Vehicle size class - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Vehicle size classes are a way of classifying cars. The common North American parlance is word-based, while English-speaking European writers also use words to describe car sizes. In parts of Asia, segment letters are sometimes used.

USA regulations

American government defined size of Federal Regulations, Title 40—Protection of Environment, Section 600.315-82 Classes of comparable automobiles. Passenger car

Automobile

An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...

classes are defined based on interior volume index or
seating capacity, except the ones classified as special vehicle. A two seater is classified as a car with no more than two designated seating positions. Others as follows:

Class	Minicompact car	Subcompact car Subcompact car Subcompact car is a North American term used to describe automobiles whose class size is smaller than that of a compact car, usually not exceeding in length, but larger than a microcar...	Compact car Compact car A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...	Midsize car	Large car
Interior combined passenger and cargo volume index in cubic feet (liters)	under 85 (2407)	85-99.9 (2407-2831)	100-109.9 (2832-3114)	110-119.9 (3115-3397)	120 (3398) or over

Station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...

s
Class	Small station wagon	Midsize station wagon	Large station wagon
Interior volume index in cubic feet (liters)	under 130 (3681)	130-160 (3681-4531)	over 160 (4531)

Nonpassenger automobiles are defined as small pickup trucks, standard pickup trucks, vans, and special purpose vehicles. Pickup trucks is separated from car line based on gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). For pickup truck car lines with more than one GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating), the GVWR of the pickup truck car line is the arithmetic average of all distinct GVWR's less than or equal to 8,500 pounds available for that car line.

Class	Small pickup truck	Standard pickup truck	Van Van A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
GVWR in pound (kg)	under 4500 (2041)	4500-8500 (2041-3856)	undefined

Special purpose vehicle is defined as automobile with GVWR less than or equal to 8,500 pounds which possess special features that are more appropriately classified separately from typical automobiles or which do not meet the definitions of above mentioned classes.

Interior volume index is calculated differently for different vehicle classes:

For passenger automobiles, it is calculated for each car line which is not a two seater. For car lines with more than one body style, the interior volume index for the car line is the arithmetic average of the interior volume indexes of each body style in the car line.
For all body styles except station wagons and hatchbacks with more than one seat (e.g., with a second or third seat) equipped with seatbelts as required by DOT safety regulations, interior volume index is the sum, rounded to the nearest 0.1 cubic feet (2.8 l), of the front seat volume, the rear seat volume, if applicable, and the luggage capacity.
For all station wagons and hatchbacks with more than one seat (e.g., with a second or third seat) equipped with seat belts as required by DOT safety regulations, interior volume index is the sum, rounded to the nearest 0.1 cubic feet (2.8 l), of the front seat volume, the rear seat volume, and the cargo volume index.

All dimensions and volumes shall be determined from the base vehicles of each body style in each car line, and do not include optional equipment.

Front seat volume is calculated as product of:

Effective head room-front
Average of shoulder and hip room-front, if hip room is more than 5 inches (127 mm) less than shoulder room; Shoulder room-front, if hip room is not more than 5 inches (127 mm) less than shoulder room
Maximum effective leg room-accelerator

Rear seat volume is calculated for vehicles within a rear seat equipped with rear seat belts (as required by DOT), as product of:

Effective head room-second
Average of shoulder and hip room-second, if hip room is more than 5 inches (127 mm) less than shoulder room; Shoulder room-second, if hip room is not more than 5 inches (127 mm) less than shoulder room
Minimum effective leg room-second

For passenger automobiles with no rear seat or with a rear seat but no rear seat belts, the area to the rear of the front seat shall be included in the determination of usable luggage capacity.

Cargo volume index is calculated as follows:

For station wagon, it is the product of Shoulder room-second, Cargo height, Cargo length at belt-second.
For hatchback, it is the product of:
- Average cargo length, the arithmetic average of Cargo length at second seatback height-hatchback and Cargo length at floor-second-hatchback
- Shoulder room-second
- Second seatback to load floor height.

Canada regulations

Cars are divided into six classes based on interior volume. An interior volume index is calculated from the combined passenger and trunk or cargo space. Pickup trucks, special purpose vehicles and vans are segmented in their own respective classes.

Class	Two-seater	Subcompact car Subcompact car Subcompact car is a North American term used to describe automobiles whose class size is smaller than that of a compact car, usually not exceeding in length, but larger than a microcar...	Compact car Compact car A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...	Mid-size car Mid-size car A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...	Full-size car Full-size car A full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. In the United States, the EPA uses "large car" to denote full-size cars....
Interior size in litres (cubic feet)	undefined	under 2830 (99.9)	2830-3115 (99.9-110)	3115-3400 (110-120)	over 3400 (120)

Class	Station wagon Station wagon A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...	Pickup truck Pickup truck A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...	Special purpose vehicle	Minivan Minivan Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....	Large van
Interior size	?	?	?	?	?

The above definitions of vehicle classes are not defined in Canadian regulations, but by Fuel Consumption Guide published by Natural Resources Canada

Natural Resources Canada

The Department of Natural Resources , operating under the FIP applied title Natural Resources Canada , is the ministry of the government of Canada responsible for natural resources, energy, minerals and metals, forests, earth sciences, mapping and remote sensing...

