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Body Styles

Sedan

A sedan has four doors and a traditional trunk. Like vehicles in many categories, they're available in a range of sizes from small (subcompact vehicles like Nissan Versa and Kia Rio) to compacts (Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla) to mid-size (Honda Accord, Nissan Altima), and full-size (Toyota Avalon, Dodge Charger). Luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz and Lexus have sedans in similar sizes as well.

Coupe

A coupe has historically been considered a two-door car with a trunk and a solid roof. This would include cars like a Ford Mustang or Audi A5—or even two-seat sports cars like the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche Boxster. Recently, however, car companies have started to apply the word "coupe" to four-door cars or crossovers with low, sleek rooflines that they deem "coupe-like." This includes vehicles as disparate as a Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan and BMW X6 SUV. At Car and Driver, we still consider a coupe to be a two-door car.

Sport Car

These are the sportiest, hottest, coolest-looking coupes and convertibles—low to the ground, sleek, and often expensive. They generally are two-seaters, but sometimes have small rear seats as well. Cars like the Porsche 911 and Mazda Miata are typical sports cars, but you can stretch the definition to include muscle cars like the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. Then there are the high-end exotic dream cars with sky-high price tags for the one percent, cars like the Ferrari 488 GTB and Aston Martin Vantage, which stop traffic with their spaceship looks.

Station Wagon

Wagons are similar to sedans but have an extended roofline and a hatch door at the rear instead of a trunk. Some, like the Subaru Outback or Audi A4 Allroad, have elevated ground clearance and some rugged body cladding to make them more like a sport-utility vehicle (SUV), but they are nonetheless closely related to sedans. Wagons have fallen from favor during the past few decades and there are relatively few available for sale in the United States.

Hatchback

Traditionally, the term "hatchback" has meant a compact or subcompact sedan with a squared-off roof and a rear flip-up hatch door that provides access to the vehicle's cargo area instead of a conventional trunk. The Volkswagen Golf and Kia Rio are two typical hatchbacks. More recently, rear hatches have found their way on to some larger cars, like the Audi A7 and Kia Stinger. They look like sedans, but they actually have a steeply raked hatchback that affords easier accessibility to the cargo area and greater carrying capacity than a traditional trunk would.

Convertible

Does the roof retract into the body leaving the passenger cabin open to the elements? If so, it's a convertible. Most convertibles have a fully powered fabric roof that folds down, but a few have to be lowered by hand. There are also a number of models with a retractable hardtop, as well as several unusual quasi-convertibles (called "targa tops") like the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF, Porsche 911 Targa and Corvette; only the forward section of their roofs retracts or can be removed by hand.

Sport-Utility Vehicle (SUV)

SUVs—often also referred to as crossovers—tend to be taller and boxier than sedans, offer an elevated seating position, and have more ground clearance than a car. They include a station wagon-like cargo area that is accessed through a flip-up rear hatch door, and many offer all-wheel drive. The larger ones have three rows of seats. Sizes start at subcompact (Hyundai Kona, Nissan Kicks), mid-size, and go all the way to full-size (Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Tahoe). Luxury brands offer many SUV models in most of the same size categories.

Minivan

Minivans are the workhorses of the family-car world, the best at carrying people and cargo in an efficient package. They're called minivans but they are far from "mini." That's because they are tall boxes-on-wheels with sliding side doors for easy access and a rear hatch that opens to a large cargo area. Most minivans have adjustable seats in their second and third rows that often can be removed or even folded into the floor to create a huge open cargo bay. The Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica are great examples of the breed.

Pickup Truck

A pickup truck has a passenger cab and an open cargo bed in the rear. Virtually all pickups offer some form of all-wheel drive or part-time four-wheel drive—the latter for off-road use only. With one exception—the mid-sized Honda Ridgeline—pickup bodies are cabs mounted to a separate steel frame. The Ridgeline is more like a crossover with the rear section of the roof lopped off to expose a cargo bed. Currently, pickup trucks come in two size categories: full-size and mid-size.

