20 Different Types Of Car Body Styles Explained

Vehicles, including passenger car and truck-based SUVs, can be mixed into 20 vehicle types (sedans, hatchbacks, pickups, etc.). That makes categorizing all vehicular types easy.

It informs and deals directly with helping you provide a better understanding and appreciation for the unique benefits of your car. Sometimes it can be misleading.

As helpful as this classification is, I don’t want its helpfulness to come in the way of realizing the benefits and uniqueness of a car. The easiest way to define a vehicle, is by the way it looks.

What is the first thing you observe when a vehicle approaches you on the road? This is known as “body style”. Big and boxy? How many low and flat doors are there? The body style is the most straightforward way to classify your vehicle.

Types Of Cars Body Style

Below is list of the top 20 cars available on the market based on body style.

Sedan	Coupe	Sportscars	Station wagon
Hatchback	Convertible	Sport-utility vehicle (SUV)	Minivan
Pickup truck	Jeep	Electric car	CUV/Crossover
Spyder	Hot hatch	Limousine	UTE
Pony car	Sports sedan	Military vehicle	Dragster

SEDAN

Four-door cars like this sedan type are really common and the sedan shape has a defined style with a unique three-box design that separates a car’s engine, passenger and cargo compartments on a visual level, which can help with weight distribution and even balance for a more controllable ride.

The unibody body structure helps save weight, and ultimately fuel economy. There are not glass windows in the cargo compartment so the door provides good protection against vehicles cargo theft.

This sedan has four doors and a standard trunk compartment. In addition to that, there are different sizes sedan. There are subcompact sedans, like the Nissan Versa or Kia Rio, compact, like Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, midsize, like Honda Accord and Nissan Altima, full-size, like Toyota Avalon and Dodge Charger and even luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz and Lexus, offer sedans in the same size as a standard sedan.

COUPE

A coupe is a car that is all about simplicity. The word “coupe” brings to mind images of compact sedans. That would mean a two-door car with a trunk and a fixed roof. But the adventurous appeal of this car is the sloping roofline which gives the coupe a sleeker and sportier style.

For looks alone, coupes generally come well-equipped with all manner of riders ranging from sharp handling to hundreds of horsepower! This coupe takes up a modicum amount of space and it is a very capable minimalist big rig. Not if you are riding along with family or friends. For a single rider or couple and wanting to discover worlds unknown.

The coupe was for years a two-door car with a trunk and a fixed roof. These would include vehicles like the Ford Mustang and Audi A5 as well as two-seater sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche Boxster.

Recently, however, some car manufacturers have employed the term “coupe” for four-door cars or crossovers, particularly those manufactured with low, sleek rooflines they consider “coupe-like.” Examples would include vehicles as diverse as the Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan and the BMW X6 SUV. However, we consider the coupe a two-door.

SPORTS CAR

A sports car is a car engineered for performance – speed, handling, acceleration, top speed how much fun it is to drive.

A sports car is generally a small luxury car design primarily for speed with minimal space to carry anything and a minimal amount of passenger and probably even better, to be a two-seater.

It is perceived typically as a luxury car and those buyers purchasing them perceive it as a luxury good. A sports car by definition is a performance vehicle first and foremost.

To be a sports car, a car can be identified, by definition, as a two-passenger convertible, open-air vehicle, purposely engineered to be sporty in aesthetic.

Automakers have perfected some great characteristics a sports car has, like handling, acceleration, and ungainly nimble-maneuverability, to provide a pleasurable driving experience and exhilarating speed and a burst of power that motivates it.

There are dozens of everyday sports car brands, like the Porsche 911 and the Mazda Miata. You might extend the definition of a sports car even further to include muscle cars like a Ford Mustang or Dodge Challenger, which is the quintessential sports car.

Then there are the exotic six-figure dream cars mystifyingly stopping all of traffic with its other-worldly outer shell shape resemblance of a spaceship unattainable by most people in a million years, like the Ferrari 488 GTB and Aston Martin Vantage.

STATION WAGON

Station wagons, or estate cars, are basically an elongated version of a sedan with additional cargo capacity, so, think of it as a mix of a sedan and a hatchback.

Station wagons are excellent for larger families that need a reliable hauler. With even more cargo capacity, station wagons typically achieve better fuel efficiency than their SUV counterparts, too.

Some wagons are similar to SUVs because they have more ground clearance and a little body cladding, like the Subaru Outback or Audi A4 Allroad, but they are ultimately close cousins to sedans.

The wagon has lost prominence in the last few decades and are among the fewest available in the United States.

HATCHBACK

A hatchback, mainly, is defined by its hatch or rear door that swings upward. Hatchbacks have a front door, possibly two. Even with the rear hatch, the hatchback terminus is still a typical passenger car, as a sedan is typified as a passenger car, too.

