Car classification
Car classification is a general term that relates to any effort to place vehicles into categories.
1 Classification methods
2 Size and usage-based vehicle classification systems worldwide
3 Microcar
4 Hatchbacks
o 4.1 Ultracompact car
o 4.2 City car
o 4.3 Supermini/subcompact car
o 4.4 Small family car/compact car
o 4.5 Hot hatch
5 Saloons / sedans
o 5.1 Large family / mid-size
o 5.2 Compact executive
o 5.3 Full size / large
o 5.4 Executive/mid-luxury
o 5.5 Full-size luxury / Grand saloon
o 5.6 Sports saloon / sports sedan
6 Estate cars / station wagons
7 Sports cars and grand tourers
o 7.1 Sports car
o 7.2 Grand tourer
o 7.3 Supercar
o 7.4 Muscle car
o 7.5 Pony car
8 Convertible
9 Off-roaders
o 9.1 Sport utility vehicle
o 9.2 Crossover SUV
10 Multi-purpose vehicles/Minivans
11 Van, camper, RV, minibus etc.
12 Other car classification terms
Car classification
o 12.1 Non-English terms
Classification methods
Vehicles can be categorized in numerous ways.
Highway Loss Data Institute
classification
Definition
Sports Those cars with significant high performance features
Luxury Higher-end cars that are not classified as sports
Large
Length more than 495.3 cm (195 in) and wheelbase more
than 279.4 cm (110 in)
Midsize
Length 457.3495.3 cm (180195 in) and wheelbase
266.8279.4 cm (105110 in)
Small
Length less than 457.2 cm (180 in) and wheelbase less
than 266.7 cm (105 in)
Microcar (Hatchbacks)
Main articles: Microcar and Bubble car
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.
Ultracompact car
Car classification
City car
Main articles: City car and Kei car (A city car is a small automobile intended for use in urban
areas.
Examples of kei cars:
Daihatsu Move
Honda Life
Suzuki Cervo
Examples of city cars:
Fiat Panda
Maruti 800
Mini
Other small cars:
Carver One
Citron Type C
Smith Flyer
Supermini/subcompact car
Main articles: Supermini car and Subcompact car
Superminis have three, four or five doors and 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.
Examples of superminis/subcompact cars:
Opel Corsa
Tata Indica Vista
Volkswagen Polo
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 4250 mm long in case of hatchbacks and 4500 mm 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. These are the
most popular vehicles in most developed countries.
Car classification
Examples of superminis/subcompact cars:
Opel Corsa
Tata Indica Vista
Volkswagen Polo
Small family car/compact car
Main article: Compact car
Small family/compact cars refer to the hatchbacks and shortest saloons and estate cars with
similar size. They are approximately 4250 mm long in case of hatchbacks and 4500 mm 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.
Examples of hatchback small family cars/compact cars:
Ford Focus
Peugeot 304
Toyota Auris
Hot hatch[edit]
Main article: Hot hatch
Fiat 500 abarth
A hot hatch is a high-performance hatchback, based on standard superminis or small family
cars with improved performance, handling and styling. Hot hatches are very popular in Europe,
and originated from the Volkswagen Golf GTI. In North America, sport compacts are usually
sold as saloons or coups rather than hatchbacks.
Examples of hot hatches/sport compacts:
Citron Saxo VTR
Honda Civic Type R
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Car classification
Saloons / sedans
Main article: Sedan (car)
Large family / mid-size
Main article: Mid-size car
A class described as "large family" in Europe and "mid-size" 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 4700 mm long, Examples of large family
cars/mid-size cars:
Chevrolet Malibu
Ford Mondeo
Hyundai Sonata
Compact executive
Main articles: Compact executive car and D-segment
These are luxurious equivalents to mid-size 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/entry-level luxury cars:
Audi A4
BMW 3 Series
Buick LaCrosse
Full size / large
Lincoln Town Car
Main article: Full-size car
This term is used most in North America, Middle East and Australia where it refers to the largest
affordable sedans on the market. Full-size cars may be well over 4900 mm long.
Examples of full-size cars:
Dodge Charger
Chevrolet Impala
Car classification
Holden Commodore
Executive/mid-luxury
BMW 5 Series
Main article: Executive car
These are luxurious equivalents to full-size cars. This also refers to the largest hatchbacks
within the similar length in this class, such as the Porsche Panamera.
Examples of executive cars/mid-luxury cars:
Chrysler 300
Mercedes-Benz E Class
MG Magnette
This category is equivalent to the EuroNCAP class "Executive Cars"
