roof, this fixed­roof design has two removable panels and
retains a central narrow roof section along the front to back axis of the car (e.g. Toyota MR2 Mark I.)

Targa top
A semi­convertible style used on some sports cars, featuring a fully removable hard top roof panel which
leaves the A and B pillars in place on the car body.

Town car (US)

Essentially the inverse of the landaulet, a historical body style in which the front seats were open and the
rear compartment closed, normally with a removable top to cover the front chauffeur's compartment. In
Europe the style is also known as Sedanca de Ville, often shortened to Sedanca or de Ville. Note that the
modern Lincoln Town Car derives its name, but nothing else, from this style.

Ute
Australian/New Zealand English term for the vehicles with a cargo bed at the rear ("Pickup" in British
and in US English).

Wagon delivery
North American term (mainly U.S. and Canada). Similar to a sedan delivery, with four doors.

Van
In North America "van" refers to a truck­based commercial vehicle of the wagon style, whether used for
passenger or commercial use. Usually a van has no windows at the side rear (panel van), although for
passenger use, side windows are included. In other parts of the world, 'van' denotes a passenger­based
wagon with no rear side windows.

Non­English terms

Some non­English language terms are familiar from their use on imported vehicles in English­speaking nations
even though the terms have not been adopted into English.

Barchetta
Italian term for a roadster with no roof. The name, roughly "small boat", comes from an exclamation
when the Ferrari 166MM Touring was shown.
Berlina
Italian term for a sedan.
Berline
French term for a sedan.
Berlinetta
Italian term for a sport coupé.
Break
French term for a station wagon.
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Camioneta
Brazilian Portuguese term for a station wagon (specially in the state of Rio de Janeiro). Spanish term also
used in Argentina and Uruguay.
Carrinha
Portuguese term for a station wagon. Not used in Brazilian Portuguese.
Espada
Portuguese nickname for a limousine (the same word for Sword – long piece of metal). Not used in
Brazilian Portuguese.
Furgoneta
Spanish and Polish term for a van, in the latter language almost always used in its diminutive form
furgonetka.
Furgão
Portuguese alternative term (less used) for a van. Used in Brazilian Portuguese, most often for vans but
sometimes for panel van variants of passenger cars.
Kombi
is a German abbreviation of "Kombinationswagen" (Combination Car) and it is German name for station
wagon. Since Germany is a major producer of cars for many European countries, the term Kombi in this
meaning is also used in Swedish, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovenian, Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian,
Hungarian, Spanish, Portuguese, Bulgarian. In Afrikaans and in Australia, Kombi is also used to refer to
a Volkswagen Microbus. In Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay the word specifically refers to the VW
Microbus.
Perua
Brazilian Portuguese term either designating a van (especially as spoken in the city of São Paulo) or a
station wagon (in the city of Rio de Janeiro).
Turismo
Spanish term for a sedan. Literally means tourism, used mostly in Latin American countries and Spain.

See also
ACRISS Car Classification Code
Car color
Car safety and road safety
Production vehicle
Three­wheeler
Truck classification
Vehicle category
Vehicle size class

References
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External links
EuroNCAP classifications (unexplained) (http://www.euroncap.com/tests.aspx)

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Categories: Car classifications

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