The number of cars on our roads is constantly growing. Manufacturers, trying to please all customers, improve not only the “filling”, interior, design of the car, but also the body. For our comfort, they try to combine several designs in one body type, which results in more varieties, and they are so similar to each other. But you can distinguish them, and we will help you figure it out.
The most common body types in our area are sedan, hatchback, station wagon, crossover, and SUV. Coupe, minivan, compact van, pickup truck are less common.
Sedan
The sedan is the most popular body type among passenger cars in our country. This is a three-volume body with four doors and a separate luggage compartment. Average ground clearance will allow you to travel both around the city and on the highway. The disadvantage is the small trunk, which is quite limited in height. The price of sedans varies greatly. From a huge selection you can choose a sedan of both B class and E class, it all depends on your preferences and financial capabilities.
Examples of sedan cars
The coupe is also a three-volume body; the main difference from the sedan is the number of doors: the coupe has two. The design is more understated, sporty, and therefore more powerful. Because there are only two, they are slightly larger than the sedan, which adds to the comfortable driving position. Among the minuses, in addition to the insufficient luggage compartment, we can note the inconvenient entry of second-row passengers. This type of body is suitable for travel by one passenger, and there are no plans to transport large items. Examples of cars with coupe body type
Hatchback 3 and 5 doors
A hatchback is a two-volume body type that differs from a sedan in the volume of the trunk: it is smaller, but the rear door starts from the roof, which will allow you to transport tall objects, and the folding second row of seats will increase the luggage space. Suitable for purchase by novice drivers as a first car, because this body type is small-sized, very maneuverable, and ideal for the urban jungle. The main drawback is the low power, and in the three-door versions there is an uncomfortable seating position for passengers in the second row of seats.
Examples of passenger cars with a hatchback body type
A type of hatchback is a liftback. This body type has a distinctive feature in the form of a small step on the fifth door (liftback - “lifting lid”). The trunk is connected to the rear window and opens with it. But in appearance, the liftback resembles a sedan and is often confused with it due to the protrusion on the luggage compartment lid. Station wagon
A station wagon is a two-volume type of passenger car body that has an increased luggage compartment compared to a sedan. The passenger compartment and luggage compartment are connected, and the roof extends to the rear door. This is an advantage for choosing a family car: all family members can comfortably fit in the cabin, and all the cargo will fit in the luggage compartment.
Example station wagon body type
You can clearly understand the differences between a hatchback, sedan and station wagon using the example of a car. The picture clearly shows the difference between body types from one to another.
Crossover
Crossover is a two-volume body type. This is something between an SUV and a station wagon, or less often a hatchback, combining the disadvantages and advantages of these different classes. The crossover differs from a hatchback in its higher ground clearance and, accordingly, increased cross-country ability, but does not reach the level of jeeps due to lower power and sometimes the presence of single-wheel drive. The crossover is a fairly popular car on our roads. It has the confidence of an SUV, the efficiency of a station wagon and the comfort of both driver and passengers, regardless of whether you are carrying luggage or not. To meet customer demand, manufacturers began to produce simplified all-wheel drive systems and produce one-wheel drive crossover models. They are used only in urban conditions, and off-road capability is practically no better than that of station wagons, which is why the expression “parquet SUV” or “SUV” for short began to appear among the people. Now this term is often used for all models with a crossover body type, without taking into account the actual cross-country ability parameters.
Examples of cars with crossover body type
SUV or Jeep
An SUV is also a two-volume body type, and as stated just above, it is a car with a high degree of cross-country ability. How to distinguish an SUV externally from another type of car body? An SUV is an all-wheel drive vehicle with a frame body, high ground clearance (more than 200 mm), and large wheels. Since this car was created for off-road travel, it is distinguished by high power and, accordingly, high fuel consumption. Therefore, among the disadvantages we can note: high cost (both purchase and costs for spare parts, refueling). This type of body is perfect for lovers of extreme types of recreation, solving the complex problems of Russian off-road, or can take a snowmobile, ATV, or jet ski with them, and for city residents, an SUV will be a prestigious and reliable car, but it will not be able to reveal its full potential.