Light Commercial Vehicles

Full-size vans built to handle a wide range of jobs. Commonly used for commercial fleets due to their configurability and versatility due to the extra cargo space. Examples of common light commercial vehicles are GMC Savanna, Ram ProMaster, Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Chevrolet Express, Nissan NV 1500/2500/3500

Parts of a Vehicle

DriveTrain

FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE (FWD)

A car or truck with front-wheel drive has all of the engine’s power being sent to the two front wheels, so the drivetrain is basically pulling the car down the road. This serves to give the car more traction, providing stability, predictability and dependability when the roads get a little icy. Examples of vehicles with FWD include the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord.

REAR-WHEEL DRIVE (RWD)

With rear-wheel drive, all of the engine’s power is sent to the back two wheels. Opposite of cars with FWD, a car with RWD is being pushed down the road. This does not work well in areas with icy winters because the level of traction is low. Despite this, RWD provides balance and offers superior braking and handling. Examples of vehicles with RWD include the Lexus IS Series and the BMW 3 Series.

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD)

The four-wheel drivetrain is similar to AWD in that the engine’s power is sent to all four wheels. However, 4WD is typically more robust because it’s designed to handle off-road driving. Examples of vehicles with 4WD include the Range Rover or the Ford F150.

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)

The all-wheel drivetrain system has fluid-filled differentials and advanced electronics enabling the engine to send power to all four wheels. This provides a vast and highly improved capability for driving on wet or slippery roads. Examples of vehicles with AWD include the Subaru Legacy and the Acura RL.

Transmission

Manual Transmissions

The manual transmission is the original type of transmission. It’s also called the standard transmission, but there’s a good chance you’ll know it as the stick shift. This type of transmission has the driver using a clutch to control the torque transfer from the engine to the transmission, manually shifting between gears as necessary. Mechanically, manual transmissions are the simplest type of transmission and often last longer than other types—simply put, there’s less that can go wrong. The only major disadvantage to the manual transmission is the learning curve; these types of vehicles require more concentration and maneuvering than other transmissions.

Automatic Transmissions

Yes, manual transmissions are mechanically simpler, but with the caveat of being harder to operate. If a driver doesn’t have the time to take on the extra work that comes with driving a stick shift, then they’re best suited for choosing to drive an automatic transmission vehicle. This type of transmission automatically changes gears as the vehicle moves, leaving the driver to focus more on the road, rather than shifting the clutch. Once a car is in drive, its computer takes over the transmission, shifting between gears as necessary while the car accelerates and decelerates.

You’ve probably heard the sound of your engine getting higher, but then the sound drops as you continue to accelerate; that's your car moving from a lower to a higher gear. Most automatic transmissions have between five and ten gears—and the more gears your transmission has, the better it will perform at different speeds. A transmission with more gears means a vehicle has a wider range of speeds where it will perform optimally and lead to better overall fuel economy.

CVT Transmissions (Continuous Variable Transmission)

The more gears a transmission has, the better it will operate over a wide range of speeds. But what’s the limit when it comes to the number of gears a transmission can have? Thanks to the continuous variable transmission (CVT), there is a continuous—or limitless—amount. It’s also known as the shiftless transmission and, unlike other types, the CVT transmission doesn’t use gears as a means for producing varying speeds, but instead relies on a belt-driven design of two rubber or metal pulleys. The two pulleys work in sync, mimicking the effect produced when gears of different diameters are engaged. The pulleys’ ability to increase and decrease their effective diameters allows the CVT transmission to move fluidly through an limitless range of effective gears.

The CVT transmission isn’t new; it’s been around for decades, rising in popularity among Japanese and European manufacturers in the mid-2000s.

Although CVT transmissions offer a limitless range of gears and superior fuel economy, they do have their limits. This type of transmission is not suited for off-road environments, due to its limited torque-handling ability. Another drawback is that CVT transmissions cannot provide engine braking. Because of their complexity, these transmissions routinely require more maintenance and repairs can be costly. Over time, the belts can break down due to excessive wear and stretching.