Compared to the sedan, the hatchback’s more important feature is the cargo capacity. A hatchback is usually more capable of carrying loads than a sedan.

A hatchback will also allow you to remove heavy items like large shopping bags easier, too. If you value more capacity and better fuel economy, then a hatchback can be a strategy for you.

The typical hatchbacks – think VW Golf and Kia Rio, have been used for a long time and have camouflaged into larger vehicles too – the Audi A7 and Kia Stinger are bigger both stature and maybe financially.

They appear more like a sedan, but they have a sharply sloping back and hatch. Their cargo capacity is more than a traditional trunk and allow more access to the cargo space.

CONVERTIBLE

For decades, convertibles have been synonymous with unique aesthetics and tasteful designs. Its why convertibles have remained popular for decades – they have become a cinematic icon and have symbolized freedom and youth.

Convertibles have a retractable canopy and a minimal passenger cabin that may only fit two people and a limited hold.

If you can retract the roof into the body of the car, while the passenger cabin remains open to the elements. You have a convertible. While most convertibles will have a fully electric fabric roof that would fold down, there will be a few that have to be lowered by hand.

There are several models that have a retractable hardtop, as well as several unusual quasi-convertibles (commonly referred to as “Targa-Tops”) like the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF, Porsche 911 Targa, and Corvette that only permit the front part of the roof to be retracted or removed by hand.

SPORT-UTILITY VEHICLE (SUV)

An SUV has off-road capabilities and roominess. They are specifically engineered for long distance travel.

It provide comfort while traveling on rugged cross-country terrain and retains a relatively high seating position offering a view of the road.

The build is a body-on-frame like truck which allows vehicles to sustain weight. If you enjoy outdoor adventure and expect to tow dirt bikes, then they are a good fit.

SUVs often include a station wagon-like space for cargo, accessed through a flip-up hatchback rear door depending on the size. SUVs come with all-wheel drive capability. In addition, larger SUVs can potentially include three rows of seating.

While sizes fit small cars (Hyundai Kona, Nissan Kicks) to medium/full size vehicles (Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe), they are available in almost similar dimensions in luxury brand vehicles available in most equivalent size and designation as SUVs.

MINIVAN

When developing minivans, we at least consider the cabin space, rather than the storage space. Minivans fall in the category of a station wagon or family car. It is specifically made for a family. It has a lot of storage area, but just not as much as an SUV.

Minivans are the workhorses of family cars – the best way to transport people and cargo packaged up into one package. It’s called a “minivan” but there is nothing “mini” about it.

Minivans are tall boxes, on wheels, with sliding side doors and a tailgate that opens into a large cargo area.

Most minivans have reclining second and third row seats that can be removed and/or folded into the floor which creates big storage space. One example of a minivan is the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey.

PICKUP TRUCK

A pickup truck is recognized in the world. It stands out from other vehicles because of its distinct design; with a large compartment that is completely separated from its cab and holds no more than 3 or 4 people.

A pickup truck has a passenger cab and an open cargo bed section at the back. Almost all pickups also use some sort of all-wheel drive or part-time four-wheel-drive which is used only for off-road purposes. Other than the Honda Ridgeline’s mid-sized pickup, the pickup bodies have a cab mounted on the steel frame.

The Ridgeline is a little more like a cross-over, where the rear section of the roof is lopped off to accommodate the cargo bed. For now, pickups are considered full-size or mid-size.

JEEP

Jeep is synonymous with outdoor adventures, just like Kleenex is with facial tissue. Jeep, the model, is made by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. It made its debut in November 1940 just before the USA began to fight WWII.

They were utilized quite a bit during that war and subsequent wars due to the fact they could travel all kinds of terrain.

In 1987, Chrysler Corporation bought the Jeep brand, and Chrysler has continued to evolve and expand the models ever since. The typical hard-bodied Jeep is still in demand, but Chrysler has also invented the SUV model called Cherokee.

ELECTRIC CAR

I can’t wait to lease my next car – an electric one! It’s exciting because in a few years, most automobile makers are going to have a lot of electric options. Audi, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes are all rolling out electric cars in the near future.

Tesla is currently the top player in the game but in the next 5 years it will have tougher competition. GM’s Volt is also an exciting option.

While I like Tesla’s designs, it doesn’t compare to how cool the first Porsche electric car looks. Check it out… Mission E. It’s a 4 door and still looks super cool, which I love! I have young kids, so I have to have a 4-door car, no more 2-door cars for me!

CROSSOVER

If you had to summarize crossovers into a short single phrase it would be “a hybrid of an SUV and hatchback.”