Examples of SUVs
Pickup
There are also SUVs with a closed driver's cabin and a large open luggage compartment. This body type is called a pickup truck. A pickup truck is a two- or four-door all-wheel drive (rarely rear-wheel drive) SUV with 1 or 2 rows of seats arranged in a 2, 2+1, 2+2, 2+3 pattern, which looks like a small truck. The main advantage of this car is the luggage compartment, which is unlimited in height. The cargo bed has a tailgate and can be installed with a soft top (with a hard top installed, the pickup turns into a van). A pickup truck is purchased by people whose line of work involves small-scale cargo transportation, as well as by people living outside the city, because transporting a dozen bags of crops on a pickup truck is a pleasure.
Some models with a pickup body type
There are also single-volume body types. These include buses of various sizes: minivan (mandatory presence of a third row of seats, sliding side doors, length of at least 4.5 m), compact van (smaller version of the minivan - length 4.2-4.5 m) and microvan (enlarged copy of the station wagon , length up to 4.2 m).
The development of modern infrastructure has given impetus to the widespread use of various variations of passenger cars for urban traffic and intercity transportation. Hatchbacks and station wagons are especially popular among domestic consumers.
But what is the difference between a hatchback and a station wagon? And what are their advantages over “classic” sedans? In this article we will answer the most common questions from motorists.
A hatchback is a variation of a passenger car with a short overhang, a rear “hatch” door and a small luggage compartment combined with the interior. Depending on the specific configuration, the car may have 1 (less often) or 2 rows of seats, 3 or 5 doors. The luggage compartment can be significantly increased by simply folding the rear seats.
The appearance of hatchbacks was the result of the growing demand for a city car, behind the wheel of which the driver would feel comfortable in dense city traffic during rush hour. The border of the body runs along the edge of the rear wheels. The layout in most cases involves front-wheel drive with a transversely mounted engine. These solutions can significantly increase the vehicle’s maneuverability and make parking possible in difficult conditions.
A beginner who has just graduated from driving school will feel more confident in a hatchback, since the dimensions of the body are much better felt on it.
Let us once again pay attention to the characteristic distinctive features:
- Shortened rear overhang - thanks to this feature, the hatchback can be easily distinguished from other modifications in appearance;
- The trunk volume is less spacious than in station wagons or other variations;
- There is a door in the back wall. In some cases, the glass in it can open separately.
Due to the fact that the interior is actually combined with trunks, passengers may complain about an unpleasant odor emanating from the trunk if specific foods, motor oils, etc. are regularly transported there.
Station wagon: I take everything I own with me!
The station wagon is a five-door passenger car based on a sedan of the same model, in which 4 doors are located on the sides in pairs, and one in the rear of the body. The latter is located vertically and is the lid of the luggage compartment, which communicates with the interior of the car.
If necessary, the luggage compartment volume can be increased by folding the rear row of seats (the same as in the hatchback we discussed above).
Of all types of passenger cars, station wagons are best suited for cargo transportation, which is why they have been consistently popular for many years among people working with large luggage.
The disadvantages of the class, as a rule, include increased injuries among passengers as a result of an accident. In the event of a collision, cargo from the trunk may fly into the cabin. In some countries, traffic regulations require the use of a special dividing grid that protects people from force majeure situations.
Hatchback: an urban compromise
A hatchback is a variation of a passenger car with a short overhang, a rear “hatch” door and a small luggage compartment combined with the interior. Depending on the specific configuration, the car may have 1 (less often) or 2 rows of seats, 3 or 5 doors. The luggage compartment can be significantly increased by simply folding the rear seats.
