Types of car

Do you find yourself wondering the difference between a crossover and an SUV? Researching for your next car can often be a minefield of jargon and technical speak, but sometimes even the most simple aspects of car buying can be clouded by ambiguous language. 

You probably know what you need your car to do, how many seats you need and what have you, but does that mean you need a hatchback or a coupe? If you need more practicality you'll probably looking at a crossover or an SUV, is there even a difference between the two? Not anything worth knowing about.

Perhaps you need something with a bit more boot space? Well you should go for an estate car, but you could also have a shooting brake, or an avant. What you might not know is that these are all one and the same, but depending on which brand you are looking at, they will refer to an estate car with a different term. Less than helpful.

We feel your pain, so we've decided to bring all of that frustration to an end with a one-size-fits-all guide to all of the types of cars you can find and how you can put them to use. Read on for all the info on every type of car from hatchbacks to coupes to SUVs.

Small cars

City cars

Small, light and cheap, city cars are built for urban roads, where they can sneak into tight parking spaces and rarely need to go fast - so there’s no need for a big engine that uses a lot of fuel.

Thanks to their lightness, they can be extremely agile and respond sharply when you turn the steering wheel, making them fun to drive. They also tend to be affordable to, with some excellent value finance deals available.

Popular city cars

• Fiat 500
• Skoda Citigo
• Citroen C1
• Peugeot 108
• Volkswagen Up
• Ford Ka

What is a 3-door car?

This is a hatchback, which means that the rear of the car, from the bumper to the roof, opens up as one bootlid. As this gives access to the car’s interior, it’s classed as a door. Three-door cars only have one door on each side of the car, so you have to lean the front seats forward to get into the back.

Superminis

Their name might hint at micro dimensions but, in fact, many superminis can carry four adults and a week’s worth of shopping in their boot. Many households won’t need anything more.

And because they can be the only car you'll need, manufacturers are increasingly packing them with all the equipment you's ever want. Touchscreens, the latest phone software such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - even intelligent systems that allow the car to speed up and slow down automatically in response to traffic conditions (adaptive cruise control) are increasingly common.

More luxurious models, such as the Audi A1 and Ford Fiesta Vignale bring even more upmarket features.

Popular superminis

• Ford Fiesta
• Vauxhall Corsa
• Mini Hatchback
• Skoda Fabia
• Dacia Sandero
• Mazda 2

What is a 5 door car?

This is a hatchback with four side doors for front and rear passengers. The bootlid counts as the fifth door.

Small Crossover/SUVs

Similar in length and width to superminis, these cars are easier to park because they are taller. This gives the driver a better view of the road, and usually means more interior space.

However, the extra height can cause the cars to lean in corners, so there's often a compromise to be made between soft suspensiomn for a comfortable ride and firm suspension to prevent leaning.

Popular small crossovers

• Nissan Juke
• Audi Q3
• BMW X1
• Peugeot 2008
• Renault Captur
• Volkswagen T-Roc

Family cars

Family hatchbacks

With their practical hatchback boot, these are built to do everything: the school run, shopping trips and fast motorway journeys. There’s plenty of choice: the best are spacious, economical, comfortable and fun-to-drive. Larger models are best if you’ll have adults in the back.

Popular hatchbacks

• Volkswagen Golf
• Audi A3
• Ford Focus
• Vauxhall Astra
• Mercedes A-Class
• Renault Megane

What is a hatchback? 

Lift the bootlid of a hatchback and you open up the entire back of the car from bumper to roof, including the rear screen. This makes it easy to load bulky luggage. You can access the interior of the car from the boot, it counts as an extra door, which is why hatchbacks are described as three- or five-door vehicles. Some manufacturers, primarily Audi, will refer to their hatchback models as 'sportbacks' but they are otherwise identical in premise.

Family saloons

Their smaller boot is less easy to load than hatchbacks but saloon cars are often quieter and more fun to drive than hatchbacks. Many buyers think they look more stylish. Larger models are more comfortable in the back and typically come with the latest technology and options.

The term saloon will sometimes be styled as'executive saloon' - within the british market, this refers to mid-sized saloons positioned between the larger and smaller ends of the scale.

Popular saloons

• BMW 3 Series
• Mercedes E-Class
• Audi A4
• Volkswagen Passat
• Alfa Romeo Giulia
• Jaguar XE

What is a saloon?

The boot in saloon cars is separate to the rest of the interior. With a smaller opening and less luggage space, saloon cars are less practical than hatchbacks, but often quieter, and sturdier, which can make the car slightly more precise and fun to drive. Some have a slot in the seats so skis or flat-pack furniture can fit, partly poking out into the interior.

What is a 4 door car?

These are saloon cars, which have boots that are entirely separate from the interior. This means that only the side doors - for front and rear passengers - are counted.

Crossover/SUVs

Blending the comfort of a family car with the practicality and height of an off-roader, many crossovers come close to offering the best of both worlds. Several have four-wheel drive (these cars may be called SUVs). Crossovers are an an ideal height for installing child seats,; families are increasingly buying them over hatchbacks.

Popular large crossovers

• Nissan Qashqai
• Ford Kuga
• Skoda Kodiaq
• Mazda CX-5
• Volvo XC60
• BMW X5

What is a crossover?
This usually describes a vehicle with the mechanical parts from a traditional car (like a supermini or family car), which makes them economical and comfortable to drive, crossed with the high driving position and practicality of an off-roader.