.

Other vehicle classes are listed in On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emission Regulations (SOR/2003-2), officially published in Canada Gazette Part 2, Vol. 137 No. 1:

Class	light light-duty truck	light-duty truck	heavy light-duty truck	heavy-duty vehicle	medium-duty passenger vehicle
GVWR in kg (pounds)	2722 (6000) or under	3856 (8500) or under	over 2722-3856 (6000-8500)	over 3856 (8500)	same as heavy-duty vehicle
Curb weight in kg (pounds)	2722 (6000) or under	2722 (6000) or under	2722 (6000) or under	over 2722 (6000)	under 4536 (10000)
Frontal area in m² (square feet)	max 4.2 (45.2)	max 4.2 (45.2)	max 4.2 (45.2)	over 4.2 (45.2)	same as heavy-duty vehicle

In case of light-duty trucks, all 3 conditions must be met, otherwise it is classified as heavy-duty vehicle. In addition, light-duty must also be:

designed primarily for the transportation of property or that is a derivative of a vehicle that is designed for that purpose;
designed primarily for the transportation of persons and has a designated seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...

of more than 12 persons; or
available with special features that enable it to be operated and used off-road, the special features being four-wheel drive and at least four of the following characteristics, that are calculated when the vehicle is at curb weight and on a level surface with the front wheels parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal centreline and the tires are inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure:
- an approach angle of not less than 28 degrees
- break-over angle of not less than 14 degrees,
- a departure angle of not less than 20 degrees,
- ground clearances of not less than 17.8 cm under the front and rear axles, and
- a ground clearance of not less than 20.3 cm under any point other than the front or rear axle.

Medium-duty passenger vehicle is classified as a heavy-duty vehicle that is designed primarily for the transportation of persons but does not include any vehicle that

is a truck that is incomplete because it does not have a primary load carrying device or container attached;
has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...

of more than 12 persons;
is designed to seat more than 9 persons behind the driver; or
is equipped with an open cargo area (for example, a pick-up truck box or bed) of 183 cm in interior length or more or with a covered box not readily accessible from the passenger compartment.

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

is classified as an on-road vehicle with a headlight, taillight and stoplight that has two or three wheels and a curb weight of 793 kg or less, but does not include a vehicle that has an engine displacement of less than 50 cc, or that, with an 80 kg (176 pound) driver:

cannot start from a dead stop using only the engine; or
cannot exceed a speed of 40 km/h on a level paved surface.

Europe

Vehicle segments in Europe do not have formal characterization or regulations. Models segments tend to be based on comparison to well known brand models. For example, a car such as the Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada , and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico .The...

might be described as being in the Ford Focus size class, or vice versa. The VW Polo is smaller, so it belongs one segment below the Golf, while the bigger Passat

Volkswagen Passat

The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...

is one segment above.

This is a table listing several different methods of car classification.
EuroNCAP

EuroNCAP

The European New Car Assessment Programme is a European car safety performance assessment programme based in Brussels and founded in 1997 by the Transport Research Laboratory for the UK Department for Transport and backed by several European governments.-History and activities:Euro NCAP is a...

applies a standard safety test to all new cars, the results are listed in separate categories to allow prospective vehicle purchasers to compare models of a similar size and shape:

Superminis
Supermini car
A supermini is a British term that describes automobiles larger than a city car but smaller than a small family car. This car class is also known as the B-segment across Europe, and as subcompact in North America....

(including city cars)
Small family cars
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...

(also for stand-alone saloon superminis, like the Dacia Logan
Dacia Logan
The Dacia Logan is a small family car car produced jointly by the French manufacturer Renault and its subsidiary Dacia of Romania. It is manufactured at Dacia's automobile plant in Mioveni, Romania, and in Colombia, Brazil, Russia, Morocco, Iran, India and South Africa...

)
Large family car
Large family car
A large family car, also known as a D-segment car, is a European automobile classification which is larger than a small family car and smaller than an executive car. Multi-purpose vehicles based on a large family car design are often called large MPVs, while similarly-priced models from luxury car...

s (includes compact executive car
Compact executive car
Compact executive car is a car classification term applied to premium cars smaller than executive cars. In European classification, compact executive cars are part of the D-segment. In North American terms, close equivalents are compact premium car, compact luxury car, entry-level luxury car and...

s)
Executive car
Executive car
Executive car is a British term that refers to a car's size and is used to describe an automobile larger than a large family car. In official use, the term is adopted by EuroNCAP, a European organisation founded to test car safety.- History :...

s (for expensive cars over 4.80 m long)
Roadster
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...

s
Small off-roaders (similar to the North American crossover SUV
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...

category)
Large off-roaders (similar to the North American SUV category)
Small MPVs (both mini MPV
Mini MPV
Mini MPV is a car classification used to describe superminis or subcompacts which have taller build, fitting below the compact MPV and large MPV classifications....

s and compact MPV
Compact MPV
A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars , fitting between the mini MPV and large MPV sub-segments...

s)
Large MPVs
Minivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....

