Cars in India! A Comprehensive Guide to Types of Cars

Cars in India! A Comprehensive Guide to Types of Cars

Cars come in all shapes and sizes, with different configurations, mechanism and specifications. In todays fast pace life, car has become an important aspect in our life. In today's busy world, it has become a necessity. Cars have become a necessity in today's fast-paced world. There are various options available when you think of buying a car that suits many and varied purposes. To help you get rid of the confusion of which car type to select, here is some information on the popular car types available in Indian market.

  • 1. Hatchback
- Hatchback is a car which has two sections. One is the engine section and the other is shared passenger and cargo section. These are usually five door cars where the rearmost section (i.e. cargo area) is accessible via a top-hinged liftgate with a facility to fold down rear seats and enable flexibility within the shared passenger and cargo volume.
Manufacturers who sell Hatchback Cars in India - Chevrolet, Daewoo, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki, Nissan, Reva, Skoda, Tata, Volkswagon (Diagram of a five-door hatchback (two-box) superimposed over the station wagon (two-box) from the same model range — in this case, both with a D-pillar.)

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Hatch_and_wagon_with_pillar_layout.jpg

  • 2. Sedan / Saloon / Notchback
- A Sedan or Saloon is a three-box car with three segments namely A, B & C. These three are the engine, passenger and cargo compartments respectively. These cars fall under midsize car segment and the rear cargo section is called the boot of the car. The basic difference between a hatchback and a sedan is that they both have boot section, but it is not accessible from the passenger section in sedan as in the case of hatchback. Hatchbacks have two-way accessibility to boot section, one from the passenger compartment and other from the rear door that opens upward.
Manufacturers that sell Sedan cars in India - Audi, Bentley, BMW, Chevrolet, Daewoo, Fiat, Ford, Hindustan Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mahindra-Renault, Maini, Maruti-Suzuki, Maybach, Mercedez-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Porsche, Premier, Rollsroyce, Skoda, Tata, Toyota, Volkswagon and Volvo. (Diagram of a sedan (three box) over a station wagon (two box) from the same model range.)

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Wagon_and_sedan.jpg

  • 3. Coupe
- These are the high end Sedans with a sporty look. However, the definition varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Today these premium sporty sedans generally have two-door pillar less hardtop instead of four-door as in the case of normal sedans. Coupe has a wheelbase between 100 and 102 inches.
Manufacturers that sell Coupe car in India - Audi, Bentley, BMW, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche and Rolls-Royce.

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Mercedes_Coupe_Silver_l.jpg

  • 4. Hybrid Cars
- A hybrid car is a car that uses two or more distinct power sources to move. The term Hybrid commonly refers to the electric cars. These cars combine an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. In India, the hybrid cars work on a combination of Petrol – Electric power source or rechargeable energy storage system.
Manufacturers that sell hybrid cars in India - Toyota and Honda

Image credit: http://www.hybrid-cars.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/hybrid-benefits.jpg

  • 5. Convertible Car
- Convertible car is a car where the roof can retract or fold away that converts it from an enclosed car to an open air car. Mostly the high-end premium and expensive cars have such facility. The roof designs and the folding functionality differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. The roof is usually not detachable, rather its hinged and folds away behind the rear seat recess or in the boot of the car. The folding mechanism is either manual or automatic. It works via hydraulic or electrical actuators.
Manufacturers that sell Convertible cars in India - Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, San and Volvo.