The appearance of hatchbacks was the result of the growing demand for a city car, behind the wheel of which the driver would feel comfortable in dense city traffic during rush hour. The border of the body runs along the edge of the rear wheels. The layout in most cases involves front-wheel drive with a transversely mounted engine. These solutions can significantly increase the vehicle’s maneuverability and make parking possible in difficult conditions.
A beginner who has just graduated from driving school will feel more confident in a hatchback, since the dimensions of the body are much better felt on it.
Let us once again pay attention to the characteristic distinctive features:
- Shortened rear overhang - thanks to this feature, the hatchback can be easily distinguished from other modifications in appearance;
- The trunk volume is less spacious than in station wagons or other variations;
- There is a door in the back wall. In some cases, the glass in it can open separately.
Due to the fact that the interior is actually combined with trunks, passengers may complain about an unpleasant odor emanating from the trunk if specific foods, motor oils, etc. are regularly transported there.
The main differences between a hatchback and a station wagon
Common features inherent in the hatchback and station wagon - both classes are a modified sedan with an essentially combined interior and trunk.
The differences between a hatchback and a station wagon are as follows:
- The size of the luggage compartment is significantly smaller in the Hatchback. The station wagon is excellent for cargo transportation and is often purchased by private entrepreneurs and medium-sized companies precisely for these purposes;
- The hatchback features a more elegant rear design. The inclined door looks much more beautiful than the strict vertical overhang of the station wagon. Women often make choices based on this;
- The station wagon is longer than the hatchback. This can be a significant drawback in urban environments if the car is used only for transporting passengers, but when it comes to large cargo, this is definitely an advantage;
- The hatchback can be supplied in a “sporty” 3-door configuration;
- Station wagons, as a rule, are more expensive than hatchbacks of the same series.
Both classes of passenger cars discussed in this article occupy their niche in the domestic market and are in demand among Russian motorists due to their features.
No, it’s not that the coupe is a two-seater car, and, of course, it’s not that the coupe has only two doors, and the sedan has four. Neither the headlights, nor the turn signals, nor the foglights, nor the grilles, nor much else is the real difference between a sedan and a coupe. Everything is much simpler.
Many car enthusiasts have difficulty determining the body type, especially when determining whether it is a sedan or a coupe. It is traditionally believed that a coupe has only two doors, and a sedan has four. But in reality there are both four-door coupes and two-door sedans, so the differences between them may not be so obvious.
The difference between these two body types is not the number of doors or the shape of the body, but the amount of interior space.
There are certain standards according to which a coupe is a car with rear seat space of less than 0.93 cubic meters. Accordingly, a sedan is a car with rear passenger space equal to or greater than 0.94 cubic meters. Therefore, two-door cars with a rear seat volume of more than 0.94 cubic meters are two-door sedans, but they are often sold as coupes. This is done in order to focus on the sportiness of the car and, for the most part, does not indicate the technical features and characteristics of the car, but the place it occupies in the market and the set of qualities that consumers need. This is a common marketing ploy that sellers use to attract the attention of buyers. This causes confusion among owners of such cars.
In fact, when deciding to buy a car, the most important thing is to pay attention to what it is called. Comfort, technical characteristics, and basic functions play a big role. For some, the determining factor may be appearance, and for others, price.
The number of car body types has almost doubled over the past 15 years. Manufacturers are increasingly trying to combine several body types in one car. It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish one option from another, but we will still do it.
To begin with, we will divide all body types into 3 groups: three-volume, two-volume and single-volume.
Minibus
Designed for transporting people, capacity 8-16 seats. Closed body type. The height of the minibus allows passengers to be transported only in a sitting position.
The bus body is at least 5 and a half meters long. Designed to transport passengers and luggage. In terms of the number of passengers, capacity starts from 7 seats.
Expresses the design feature of a passenger car body. It consists in refusing to use central supporting elements and non-retractable glass frames in the design. Translated from English. Like a hard roof.
A sedan or hatchback with an unusually high top. Typically, such cars are used exclusively for taxi needs.
In some European countries, a body with a door on the rear of any model is classified as a combi. Presented the combi type in the Soviet Union IZH -2125.