China

Vehicle size categories for passenger vehicles for the China NCAP program as defined by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) may appear similar to the European system, but are closer to the Japanese in application.

Small cars, sometimes referred to as the A₀-segment, are vehicles including MPVs of less than 4 m in length (roughly corresponding to the European A- and B-segments, and the US EPA's mini- and subcompact classes).
Category A (A-segment) vehicles are 2-box vehicles (hatchbacks, MPVs or wagons) of between 4 and 4.5 meters in length, or three-box
Three-box styling
Three-box design is a broad automotive styling term describing a coupé, sedan, notchback or hatchback where — when viewed in profile — principal volumes are articulated into three separate compartments or boxes: engine, passenger and cargo....

vehicles (i.e. sedans with a trunk) with engines of less than 1600 cc.
Category B (B-segment) vehicles are longer than 4.5 m in length with engines of over 1600 cc.
Multi-Purpose Vehicles, or MPVs: those with more than two rows of seats.
Sport Utility vehicles or SUVs.

Japan

Sections of this article are translated from Japanese Wikipedia.

Vehicle size classes in Japan are rather simple compared to other regions. There are just three different classes defined by regulations. The law doesn't have revised classifications for roadster

Roadster

A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...

s, minivan

Minivan

Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....

s, station wagon

Station wagon

A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...

s, SUVs

Sport utility vehicle

A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...

, MPVs, or Crossovers. These standards of classification are enforced on all vehicles within the juristiction of Japan, and no special consideration is made for the vehicles origination of manufacture.

Keijidosha
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...

(light cars): Buyers of Kei cars enjoy a number of tax, registration and other benefits to encourage the purchase of these tiny vehicles (among road vehicles requiring a license only). Regulations have been updated a number of times over the years to allow larger, more powerful cars to be developed and maintain demand as buyers become more affluent. The current regulations state that a kei car is a vehicle less than 3.4 m (11.2 ft) long, 1.48 m (4.9 ft) wide, 2 m (6.6 ft) high and with an engine under 660 cc. Extra small microcar
Microcar
A microcar is the smallest automobile classification usually applied to standard small car . Such small cars were generally referred to as cyclecars until the 1940s. More recent models are also called bubblecars due to their egg-shaped appearance.-Definition:The definition of a microcar has varied...

s are available with an engine size no larger than 49 cc, identified with a light blue license plate and blue text.
Compact size vehicles
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...

, commonly called "5 number" vehicles in reference to their license-plate prefix. Historically subject to different design rules than the larger "passenger size" designation, this class is defined as limited to vehicles less than 4.7 m (15.4 ft) long, 1.7 m (5.6 ft) wide, 2 m (6.6 ft) high and with engines at or under 2000 cc. Vans, trucks and station wagons (considered commercial vehicles in Japan) in the compact size class receive a "4 number" license prefix. Since the 1980s an increasing number of Japanese vehicles have grown beyond the confines of the compact size class as most automakers now design vehicles primarily for export, and most compact and even subcompact cars well under 4.7 m in length are now too wide, or have engines too large.
Passenger size vehicles
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...

, commonly called "3 number" in reference to their license-plate prefix (trucks and buses over 2000 cc have license plates numbers beginning with 1 and 2 respectively), are those more than 4.7 m long, 1.7 m wide, 2 m high or with engines larger than 2000cc. This regulation also mandates that all passenger vehicles can not exceed 5 m (16.4 ft) length or 1.8 m (5.9 ft) width. The tax paid on the size of vehicles in this class is ¥39,500 yen per year for private use and ¥9,500 yen per year for business use (taxi). While in the past vehicles such as the first generation Honda Legend were produced in both "compact size" (just under 4.7 m long and 1.7 m wide) for the domestic market, and longer and wider "passenger size" versions, primarily for export markets, it is now only passenger and commercial vans which are produced with versions for both regulatory classes.

Motorcycles also have classification definitions based on engine size:

Class I Moped - engine size must be at or less than 50cc, identified by blue text and white extra small license plate.
Class II Moped (B) - engine size is between 50cc - 90cc, identified by blue text and yellow extra small license plate.
Class II Moped (MIG) - engine size is between 90cc - 125cc, identified by blue text and pink extra small license plate (color of plate can vary according to regional requirements)
Motorcycle Light - engine size is between 125cc - 250cc, identified by green text and white small license plate.
Motorcycle Medium - engine size is between 250cc - 400cc, identified by green outline and green text with white small license plate.
Motorcycle Large - engine size is over 400cc, identified by green outline and green text with white small license plate.

All vehicles with an engine displacement over 250cc are required to undergo an inspection

Motor-vehicle inspection (Japan)

, a contraction of , is the name of the vehicle inspection program in Japan for motor vehicles over 250 cc in engine displacement.- Reason for existence :...

(called "Shaken" in Japan). The tax charged for the size and engine displacement of the vehicle is paid when the inspection is successful. This is separate from the road tax paid yearly.

External links