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types descriptions explained |
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Want to know the difference between a Convertible and a Coupe? Whatever
you need to know about the different car body types available, we can help! |
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Common car body
types:
Select a body style from the options below to find out more information
about that particular type of car.
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.Saloon
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A saloon car is one of the most common body styles of the modern
car. At its most basic, the saloon is a passenger car with a separate
bonnet covering the engine in the front, and a separate boot for luggage at the
rear. A saloon seats four or more and has a fixed roof that is full-height up to the rear window. Most commonly it is a four-door; two-door is rarer but they do
occur. A common example of a Saloon can be seen with the Honda
Accord. Here is a list of some Saloon type cars:
Ford Mondeo
Vauxhall Insignia
Peugeot 407
BMW 5 Series
Honda Accord
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Hatchback
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A Hatchback car has a sloping back with a hinged rear door that opens upward. The rear deck lid and window lift open as a unit. The rear door leads into the car. This does not apply to
MPVs, 4x4s or vans. Here is a list of some Hatchback type cars:
Ford Focus
Toyota Yaris
Vauxhall Astra
BMW 1 Series
MINI Cooper
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MPV
(Multi Purpose Vehicle)
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A minivan, minibus, people carrier, multi utility vehicle (MUV), or multi purpose vehicle (MPV) is a type of vehicle which has a body that resembles a van, but which has rear side doors, rear side windows, and interior fittings to accommodate passengers similar to a station wagon. Minivans are higher than normal
saloons and Estate cars, and are designed for maximum interior room;
MPVs often feature three seat rows and can seat 7 people or more.
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4x4
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Four-wheel drive, 4WD, 4x4 ("four by four"), all wheel drive, and AWD are terms used to describe a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously.
Four-wheel drive (4WD or 4x4 for short) was the original term, often used to describe truck-like vehicles that required the driver to manually switch between a two wheel drive mode for streets and a four-wheel drive mode for low traction conditions such as ice, mud, or loose gravel.
Here is a list of some 4x4 type cars:
BMW X5
BMW X6
Land Rover Range Rover
Land Rover Freelander
Audi Q7
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Convertible
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A convertible (sometimes called cabriolet) is a car body style with a folding or retracting roof (aka 'soft top'). The collapsible roof section is typically made from flexible canvas or vinyl, although plastic, aluminium and steel have occasionally been used in elaborate folding designs. Most modern vehicles have an electrical retraction mechanism.
When the top is made of a rigid material such as steel it is often referred to as a retractable hardtop instead of a
convertible. Convertibles are usually 2 door models, only a few 4 door models exist.
Here is a list of some Convertible type cars:
Mazda MX5
BMW Z4
Vauxhall Astra Twintop
Porsche Boxster
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Van
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A van is a vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people. It is generally a rather box-shaped vehicle on four wheels, about the same width and length as a large automobile, but taller and usually higher off the ground. It can either be a specially designed vehicle or be based on a
saloon car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs (pick-ups etc). Vans really are offered in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the classic van version of the tiny Mini to the five metre long (LWB) variants of the Mercedes Sprinter van. Vehicles larger than this are classified as
lorries.
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Estate
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An Estate car is a car body style similar to a
saloon, but with an extended rear cargo area. Most Estate cars are modified
saloon-type car bodies, having the passenger area extended to the rear window (over the normal
boot area of the vehicle). Unlike a hatchback car, which otherwise meets this description, an
Estate is the full height of the passenger cabin all the way to the back; the rear glass is not sloped too far from vertical.
Estate cars also have side windows over the cargo area, whereas most hatchbacks have no cargo area windows.
An Estate car is distinguished from an MPV by still being a car, sharing its forward bodywork with other cars in a manufacturer's range. The popularity of the
MPV in the 1980s and early 1990s is credited with the decline of the traditional
Estate car.
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Coupe
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A coupé or coupe (from the French verb couper, to cut) is a car body style, the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time. Coupés are often sporty variants of
saloon body styles, with doors commonly reduced from 4 to 2, and a close-coupled interior (i.e. the rear seat placed further forward than in a standard sedan) offering either two seats or 2+2 seating (space for two passengers in the front and two occasional passengers or children in the rear).
Here is a list of some Convertible type cars:
Peugeot 407 Coupe
Audi TT
Nissan 350z
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