Literally can be translated as a fast trunk. The name justifies the appearance of this type. After all, the fastback roof seamlessly goes directly into the trunk
The body is a passenger car type, without roll-up windows, but with a folding soft roof. An example of such a car is the ceremonial ZIL convertible.
An outstanding feature of the landau type body is the detachable or foldable roof over the passenger area.
Another name for this body type is coupe de ville. It has an open part of the roof over the front of the passengers along with the driver.
Sports type without roof. A relative of the roadster, but the height of the windshield does not exceed the level of the driver's eyes or forehead. Sometimes it is even lower. The wind in your face is about the spider.
Conservatives
The three-volume body has a protruding hood and trunk. Three-volume vehicles are among the least versatile bodies due to the limited possibility of transforming the interior and trunk. This group includes sedans, coupes, convertibles and pickups.
Sedan, coupe
The most striking representative of the three-volume body is the sedan, which is present in the model range of almost all manufacturers. The sedan is considered the most conservative (classic) and prestigious body type. The sedan is extremely popular on our roads, where “prestige is everything,” and cars are divided into sedans and non-sedans.
A convertible is a coupe with a “soft” tent roof that folds behind the rear seats and rises if necessary.
But the soft top did not allow the car to be used all year round, so in the late 90s a new version of the open body began to gain popularity - the coupe-convertible. At first glance, it looks like a regular coupe, but when you press the right button, the hard metal roof lifts up and neatly folds into the trunk, turning the coupe into a convertible.
A two-seater convertible (without a second row of seats) is called a roadster (for example).
Pickup
A pickup truck is a body with an open cargo area separated from the interior by a rigid partition. Simply put, it is a smaller copy of a regular truck. Most pickup trucks are built on the same platform as SUVs and have good cross-country ability. Both here and throughout Europe, pickup trucks are not particularly popular, but in the USA they are crazy about them.
Crossover: advantages
What qualities allow SUVs to dominate all automotive markets from Russia and Europe to Africa and Australia?
Review
Wide seats and a high driving position make the driving process very comfortable and provide greater visibility, practically eliminating blind spots.
Safety
Research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has shown that, despite the high reliability ratings of sedans and hatchbacks, they are very far from the safety demonstrated by crossovers. Even if they get into an accident, SUV drivers receive much less personal injury and damage to the car.
Capacity
A crossover can accommodate more passengers than any other passenger car, excluding, of course, a minivan. The car market offers models with 3 rows of seats, wide enough to accommodate not only children or things, but also adults.
With this indicator, the crossover breaks the stereotype that it cannot become a family car.
Trunk
Even if this interior capacity turned out to be insufficient for a trip on vacation or out of town with a large group, an increased trunk volume is at your service.
A large, but externally compact, very roomy, passable crossover becomes a universal vehicle for all categories of drivers and any functional purpose.
Towing
For active people, the ability of a crossover to transport fairly heavy loads will be indispensable. It can tow a trailer with a motorcycle, a snowmobile and a boat, even a light camper. Of course, you need to know the boundaries in everything and not use the SUV as a cargo truck.
Ground clearance
The most significant advantage of this class of vehicles allows it to be used both in urban environments and on dirt roads. This quality will be especially noticeable in winter, when any routes become impassable.
Economical
With all the above advantages, crossovers are also very economical cars, in some cases even surpassing small sedans in fuel consumption. Most models are equipped with small-volume turbocharged engines, which, coupled with a low air resistance coefficient, will significantly save the owner’s fuel budget.
Styling
Not the most basic characteristic, but also important. Modern passenger cars often lack some originality, rugged appeal, or unique style. The latest generation of crossovers has breathed newness into automotive design, which has somewhat exhausted the imagination in sedans and station wagons.
Liberals
The two-volume body does not have a protruding trunk, and its lid opens only with the glass and is considered another door.
