Car Classification
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Governments and private organizations have developed car classification schemes that are used for various purposes including regulation, description, and categorization of
car A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...
s. The International Standard ISO 3833-1977 ''Road vehicles – Types – Terms and definitions'' also defines terms for
classifying Classification is the activity of assigning objects to some pre-existing classes or categories. This is distinct from the task of establishing the classes themselves (for example through cluster analysis). Examples include diagnostic tests, identif ...
cars.


Summary of classifications

The following table summarises the commonly used terms of market segments and legal classifications.


Market segments


Microcar / kei car

Microcars and their Japanese equivalent— kei cars— are the smallest category of automobile. Microcars straddle the boundary between car and motorbike, and are often covered by separate regulations from normal cars, resulting in relaxed requirements for registration and licensing. Engine size is often or less, and microcars have three or four wheels. Microcars are most popular in Europe, where they originated following World War II. The predecessors to micro cars are voiturettes and cycle cars. Kei cars have been used in Japan since 1949. Examples of microcars and kei cars: *
Honda Life The Honda Life is an automobile nameplate that was used on various kei car/city cars produced by Honda: passenger cars, microvans, and kei trucks. The first series of the nameplate was built between 1971 and 1974, with the nameplate revived in 1 ...
*
Smart ForTwo The Smart Fortwo (stylized as "smart fortwo") is a two-seater city car manufactured and marketed by the Smart (marque), Smart division of the Mercedes-Benz Group for model years 1998–2024, across three generations — each using a rear-engi ...
*
Tata Nano The Tata Nano is a city car/microcar manufactured and marketed by Indian automaker Tata Motors over a single generation from 2008–2018, primarily in India, as an inexpensive rear-engine hatchback for motorcycle and scooter drivers — wit ...


A-segment / City car / Minicompact

The smallest category of vehicles that are registered as normal cars is called A-segment in Europe, or "city car" in Europe and the United States. The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines this category as "minicompact." However, this term is not widely used. The equivalents of A-segment cars have been produced since the early 1920s. However, the category increased in popularity in the late 1950s when the original
Fiat 500 The Fiat 500 (, ) is an Economy car, economy / city car that was manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 until 1975. It was sold as a two-door semi-convertible or saloon car and as a three-door panel van or estate car. Launched ...
and BMC Mini were released. Examples of A-segment / city cars / minicompact cars: *
Fiat 500 The Fiat 500 (, ) is an Economy car, economy / city car that was manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 until 1975. It was sold as a two-door semi-convertible or saloon car and as a three-door panel van or estate car. Launched ...
* Hyundai i10 * Toyota Aygo


B-segment / Supermini / Subcompact

The next larger category of small cars is called B-segment Europe,
supermini The B-segment is the second smallest of the European segments for passenger cars between the A-segment and C-segment, and commonly described as "small cars". The B-segment is the third largest segment in Europe by volume, accounting for 15. ...
in the United Kingdom and
subcompact Subcompact car is a North American classification for cars smaller than a compact car. It is broadly equivalent to the B-segment (Europe), supermini (Great Britain) or A0-class (China) classifications. According to the U.S. Environmental Pr ...
in the United States. The size of a subcompact car is defined by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on De ...
(EPA), as having a combined interior and cargo volume of between . Since the EPA's smaller minicompact category is not as commonly used by the general public,
A-segment The A-segment is the first category in the passenger car classification system defined by the European Commission. It is used for city cars, the smallest category of passenger cars defined. A-segment sales represented approximately 4.2% of the ...
cars are sometimes called subcompacts in the United States. In Europe and Great Britain, the B-segment and supermini categories do not have any formal definitions based on size. Early supermini cars in Great Britain include the 1977
Ford Fiesta The Ford Fiesta is a supermini car that was marketed by Ford from 1976 to 2023 over seven generations. Over the years, the Fiesta has mainly been developed and manufactured by Ford's European operations, and had been positioned below the ...
and Vauxhall Chevette. In the United States, the first locally-built subcompact cars were the 1970 AMC Gremlin,
Chevrolet Vega The Chevrolet Vega is a Subcompact car, subcompact automobile manufactured and marketed by General Motors, GM's Chevrolet division from 1970 until 1977. Available in two-door hatchback, notchback, station wagon, wagon, and sedan delivery body st ...
, and
Ford Pinto The Ford Pinto is a subcompact car that was manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company in North America from 1970 until 1980. The Pinto was the first subcompact vehicle produced by Ford in North America. The Pinto was marketed in three bo ...
. Examples of B-segment / supermini / subcompact cars: * Chevrolet Aveo (Chevrolet Sonic) * Hyundai Accent *
Volkswagen Polo The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car ( B-segment) produced by the German car manufacturer Volkswagen since 1975. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, and estate variants throughout its production run. As of 2 ...