Image credit: http://i.cnn.net/money/popups/2006/autos/losangeles/round1/chrysler_sebring.jpg

  • 6. Minivan / MUV
- A type of car that is similar to a van designed for personal use. These are typically one-box or two-box cars designed for maximum interior volume. These minivans are taller than sedans, station wagons and hatchbacks.
Manufacturers that sell Mini Vans in India - Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki and Tata

Image credit: http://blog.carazoo.com/uploaded_images/marutisuzuki_07versa_1.jpg

  • 7. Station Wagon
- A station wagon is a variant of sedan / saloon with an extended roof that covers the shared passenger and cargo compartment. The station wagon has a bigger cargo area, which is accessible via a 5th door i.e. a liftgate or tailgate. Here the three-box design of a sedan is converted into a two-box design.
Manufacturer that sell Station Wagon in India - Tata

Image credit: http://www.tradenote.net/images/users/000/121/701/products_images/Parts_For_1997_Opel_Astra_Station_Wagon.jpg

  • 8. SUV
- Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are similar to Station Wagon but they are built on light truck chassis. These are a bit heavier than the station wagon and generally have four-wheel-drive for on- or off-road ability. These are best off-road vehicles. Some of these heavy cars have a capacity of a pick-up truck with a passenger carrying capacity of a minivan.
Manufacturers that sell SUVs in India - Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, ICML, Land Rover, Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Premier, Tata, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Image credit: http://www.suv-cars.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/sport-utility-vehicle.jpg

  • Guide Rating:

Top 5 Sea Forts in India

Top 5 Sea Forts in India

Jal durg, forts surrounded by water. These forts of India were built either on Islands or off the sea. India has a vast coastline. The gr...


Honeymoon - A Beautiful Start of the Second Inning

Honeymoon - A Beautiful Start of the Second Inn...

Marriage is the second inning in an individual?s life. What better way to start new life than to spend some alone time with your partner....

Fenugreek / Methi - A Wonder Herb

Fenugreek / Methi - A Wonder Herb

Methi, the wonder herb is a very popular vegetable in India. It's seeds are an important ingredient in Indian Kitchens. The seeded form o...

Toyota Car Prices in India

Toyota Car Prices in India

In October 1997, A joint venture started between Toyota Motors and Kirloskar ans was named as Toyota Kiloskar Motors (TKM). The share hol...

Religious Places and Temples of Gujarat

Religious Places and Temples of Gujarat

Since time immemorial Gujarat has been noted for its temples. These houses of gods and goddesses have been attracting millions of devotee...

Top 5 Scenic Golfing Paradise in India

Top 5 Scenic Golfing Paradise in India

Once regarded as the only prerogative of the few English officers, Golf in India is gradually gaining prominence as a national sport. Wit...

Bentley Cars in India

Bentley Cars in India

After doing really well in the European Markets, Bentley Motors headed to launch their supreme luxury and premium cars in India. It was i...

Useful Hindi Phrases For Travel in India

Useful Hindi Phrases For Travel in India

India is a hot tourist destination and also a hotspot for business travelers alike. India is said to the most culturally, linguistically ...

Latest Phones Competing with the iPhone

Latest Phones Competing with the iPhone

Ever since the iPhone launched no phone has come close to it's popularity or must-have charm. There’s always something abuzz with ...

Get your gear and set out for your Monsoon getaway

Get your gear and set out for your Monsoon getaway

The first rain brings joy and happiness and washes away all the stress. The heat and dust of the summer is swept away with the drizzle an...

Mouth Watering Hyderabadi Biryani

Mouth Watering Hyderabadi Biryani

Hyderabadi Biryaniis a popular non-vegetarian food in India which belongs to Hyderabad. It is the traditional celebration meal prepared u...

Rangoli for This Festive Season

Rangoli for This Festive Season

The festive season is in its full swing at this time in India. People are busy with their preparations, decorating their homes lighting u...

Indian Athletes Competing in The 2008 Beijing Olympics

Indian Athletes Competing in The 2008 Beijing O...

Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijin...

Delhi has something to lure every Shopper

Delhi has something to lure every Shopper

If you are a shopaholic like me and have been thinking about shopping in Delhi, you are at right place. In this article we?ll be talking ...

Fiat Car Prices in India

Fiat Car Prices in India

Fiat is an Italian automaker manufacturing cars since as early as 1899. Fiat is an acronym for Fabbrica Italino Automobilo Turino (which ...

Bottom_strip