Two-volume bodies include hatchbacks, station wagons, as well as crossovers and SUVs created on their basis. Two-volume bodies are distinguished by the most spacious luggage compartments (station wagons) and compact dimensions (hatchbacks).
Hatchback, station wagon
Now let’s talk about body types, because not only the cost and prestige of the car, but also comfort and even safety depend on this important parameter.
The most popular car body types:
- sedan
- hatchback
- SUV
- station wagon
- minivan
There are also body types such as liftback, limousine, pickup, van, convertible, roadster.
Let's look at the presented types in more detail.
Crossover: disadvantages
With so many advantages, can a crossover really have any disadvantages?
Price
The first and main drawback. Of course, the price of crossovers significantly exceeds the cost of any station wagon. This is due to the higher strength of the chassis parts, body design and, in general, a larger amount of material spent on production.
By the way, most owners of SUVs are confident that durability guarantees a low likelihood of breakdowns. It is important to understand here that the chassis has a reinforced structure primarily in order to withstand the weight of the body.
Operating costs
Having initially paid a round sum for a new car, the owner will continue to have to pour significant funds into it. He will have to overpay for minor and major repairs, seasonal tire changes, oil changes and other services. Even the evacuation of a crossover is priced more expensive than the same station wagon due to its weight and size.
Fuel
Although it has already been said about the efficiency of crossovers, compared to station wagons they are much more voracious. The same engine in both cars will show completely different consumption - why? Because the crossover is heavier, larger and, by definition, has all-wheel drive, which together adds additional liters to the consumption.
Coupe
Typically, a coupe (from the French “couper” - to cut) is created by companies that produce powerful sports cars. A prominent representative of this type of body is the Porsche 911. As a rule, a coupe car is designed for two passengers, has two doors and a structurally separated trunk. The roof of the coupe at the rear has a sloping shape, and the body itself is “pressed” to the ground, which allows you to achieve a sporty style.
A separate type of coupe is the convertible.
- instead of a hard roof, the convertible has a “soft” folding roof-awning that rises and folds as needed.
A convertible designed exclusively for two people - a driver and a passenger - is called a roadster.
History and external features
Coupes, like the phaeton and convertible, arose even before the appearance of the first cars and were classified as carriages. The word "coupe" comes from the French word "coupe". The first such bodies began to appear in the 19th century in France in the form of bodies for carriages. Then car manufacturers began to borrow the technologies, designs and terminology of carriage makers.
This body type has two doors, in rare cases three (one rear one is merged with the trunk), usually one or two rows of seats. The trunk is completely separate. Most often, coupes are used in sports cars. Also, in our time, the concept of “coupe” is often used for marketing purposes to emphasize the sporty style of the advertised car.
Coupes, like the phaeton and convertible, arose even before the appearance of the first cars and were classified as carriages. The word "coupe" comes from the French word "coupe". The first such bodies began to appear in the 19th century in France in the form of bodies for carriages. Then car manufacturers began to borrow the technologies, designs and terminology of carriage makers.
This body type has two doors, in rare cases three (one rear one is merged with the trunk), usually one or two rows of seats. The trunk is completely separate. Most often, coupes are used in sports cars. Also, in our time, the concept of “coupe” is often used for marketing purposes to emphasize the sporty style of the advertised car.
SUV
SUV or SUV - Sport Utility Vehicle
- a type of car with increased cross-country ability and increased ground clearance. The SUV (jeep) is distinguished by its impressive dimensions, all-wheel drive and reduction gear. Essentially, an SUV is a station wagon suitable for off-road use. Often an SUV has a frame body.
Separately, crossovers
, or “SUVs” - this is how cars are often called whose driving properties do not allow them to be classified as “real” SUVs. The crossover combines the properties of a jeep and a station wagon (hatchback); it is more modest in size compared to an SUV, and its ground clearance is lower. Recently, the popularity of crossovers has been growing rapidly.
What is the difference between coupe, sedan, hatchback, station wagon, SUV and crossover cars.