C-segment / Small family / Compact

The largest category of small cars is called ''C-segment'' or ''small family car'' in Europe, and ''compact car'' in the United States. The size of a compact car is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as having a combined interior and cargo volume of . Examples of C-segment / compact / small family cars: *
Honda Civic The is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. , the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/Honda City, City and Honda Accord in Honda's global passenger car line-up. The first-generation Civic was introduced in July 1972 ...
*
Toyota Corolla The is a series of compact cars (formerly Subcompact car, subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has bee ...
*
Renault Mégane The Renault Mégane (), also spelled without the acute accent as Megane, especially in languages other than French, and also known as the Renault Megavan for an LCV in Ireland, as the Renault Scala in Iran and as the Renault Mégane Grandcoup� ...


D-segment / Large family / Mid-size

In Europe, the third-largest category for passenger cars is called ''D-segment'' or ''large family car''. In the United States, the equivalent term is ''mid-size'' or ''intermediate'' cars. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a mid-size car as having a combined passenger and cargo volume of . Examples of D-segment / large family / mid-size cars: *
Chevrolet Malibu The Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size car that was manufactured and marketed by Chevrolet from 1964 to 1983 and from 1997 to 2025. The Malibu began as a trim-level of the Chevrolet Chevelle, becoming its own model line in 1978. Originally a rear-w ...
*
Ford Mondeo The Ford Mondeo is a Mid-size/large family car, large (D-segment) car manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company, Ford since 1993 across five generations for model years 1993-2022. As Ford self-declared world car, the Mondeo was intended to ...
* Kia K5


E-segment / Executive / Full-size

In Europe, the second-largest category for passenger cars is E-segment / executive car, which are usually luxury cars. In other countries, the equivalent terms are ''full-size car'' or ''large car'', which are also used for relatively affordable large cars that are not considered luxury cars. Examples of non-luxury full-size cars: *
Chevrolet Impala The Chevrolet Impala () is a full-size car that was built by Chevrolet for model years 1958 to 1985, 1994 to 1996, and 2000 to 2020. The Impala was Chevrolet's popular flagship passenger car and was among the better-selling American-made auto ...
*
Toyota Avalon The is a full-size car, full-size Sedan (automobile), sedan manufactured by Toyota, as its largest front-wheel drive sedan; also its flagship in the United States, Canada, China and the Middle East. The Avalon was also manufactured in Australi ...


F-segment / Luxury saloon / Full-size luxury

''See Luxury saloon / full-size luxury section below.''


S-segment / Sports / Performance cars

''See Sports / performance cars section below.''


Minivans / MPVs

Minivan is an American car classification for vehicles that are designed to transport passengers in the rear seating rows, and have reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent terms in British English are multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), people carrier, and people mover. Minivans are often of the "one-box" or "two-box" body configuration, high roofs, flat floors, sliding doors for rear passengers, and high H-point seating.


Mini MPV

Mini MPV is the smallest size of MPVs and the vehicles are often built on the platforms of B-segment hatchback models. Examples of Mini MPVs: * Toyota Noah *
Honda Freed The is a mini MPV produced by the Japanese automaker Honda since 2008. The vehicle is designed mainly for the need of Japanese consumers. It is based on the Honda Fit, Fit/Jazz platform and acts as a replacement for the Honda Mobilio#First gene ...
* Ford B-Max


Compact MPV

The compact MPV size class includes vehicles between the mini MPV and large MPV (minivan) sizes. Compact MPVs remain predominantly a European phenomenon, although they are also built and sold in many Latin American and Asian markets. Examples of Compact MPVs: *
Renault Scénic The Renault Scénic (), also spelled without the acute accent as Scenic, especially in languages other than French, is a car which was produced by Automotive industry in France, French car manufacturer Renault, the first to be labelled as a com ...
* Volkswagen Touran *
Ford C-Max The Ford C-Max (stylized as Ford C-MAX and previously called the Ford Focus C-Max) is a car produced by the Ford Motor Company from 2003 to 2019. It has a five-door compact MPV, compact multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) design. The Ford Grand C-Max has ...


