Hatchbacks
- Traditionally, the term “hatchback” has meant a compact or subcompact sedan with a squared-off roof and a rear flip-up hatch door that provides access to the vehicle’s cargo area instead of a conventional trunk.
- Excluding the rear door, hatchbacks are built with four-doors, while two-door hatchbacks are also available in the market.
- Hatchbacks are generally designed with compact bodies, and are perfect for comfortably seating 4 passengers, despite a seating capacity of 5.
- Hatchbacks are considered to be the best for city driving, as they are easy to maneuver through the traffic and are also cheaper to maintain. As hatchbacks are also designed to be smaller, they become easy to park.
Sedans/ Saloons
- Derived from the Latin term “sedere” which means “to sit”. Sedans feature four-doors and a boot or trunk.
- Compared to hatchbacks, sedans have a separate boot compartment, which exists as an addition to the vehicle’s bodyline. Thus, when you open up a sedan’s boot, you’re opening just the boot and not the car
- Sedans are designed to provide utmost comfort and convenience for passengers both at the front as well as the rear. With the boot being a separate compartment, a sedan can comfortably seat 5 passengers.
- A slightly technical detail is that it usually features a 3-box configuration with each of the boxes categorically used for the engine, passenger, and cargo.
SUV
- SUVs are built with the combination of passenger cars with features of off-road vehicles. Compared to sedans, SUVs tend to be taller and boxier than sedans, offer an elevated seating position, and have more ground clearance than a car.
- In terms of the comfort, SUVs have spacious cabins, and can seat up to 7 individuals with sheer comfort.
- An SUV or Sports Utility Vehicle is made keeping in mind the long journey. It is designed to travel the long journey to another city or a state. It has a high ride height and a boxy shape which makes it easier for people to look around.
Crossover
- A crossover, as its name implies, refers to a cross between a car and an SUV. These vehicles look like SUVs. Their handling and maintenance is equivalent to sedans.
- However, they have SUV-like features such as high ground clearance, bigger wheels, plastic cladding around the body, etc.
- It can be very easy to confuse an SUV with a CUV. However, they’re both different in function. The CUVs use a lighter monocoque chassis, which is similar to the ones that are sported by Sedans.
Convertible/ cabriolet/ roadster
- Convertible cars have been famous for their recognizable aesthetic and their lovely designs for decades. They have been popular for decades because they have been made icons of cinema and symbols of freedom and youth.
- A convertible, also known as a cabriolet or roadster, is a car with a roof structure that can be ‘converted’ to allow open-air or enclosed driving.
- Generally, the roof on-board a convertible is made up of canvas or vinyl material, but it can also be a hard top.
- Most convertibles have a fully powered fabric roof that folds down, but a few have to be lowered by hand. There are also a number of models with a retractable hardtop.
- Convertibles are versatile to give you the freedom to enjoy the pleasant weather and keep yourself protected from the bad weather.