Have you ever asked yourself what is the difference between SUVs and crossovers? Or what's the difference between hatchbacks and station wagons? For example, look at the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe and try to answer the question of what body type this model belongs to. The problem is that this model looks like a sedan, but for some reason this car is classified as a coupe. Unfortunately, due to the diversity of the automotive market and the models presented on it, even a connoisseur of the auto world can feel overwhelmed by the confusion that arises. Let's try to find out what kind of car you actually own and how you can distinguish one class of vehicles from others.
Let's start with the light car category, which is hard to confuse.
Liftback
This type of body, along with the hatchback and station wagon, is classified as single-volume, however, the liftback can have longer overhangs than the hatchback, and in terms of trunk volume it is close to station wagons.
A notable external detail is the step on the fifth door, which looks like a separate trunk (a hatchback whose appearance resembles a sedan). This is a kind of compromise between status and practicality. The rear door of the liftback is noticeably larger than that of the hatchback, because it includes this very “step”.
Sedan
Classic hatchback and sedan
The main difference between the sedan is the three-volume layout, in which the structure is divided into three parts - the engine compartment, the passenger compartment and the luggage compartment. These parts are separated from each other by partitions, which makes each volume of the body separate from the other. As for the number of doorways, this type of body can have either two or four doors.
As the automotive industry developed, different versions of sedans were produced, with certain features in the body design. The main types of sedan bodies are:
- classical;
- hardtop;
Video: Which is better, a sedan or a hatchback?
The difference between a classic sedan is that the overall dimensions of the engine and luggage compartments are approximately the same. Over time, in order to reduce the parameters of the car, which were usually significant for the “classics,” the length of the luggage compartment began to be reduced, while increasing its height to compensate for the useful volume. Ultimately, this led to the formation of the wedge-shaped body shape that all modern sedans now have. There are a lot of representatives of classic sedans, since this body type is the most popular. Examples in the domestic automotive industry are all “classic” VAZ models (except for the VAZ-2102 and 2104 station wagons), VAZ-21099, 2110, 2115, and all Volga models.
Among foreign cars, representatives of sedans are Toyota Corolla, Mitsubishi Lancer, BMW 5th, 7th series. In general, sedan cars are produced by almost all automakers.
Mercedes-Benz CL-class hardtop
A feature of the hardtop body was the absence of central pillars in the interior compartment. If in the classic version the front and rear doors were separated by a pillar stretching from the floor to the roof, then it was removed from the hardtop. In this case, usually the doors did not have glass frames, or they were retractable along with the glass in the door. Cars with sedan-hardtop bodies have not found particular popularity, and now they are practically not produced. Prominent representatives of cars in this body are the Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac de Ville Hardtop.
It is noteworthy that two-door versions of “hardtops” are still found, but most of them are classified as “coupes”.
The “fastback” body differed from the “classic” and “hardtop” in that the third compartment, the trunk, was very weakly expressed in the silhouette of the car. This was achieved thanks to a very smooth transition from the roof of the car to the rear. At the same time, the luggage compartment, although it was separate, was externally integrated into the cabin. The representative of the car with this body is GAZ Pobeda.
In the modern automotive industry there is another type of body – “liftback”, which is a transitional model between a sedan and a hatchback. Its main difference is hidden in the fact that externally there is a pronounced luggage compartment, but the body itself is two-volume and the luggage compartment is located inside the cabin. Among modern cars produced in a liftback body, the Skoda Superb can be noted.
Among the positive qualities of sedan cars, the following are noted:
- more presentable and respectable appearance of the car;
- the presence of a separate trunk;
- faster heating of the interior in winter due to the small volume;
- better safety for passengers in a rear impact (the trunk acts as a buffer).
But there are also disadvantages, of which the most obvious are:
- worse vehicle maneuverability due to large dimensions;
- complicated parking due to a worse feeling of the car’s dimensions;
- limited luggage compartment volume;
- less body strength due to large rear overhang.
