Dimensions Guide

The car size you’ll go for will depend on your needs. The following are the car classifications used in North America and Europe. Keep in mind that some of these listings are generalized.

Small Family Size

These are also known as compact cars. They include hatchbacks, estate cars and saloons. Their measurements range from 4240 mm (for the hatchback) and 4500 for the estate / saloon types. The engine capacity is usually 1.4 to over 2 liters.

Five full grown individuals can fit in these cars. Examples of these cars are the Mitsubishi Lancer, Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla.

Note: the small family car is equivalent to the EuroNCAP cars.

Mid Size / Large Family Size

These car sizes also seat five adults. The difference is that they have a big trunk. The engines are more powerfully built. The size starts at 4800 mm in both Europe and the US. These cars are equivalent to the Australian medium size cars. The Citroen C5 and Toyota Camry are good examples of these car types.

Full Size

The term Lincoln Town or Large Car is used to denote these varieties. They are composed of the biggest sedans. Regardless of location (US, Europe Middle East etc), their sizes start at 4900 mm. The Dodge Charger and Toyota Avalon are examples of these car types. In terms of space they are much larger than the large family car.

Luxury Cars

There are several car sizes here. The compact executive cars are usually made up of six to eight cylinder engine types. Examples include the BMW 3 Series and the Lincoln MKZ. The executive car usually has the same dimensions as a large family car but with more features. There is also more room in the vehicle itself.

Cars in this category include the Mercedes Benz E Class and Jaguar XF. This is equal to the EuroNCAP executive car. The full size luxury cars come with 12 cylinder engines. The BMW 7 and Mercedes Benz S Class belong in this category.

Other Car Sizes and Categories

Cars are now classified in many different ways and so models may be placed in varying categories. Sports cars are defined as those light, quick and inspired by racing vehicles. Examples include the Mazda MX5, the Porsche 911 and the Lotus Elsie.

Grand tourers are larger than sports cars and more expensive. These include the Aston Martin DB9, the Maserati GranTurismo and the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

Muscle cars refer to those large V8 cars that were produced during the 1970s. A lot of them were made in the US. Some of the most popular models were the Plymouth Road Runner and Pontiac GTO.

The supercars are some of the most expensive cars in the world. They are constructed by hand and employ high technology. These include the Porsche Carrera GT, the Bugati Veyron, the Ferrari Enzon and the Lamborghini Gallardo. These vehicles may be produced in limited numbers.

The car size aside, these vehicles also differ in terms of price, horsepower, seating capacity and many other aspects. However, a little research will let you know which is right for you.