Today, car manufacturers have come up with so many car body types that a normal person is bewildered with the choice of vehicles that are available in the market. Step into a showroom and you will be amused with the variety, from SUVs to sedans and hatchbacks to minivans, there is a body style for every individual, family and lifestyle.

Let’s have a closer look at different types of bodies that are available out there:

Sedan

Coming with four doors and a conventional trunk, sedans are the oldest and most common vehicles. They come in various sizes, from smaller body frames to large ones. Honda Accord, Honda Civic and Honda Clarity are some popular sedan body types.

Hatchback

The hatchback is today’s most popular type of car. Similar to the sedan, hatchbacks come with four doors and a trunk. People also used to call them smaller or subcompact sedan with a squared-off roof. The flip-up hatch door at the back is the major difference that gives access to the cargo area. Honda Fit and Honda CR-Z are two of the most popular hatchbacks.

Recently, rear hatchbacks have entered the automobile market. While these are similar to sedans, they are still hatchbacks but slightly bigger in size. These include Honda Civic Type R Hatchback, Honda Civic Hatchback and Honda CRX.

SUVs

SUVs, also knowns as crossovers are heavier and bigger than sedans. With a taller seating position and a better view of the road, these cars offer more ground clearance. Today, most SUVs come in all-wheel drive. With stylish rear hatch doors, these have massive cargo area which is even extended upon folding the seats. From large to subcompact, SUVs are versatile and diverse in sizes. Honda HR-V is a popular subcompact SUV, Honda CR-Vis a mid-sized SUV and Honda Pilot is a large-sized SUV.

Minivans

Minivans are the most ignored, yet the most efficient car body type out there. Coming with all the advanced features, these all have a stylish framework.

Minivans are excellent for families as these can carry both cargo and people. While the counterparts of SUVs are called mini, they are far from mini. These vehicles have a rare hatch that allows access to a ton of cargo space and sliding doors which are open to comfortable seats. These seats are mostly adjustable, especially in the third and second rows. You can fold them or even remove them to extend the cargo area. Honda Odyssey is among the most popular minivans that are available today.

Coupe

Unlike sedans and SUVs, the coupe comes with two doors and a trunk. Popular coupes include cars like Audi A5, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, Audi TT, Porsche 911 and Volkswagen Beetle (which is quite old).

However, what we see recently are car companies that have started to apply the word coupe to cars which have four doors such as crossovers with sleek roofs.

Station Wagon

Station wagons look like sedans. However, in these cars, the trunk is replaced with a hatch door at the back, and the roofline is also bigger. Some station wagons are known for their high ground clearance. These include Audi A4 All road, Volkswagen Golf Sport Wagen, Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon and Volvo V60. The rugged body look makes them akin to sport-utility-vehicles (SUVs). Station wagons have lost their status as their sales saw a great decline in recent decades. However, you can still find some auto manufacturers producing these all around the world.

Pickup Truck

Coming with a passenger cab and a large rear cargo which is in the back, pickup trucks are sturdy and light-duty trucks with low sides and tailgate. Pickup trucks are used for different purposes including carrying passengers, hauling cargo and towing.

Types of bodies don’t end here. You will find plenty of other types. Ultimately, it all comes down to having the right knowledge and then utilizing it before you buy new car. So, you can identify and meet your transportation needs in the best way possible.