Crossovers have the practicality of an SUV but also bring ridiculous fuel economy just like hatchbacks because they are made on a unibody construction, which is lighter weight and takes less fuel.

SPYDER

Spyder is a car type that is two seats with a sports car appearance. There are many different Spyder variants, and one popular type is Lamborghini Spyder, and their use is widespread internationally and recognized as a luxury vehicle.

At one time, it used to be a racing car in the United States Auto Club in the 50s and 60s. The Spyder is also commonly referred to as being called a Roadster because it was originally used to describe a horse to be used to travel on open roads.

Initially the Spyder was originally used by only one person to ride, it has transitioned and slowly evolved into the two-seater model that we know today and use worldwide.

HOT HATCH

The hot hatch is a high-performance vehicle designed on the hatchback design, which has a door that swings open the rear and is shaped similarly.

Even though it is not as spacious or as large as the hatchback, it can still accommodate 5 passengers and a lot of cargo. It started being manufactured in the late 1980s and remains a consumer favorite in Europe and Asia.

LIMOUSINE

Limousines are viewed as one of the most high-end or luxury cars. They are commonly known for their long length and separation between its rear and front.

Limousines are driven by chauffeur and usually reserved ahead of time for an event, and mostly used for formal occasions. Limousines are typically owned and used by movie stars, business people, dignitaries, or politicians.

UTE

A UTE is defined as an abbreviation for utility. It is identified as a description for vehicles often purchased in Australia and New Zealand for vehicles with a bed after the passenger cabin.

They can be operated using a standard driver’s license. UTE was earlier (and is presently, but more so previously) used as a description for vehicles designed off passenger car chassis with the bed attached to the car and is an open cargo area behind passenger body.

Any vehicle with an open cargo area in behind is regarded to be a UTE in the New Zealand – Australia region.

PONY CAR

The Pony car era had it’s start with the Ford Mustangs of the 1940s and 50s. ‘Pony cars’ were exceptionally popular and sold very well from the 1960’s on in the United States, even causing record sales.

The pony car caused the pony car craze, and was introduced as an affordable, compact, and very stylish alternative for American drivers.

The pony car was a very rapid response to customers that wanted small cars that had sporty -stylish and with some luxury.

SPORTS SEDAN

Sports Sedan or Sports Saloon – a very subjective name for a car. It has great performance with amazing handling features. It dates back to the 1930s to include the Rover 14 and 16.

Sports Sedan was a term that started being used for the sports models of cars from different manufacturers in the 1960s. The originals were rear-wheel drives and had manual transmissions but as times have changed, multi-person, special auto, paddle shift and many other types of transmissions and configurations started to gain acceptance.

Some important cars that fall under the category would be the BMW M5, Jaguar XJR, Maserati Quattroporte and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

MILITARY VEHICLE

Military vehicles are designed for combat and service on the field. They withstand rounds and blasts because they have a lot of armor and/or protection.

They are also able to carry soldiers, ammunition, and/or a lot of cargo at high speeds, while caring said cargo.

DRAGSTER

Dragsters are modified racing cars. They have modified engines and they are designed to drag race. They started to be built in the 1960s with front-engine rails and slingshots. Dragsters can also be supercharged or turbocharged depending on the design.

They can run on alcohol, natural gas, or even a combination of nitromethane and gasoline.  Rear engine dragsters have become the standard because of their durability and performance attributes.

SHOOTING BRAKE

Shooting Brake is a term for a vehicle with a particular body shape. It used to be an allusion to the horse drawn wagons that delivered rifle teams to their hunting grounds. The first horses with automotive capabilities started to be built in the early 1900s.

They have a longer than average stern with a large cabin area. They have a shape that borrows many different ideas from the tailgate. A very famous production car with the Shooting Brake name is the Mercedes-Benz CLS.

Classifications Of Cars

There are different classifications of cars due to many things. Below are some classifications to follow:

1. By Body Style:

Cars are classified based on the style of the body. This group includes convertibles, coupes, hatchbacks, minivans, crossovers, etc.

2. By Segment Car:

Cars are classified according to the parts that your car is made up of. Examples of this group are subcompact cars, green cars, compact cars, muscle cars, luxury cars and so on.

3. By Overall Size:

Cars are classified based on the size of the car. Examples of this group are micro cars, compact cars, mid-size cars, extra-large, and so on.

4. By Fuel:

Cars are classified based on the type of fuel it uses. This group includes diesel cars, electric cars, natural gas cars, hydrogen cars, etc.

5. By Purpose:

There are cars that are classified based on the purpose it provides. Examples of this group are commercial cars, family cars, exotic cars, racing cars, and sports cars.

FAQs.