What is an SUV? 

The letters stand for sport-utility vehicle. The first SUVs had lots of space for extreme sports equipment and four-wheel drive, so adventurers could reach the best surfing beaches, or hill-tops for paragliding. More details

People carrier/MPVs

These family-sized minibuses, maximise interior space and practicality for a reasonable price. This does mean that they aren’t the most stylish cars on the road, or much fun to drive, but they will carry families and their luggage in comfort, with seven-seat versions available. These are commonly referred to as MPVs in the trade, standing for multi-purpose vehicle.

Popular MPVs

• Citroen C4 SpaceTourer
• Ford Galaxy
• Vauxhall Zafira Tourer
• Kia Carens
• Toyota Verso
• Volkswagen Touran

Large cars

Luxury cars

Among the most comfortable vehicles you can buy, with the latest technology and luxury fittings in the front and back for owners who like to be chauffeured. In the most upmarket cases, you might find cars of this style named as limousines.

Popular luxury cars

• Mercedes S-Class
• BMW 7 Series
• Audi A8
• Jaguar XJ
• Maserati Quattroporte
• Bentley Flying Spur

Large SUVs

With a barn-sized interior, soft, comfortable air suspension and the ability to tackle tough off-road routes, these are the ultimate in luxury, go-anywhere vehicles. In most cases, these will be equipped with four-wheel drive.

Popular large SUVs

• Land Rover Discovery Sport
• Range Rover
• Mercedes GLS
• Volvo XC90
• Audi Q7
• BMW X7

Cars with extra luggage space

Estates

Add a rear extension to a family hatchback and you get an estate car with a huge boot. Ideal for families who need to cram in buggies and bags, modern estates are more stylish than the boxy designs of the past. There's a number of naming variants here, manufacturers are known to brand these cars as fastback, shooting brake, touring, tourer or avant. They sounds exciting, but they all mean a hatchback with a big boot.

Popular estate cars

• Volvo V90
• BMW 3 Series Touring
• Skoda Superb Estate
• Mazda 6 Tourer
• Audi A6 Avant
• Mercedes C-Class Estate

Pick-ups

Typically fitted with four wheel drive and powerful diesel engines, pick-ups can carry the contents of your garden shed on their large loading area at the back. Their power and grip also makes them great tow cars. Double-cab models have four doors for more practicality.

Popular pick-ups

• Volkswagen Amarok
• Mercedes X-Class
• Ford Ranger
• Mitsubishi L200
• Toyota Hilux
• Nissan Navara

Best-selling examples Volkswagen Amarok, Nissan Navara

Fun cars

Coupes

Style, sportiness and comfort are meant to come together in coupes, which traditionally have big engines, two doors, and a swooping roof. But you can now buy four-door coupes and SUVs, with roofs that sweep down at the back.

Popular Coupes

• Jaguar F-Type
• BMW 4 Series
• Ford Mustang
• Audi A5
• Mercedes C-Class Coupe
• Volkswagen Scirocco

Sportscars

Sportscars have flamboyant styling and are built with fast acceleration, speed and driving fun in mind, which usually means that they are less comfortable and practical (with only two seats) than a coupe. Their performance can only really be tested at a racing circuit on a track day.

Popular Sportscars

• Mercedes AMG GT
• Porsche Cayman
• Aston Martin Vantage
• Lotus Evora

Convertibles

Convertibles allow you to lower the roof and let the sun in: no-one knows why they are so popular in rainy Britain. You can choose from a hard-top folding metal roof or soft-top fabric one that’s lighter but less secure. Sportier convertibles tend to be called roadsters. These sunseeking models will also be branded as cabriolets, soft-tops, hardtops, spiders and roadsters, each offering you the chance to catch those rays.

Popular convertibles

• Mazda MX-5
• Mercedes SL-Class
• Audi TT Roadster
• BMW Z4 Roadster

Best-selling examples Mercedes SLC, Mazda MX-5

Supercars

Big on noise, speed and power, supercars are even bigger on price. With lightweight materials and sophisticated engine parts, they can accelerate from 0-62mph in around 3sec and reach 200mph. But many owners stick to posing as they cruise around slowly in expensive parts of town.

Popular supercars

• Porsche 911
• Audi R8
• Ferrari 488
• Lamborghini Huracan

Hot hatches

By boosting a hatchback’s engine until it screams under the bonnet, engineers created the hot hatch, which has all the practicality of a family car and performance to rival a Porsche. The best models have upgraded mechanical parts that make the car’s steering more fun and precise in corners.

Popular hot hatches

• Volkswagen Golf R
• Renault Megane RS
• Honda Civic Type R
• Hyundai i30 N
• Audi RS3
• Mercedes A-Class AMG

4x4s

Most crossovers and SUVs never stray off road, so they are designed to be best on tarmac. Proper 4x4 off-roaders are most at home when they are axle-deep in mud and are set up to tackle the toughest terrain. This can make them feel a bit bouncy and unsettled on the road.

Popular 4x4s

• Jeep Wrangler
• Mitsubishi Shogun
• Land Rover Discovery
• Dacia Duster
• Suzuki Jimny
• Kia Sportage