Large MPV

The largest size of minivans is also referred to as "large MPV" and became popular following the introduction of the 1984 Renault Espace and Dodge Caravan. Since the 1990s, the smaller compact MPV and mini MPV sizes of minivans have also become popular. If the term "minivan" is used without specifying a size, it usually refers to a large MPV. Examples of Large MPVs: *
Chrysler Pacifica Chrysler Pacifica is a nameplate used by Chrysler FCA US, LLC, Trade name, doing business as Stellantis North America and known historically as Chrysler ( ), is one of the "Big Three (automobile manufacturers), Big Three" automobile manufacture ...
* Ford S-Max * Toyota Sienna


Luxury vehicles


Premium compact

The premium compact class (also called subcompact executive) is the smallest category of luxury cars. It became popular in the mid-2000s, when European manufacturers — such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz — introduced new entry-level models that were smaller and cheaper than their compact executive models. Examples of premium compact cars: * Acura ILX *
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class The Mercedes-Benz CLA is a series of Luxury vehicle#Premium compact, luxury subcompact executive cars manufactured by Mercedes-Benz since 2013. The first generation was a four-door Sedan (automobile), sedan based on the platform of the Mercedes- ...
* Lexus CT200h


Compact executive / luxury compact

A compact executive car or a compact luxury car is a premium car larger than a ''premium compact'' and smaller than an ''executive car''. Compact executive cars are equivalent size to mid-size cars and are part of the
D-segment The D-segment is the 4th category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size ...
in the European car classification. In North American terms, close equivalents are "luxury compact" and "entry-level luxury car", although the latter is also used for the smaller ''premium compact cars''. Examples of compact executive cars: *
Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of luxury compact executive cars produced from 1994 to 2025 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platfor ...
* BMW 3 Series * Volvo S60


Executive / mid-size luxury

An executive car is a premium car larger than a ''compact executive'' and smaller than a ''full-size luxury'' car. Executive cars are classified as E-segment cars in the European car classification. In the United States and several other countries, the equivalent categories are
full-size car Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars. It is the largest size class for cars. In the United Kingdom, this class is referred to as ...
(not to be confused with the European category of "full-size luxury car") or ''mid-size luxury'' car. Examples of executive cars: *
Mercedes-Benz E-Class The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a range of executive cars manufactured by German automaker Mercedes-Benz in various engine and body configurations. Produced since September 1953, the E-Class falls as a midrange in the Mercedes line-up, and has been ...
* Lexus GS * Volvo S90


Luxury saloon / full-size luxury

The largest size of a luxury car is known as a ''luxury saloon'' in the United Kingdom and a ''full-size luxury car'' in the United States. These cars are classified as F-segment cars in the European car classification. Vehicles in this category are often the flagship models of luxury car brands. Examples of luxury saloons: *
BMW 7 Series The BMW 7 Series is a full-size luxury car, luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by the German automaker BMW since 1977. It is the successor to the BMW E3 "New Six" sedan and is now in its seventh generation. The 7 Series is BMW's flagship car ...
*
Lincoln Continental The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced between 1939 and 2020 by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a per ...
*
Lexus LS The is a series of full-size luxury sedans that have served as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, since 1989. For the first four generations, all LS models featured V8 engines and were predominantly rear-wheel-drive ...


Sports / performance cars

Cars that prioritize handling or straight-line acceleration are called sports cars or performance cars. However the term "sports car" is also sometimes used specifically for lightweight two-seat cars. Sports/performance cars can either be built on unique platforms or upgraded versions of regular cars. Common categories of sports/performance cars are: *
sports car A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...
* sports sedan / sports saloon *
supercar A supercar, also known as an exotic car, is a street-legal sports car with race track-like power, speed, and handling, plus a certain subjective ''cachet'' linked to pedigree and/or exclusivity. The term 'supercar' is frequently used for th ...
* hypercar * hot hatch *
sport compact Sport compact is a United States marketing classification for a high-performance version of a compact or a subcompact car. There is no precise definition, and the description is applied to various models for promotional purposes. Cars began to ...
*
muscle car A muscle car is an American-made two-door sports coupe with a powerful engine, marketed for its performance. In 1949, General Motors introduced its 88 with the company's OHV Rocket V8 engine, which was previously available only in its lux ...
*
pony car Pony car is an American car classification for affordable, compact, highly styled coupés or convertibles with a "sporty" or performance-oriented image. Common characteristics include rear-wheel drive, a long hood, a short deck, bucket seats ...
*
grand tourer A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving with performance and luxury. The most common format is a Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door coupé with ...
The definitions for these categories are often blurred and a car may be a member of multiple categories.


Sports car

Sports cars are designed to emphasize handling, performance, or the thrill of driving. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s, with one of the first recorded usages of the term "sports car" being in ''The Times'' newspaper in the United Kingdom in 1919.Motor Show. Development of the Sporting Car. ''The Times'' (London, England), 12 November 1919; pg. 6; Issue 42255 Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term was originally used for two-seat roadsters (cars without fixed roofs). However, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with fixed roofs (which were previously considered
grand tourer A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving with performance and luxury. The most common format is a Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door coupé with ...
s). Examples of sports cars: *
Chevrolet Corvette The Chevrolet Corvette is a line of American two-door, two-seater sports cars manufactured and marketed by General Motors under the Chevrolet marque since 1953. Throughout eight generations, indicated sequentially as C1 to C8, the Corvette is not ...
*
Mazda MX-5 The Mazda MX-5 is a lightweight two-person sports car manufactured and marketed by Mazda. The convertible is marketed as the or in Japan, and as the Mazda Miata () in the United States, and formerly in Canada, where it is now marketed as the ...
*
Porsche 911 The Porsche 911 model series (pronounced ''Nine Eleven'' or in ) is a family of German two-door, high performance Rear-engine design, rear-engine sports cars, introduced in September 1964 by Porsche, Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. Now in it ...


Sports sedan / sports saloon

A ''sports sedan'' — also known as "sports saloon" — is a subjective term for a sedan/saloon car that is designed to have sporting performance or handling characteristics. Examples of sports sedans: *
BMW M5 The BMW M5 is a super high-performance variant of the BMW 5 Series marketed under the BMW M sub-brand. It is considered an iconic vehicle in the sports saloon category. The M5 has always been produced in the saloon (sedan, US English) body s ...
* Mazdaspeed6 / Mazda 6 MPS *
Dodge Charger The Dodge Charger is a model of automobile marketed by Dodge in various forms over eight generations since 1966. The first Charger was a show car in 1964. A 1965 Charger II concept car resembled the 1966 production version. In the United Sta ...


Supercar / hypercar

A supercar – also called an exotic car – is a loosely defined description of certain high-performance sportscars. Since the 1990s or 2000s, the term "hypercar" has come into use for the highest-performing supercars. Examples of supercars: *
McLaren P1 The McLaren P1 (codenamed P12) is a flagship sports car produced by British marque McLaren Automotive. Styled by American car designer Frank Stephenson, it is the second installment in McLaren's Ultimate Series after the McLaren F1. Considered ...
* Koenigsegg Agera R * Bugatti Veyron 16.4


SUVs / off-road vehicles

Passenger vehicles with off-road capability or styling features are often categorized as either off-road vehicles, sports utility vehicles, or crossover SUVs. There are no commonly agreed boundaries between these categories, and usage of the terms varies between countries.


Off-road vehicle

The earliest type of passenger vehicle is called an "off-roader", "four-by-four" or "four-wheel drive". Off-road vehicles are usually more focused on off-road capability than SUVs and crossover SUVs (often compromising their on-road ride quality or handling). Common features of off-road vehicles are
four-wheel drive A four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, is a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case pr ...
, high ground clearance, a
body-on-frame Body-on-frame is a traditional motor vehicle construction method whereby a separate coachwork, body or coach is mounted on a strong and relatively rigid vehicle frame or chassis that carries the powertrain (the engine and drivetrain) and to wh ...
(separate chassis) construction and low-range gearing. Examples of off-road vehicles: *
Nissan Patrol The is a series of off-road vehicles and full-size SUVs manufactured by Nissan in Japan since 1951 and sold throughout the world. It is Nissan's longest running series of models. The Patrol has been available as either a short-wheelbase (SWB) ...
*
Toyota Land Cruiser The , also sometimes spelt as LandCruiser, is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. It is Toyota's longest running series of models. , the sales of the Land Cruiser totalled more than 1 ...
*
Suzuki Jimny The is a series of four-wheel drive off-road vehicle, off-road Mini sport utility vehicle, mini SUVs, manufactured and marketed by Japanese automaker Suzuki since 1970. Originally belonging to the Kei car, kei class, Japan's light automobile t ...


Sport utility vehicle

A sports utility vehicle (SUV) combines elements of road-going passenger vehicles with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive. There is no common definition of an SUV, and usage varies between countries. Some definitions claim that an SUV must be built on a light-truck chassis. However, a broader definition considers any vehicle with off-road design features as an SUV. In some countries — such as the United States — SUVs have been classified as "light trucks", resulting in more lenient regulations compared to passenger vehicles. The predecessors to SUVs date back to military and low-volume models from the late 1930s, and the four-wheel drive station wagons / carryalls that began to be introduced in 1949. The 1984 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) is considered to be the first SUV in the modern style. Most SUVs produced today use unibody construction (as per passenger cars). However, in the past, many SUVs used body-on-frame construction. Examples of SUVs: *
Chevrolet Tahoe The Chevrolet Tahoe (), and its Rebadging, badge-engineered GMC Yukon counterpart, are full-size SUVs and other trucks from General Motors, offered since 1994 and 1991, respectively. Since 1982, Chevrolet and GMC (General Motors division), GMC ...
* Mercedes-Benz M-Class *
Mitsubishi Pajero The Further information on the Mitsubishi P ...


Crossover SUV

A crossover SUV— also called a crossover or CUV— is a type of sports utility vehicle (SUV) that uses a
unibody A vehicle frame, also historically known as its ''chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism. Until the 1930s, virtually every car had ...
construction. Crossovers are often based on a platform shared with a passenger car, as a result, they typically have better comfort and fuel economy, but less off-road capability (many crossovers are sold without all-wheel drive) than truck-based SUVs, though more so than passenger four wheels. There are various inconsistencies about whether vehicles are considered crossovers or SUVs, therefore the term SUV is often used as a catch-all for both crossovers and SUVs. Examples of crossover SUVs: * Nissan Qashqai * Volkswagen Tiguan * Mazda CX60


Government classification methods

These classifications can be based on
body style Governments and private organizations have developed car classification schemes that are used for various purposes including regulation, description, and categorization of cars. The International Standard ISO 3833-1977 ''Road vehicles – Type ...
(e.g. sedan, coupe or hatchback), number of doors or seating capacity. Government departments often create classification systems for taxation or regulating vehicle usage (e.g. vehicles that require a specific license or are restricted to certain roads). Some jurisdictions may determine vehicle tax based upon environmental principles, such as the user pays principle.


Australia

In Australia, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries publishes its classifications.


Canada

A similar set of classes is used by the Canadian EPA. 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.


United Kingdom

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.


United States

In the United States, since 2010 the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHS-HLDI) is an American nonprofit organization. It was established in 1959, and it is noted for its safety reviews of vehicles in various simulated traffic situations, ...
has used a formula it developed that takes into account a combination of both vehicle footprint (length times width) and weight. The United States
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation, focused on automobile safety regulations. NHTSA is charged with writing and enforcing Feder ...
(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 Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C (US) or air con (UK), is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior temperature, and in some cases, also controlling the humidity of internal air. Air c ...
, if so equipped. The United States
Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
has developed a classification system 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 the number of axles and number of units, including both power and trailer units. The
United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on De ...
(US EPA) has developed a classification system 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 on their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Heavy-duty vehicles are not included in the EPA scheme. Certain cities in the United States in the 1920s chose to exempt electric-powered vehicles because officials believed those vehicles did not cause "substantial wear upon the pavements".


North American market segments

Several other segment descriptions, listed below, are used in North America. Cars from these segments may also be sold in other countries. However, the usage of the terms is mostly specific to North America.


Muscle car

Muscle car is an American term for high-performance cars, usually rear-wheel drive and fitted with a large and powerful V8 engine. The term originated for the 1960s and early 1970s special editions of mass-production cars which were designed for drag racing. Examples of muscle cars: *
Ford Torino The Ford Torino is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company, Ford for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. It was a competitor in the mid-size car, intermediate market segment and essentially a twin to the Mercury Monte ...
* Plymouth Road Runner *
Pontiac GTO The Pontiac GTO is a front-engine, rear-drive, two-door, and four-passenger automobile manufactured and marketed by the Pontiac (automobile), Pontiac division of General Motors over four generations from 1963 until 1974 in the United States &m ...


Pony car

Pony car is an American class of automobile launched and inspired by the
Ford Mustang The Ford Mustang is a series of American Car, automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company, Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its Ford Mustang (seventh ...
in 1964. It broke all post-World War II automobile sales records, "creating the 'pony car' craze soon adopted by competitors." The term describes an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image. Examples of pony cars: *
AMC Javelin The AMC Javelin is an American front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-door hardtop automobile manufactured by American Motors Corporation (AMC) across two generations, 1968 through 1970 and 1971 through 1974 model years. The car was positioned an ...
*
Chevrolet Camaro The Chevrolet Camaro is a mid-size American automobile manufactured by Chevrolet, classified as a pony car. It first went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed to compete with the Ford Mustang. The Camaro sha ...
*
Dodge Challenger The Dodge Challenger is the name of three generations of automobiles produced by the American automobile manufacturer Dodge. However, the first use of the Challenger name by Dodge dates back to 1959 for marketing a "value version" of the full- ...


Personal luxury car

A personal luxury car is a North American market segment for premium
coupé A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...
or
convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a Car, passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air drivin ...
produced from 1952–2007. These two-door cars prioritized comfort, styling, and a high level of interior features. Not prioritizing maximum interior space, interior volumes are equivalent size to mid-size cars and are part of the
D-segment The D-segment is the 4th category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size ...
in the European car classification, and exterior dimensions can exceed F-segment. Examples of personal luxury cars: *
Ford Thunderbird The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1955 to 2005, with a hiatus from 1998 to 2001. Ultimately gaining a broadly used colloquial nickname, the ''T-Bird'', Ford Introduce ...
*
Cadillac Eldorado The Cadillac Eldorado is a luxury car manufactured and marketed by the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors from 1952 until 2002, over twelve generations. The Eldorado was at or near the top of the Cadillac product line. The original ...
* Chrysler Cordoba


Sport compact

A sporting version of an affordable compact car or a subcompact car. There is no precise definition and the description is applied for marketing purposes to a wide variety of models. Cars began to be marketed as sport compacts in the mid-1980s when it was used for option packages on American-built coupes. Since then, it has also been used for standalone sports car models and cars imported from Europe and Asia. The European equivalent is a hot hatch. However, sport compacts are not restricted to just hatchback body styles. Examples of sport compact cars: * Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 *
Ford Probe The Ford Probe is a liftback (i.e., hatchback) coupé manufactured and marketed by Ford for model years 1988-1997 over two generations. The Probe was a byproduct of Ford's collaboration with its Japanese partner Mazda, and both generations der ...
* Honda Civic Si


European market segments

Several other segment descriptions, listed below, are used in Europe. Cars from these segments may also be sold in other countries. However, the usage of the terms is mostly specific to Europe.


Grand tourer

A grand tourer (GT) is a car that is designed for high-speed and long-distance driving, due to a combination of performance and luxury attributes. The most common format is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement. The term derives from the Italian language phrase ''gran turismo'' which became popular in the English language from the 1950s, evolving from fast touring cars and streamlined closed sports cars during the 1930s. Examples of grand tourers: * Aston Martin Vanquish * Lexus SC300/400 * Ferrari FF


Hot hatch

Hot hatch (shortened from hot hatchback) is a high-performance version of a mass-produced
hatchback A hatchback is a car body style, car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row sea ...
car. The term originated in the mid-1980s. However, factory high-performance versions of hatchbacks have been produced since the 1970s. Front-mounted petrol engines, together with front-wheel drive, are the most common powertrain layout. However, all-wheel drive has become more commonly used since around 2010. Most hot hatches are manufactured in Europe or Asia. Examples of hot hatches: * Volkswagen Golf GTi * Peugeot 205 GTi *
Honda Civic Type R The is a series of hot hatchback and sports sedan models based on the Honda Civic, Civic, developed and produced by Honda since September 1997. The first Civic Type R was the third model to receive Honda's Honda Type R, Type R badge (after the ...


See also

* ACRISS Car Classification Code *
Car body style There are many types of car body styles. They vary depending on intended use, market position, location, and the era they were made. Current styles Buggy (automobile), Buggy Lightweight off-road vehicle with sparse bodywork. Originally tw ...
* Commercial vehicle *
Three-wheeler A three-wheeler is a vehicle with three wheels. Some are motorized tricycles, which may be legally classed as motorcycles, while others are tricycles without a motor, some of which are human-powered vehicles and animal-powered vehicles. Ove ...
*
Truck classification Truck classifications are typically based upon the maximum loaded weight of the truck, typically using the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and sometimes also the gross trailer weight rating (GTWR), and can vary among jurisdictions. United ...
* Vehicle category *
Vehicle size class Vehicle size classes are series of ratings assigned to different segments of Motor vehicle, automotive vehicles for the purposes of vehicle emissions control and Fuel economy in automobiles, fuel economy calculation. Various methods are used to c ...


References

{{Automobile configuration classifications