Sunroof vs. Moonroof vs. Panoramic

Different Truck Cabs

Third-Row Seating Vehicles

Acura: MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid
Audi: Q7, SQ7
Bentley: Bentayga
BMW: X5, X7
Buick: Enclave
Cadillac: Escalade, Escalade ESV, XT6
Chevrolet: Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse
Chrysler: Pacifica, Pacifica Hybrid, Voyager
Dodge: Durango, Grand Caravan, Journey
Ford: Expedition, Expedition Max, Explorer, Explorer Hybrid, Transit Connect, Transit
GMC: Acadia, Yukon, Yukon XL
Honda: Odyssey, Pilot
Hyundai: Palisade
Infiniti: QX60, QX80
Kia: Sedona, Sorento, Telluride
Land Rover: Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport, Range Rover Sport
Lincoln: Aviator, Aviator Grand Touring (plug-in hybrid), Navigator, Navigator L
Lexus: GX, LX, RX 350L, RX 450hL
Mazda: CX-9
Mercedes-Benz: GLB-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, Metris, Sprinter
Mitsubishi: Outlander
Nissan: Armada, NV 3500 Passenger Van, Pathfinder
Subaru: Ascent
Tesla: Model X, Model Y
Toyota: 4Runner, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna
Volkswagen: Atlas, Tiguan
Volvo: XC90, XC90 Hybrid (T8)

Common Dashboard Warning Lights

Guide to Car Safety Features

Airbags

Front airbags have been standard on all new cars since 1998 and light trucks since 1999. Most vehicles had them even before then. Crash sensors connected to an onboard computer detect a frontal collision and trigger the bags. The bags inflate in a few milliseconds—the blink of an eye—then immediately start deflating.

While airbags have saved thousands of lives, they also have the potential to cause injury or even death to children or to occupants who aren't using a seatbelt. Children under 12 should be seated in the rear in an appropriate restraint system and rear-facing child seats should never be installed in front seats equipped with airbags.

Adaptive, or dual-stage front airbags, introduced in 2003, became standard across the board by the 2007 model year. Most airbag systems now detect the presence, weight, and seat position for the driver and front passenger, and deactivate or de-power front airbags as appropriate to minimize the chance of injury to drivers positioned close to the wheel, out-of-position occupants or children.

Side airbags. Torso protecting side-impact airbags for front-seat passengers are also nearly universal, and some automakers offer side airbags for rear-seat passengers, as well. Side airbags are fairly small cushions that pop out of the door trim or the side of the seatback. They help protect the torso, but most aren't effective in protecting the head. Nearly all new models today also include additional "side curtain" bags that deploy from above the windows and cover both front and rear side windows to prevent occupants from hitting their heads and to shield them from flying debris. A curtain bag often also stays ‘inflated' longer in most cases to also keep people from being ejected during a rollover or a high-speed side crash. The better head-protection systems deploy the side-curtain bags if the system detects that the vehicle is beginning to roll over. (For more information on crash testing and Ratings, see our Crash test 101 report)

Antilock brakes (ABS)

Before antilock brakes came along, it was all too easy to lock up the wheels (stop them from turning) during hard braking. Sliding the front tires makes it impossible to steer, particularly on slippery surfaces. ABS prevents this from happening by using sensors at each wheel and a computer that maximizes braking action at each individual wheel to prevent lock-up. ABS allows the driver to retain steering control while braking, so that the car can be maneuvered around an obstacle, if necessary. Some drivers, unaccustomed to ABS actuation, may be alarmed as the pulsing sensation conveyed through the brake pedal and chattering at the wheels when used. Not to worry. This is the system rapidly applying the brakes to provide maximum power and control. The trick is to push hard on the pedal and let the system do its job.

Traction control

This electronically controlled system limits wheel spin during acceleration so that the drive wheels have maximum traction. It's particularly useful when starting off in wet or icy conditions, and/or launching with a high-horsepower engine. Some traction-control systems operate only at low speeds, while others work at all speeds.

Most traction-control systems use the car's antilock brake system to momentarily brake a spinning wheel. This routes power to the opposite drive wheel. Some systems also may throttle back the engine, and upshift the transmission, to prevent wheel spin.

Electronic stability control

Electronic stability control (ESC) takes traction control a step further. This system helps keep the vehicle on its intended path during a turn, to avoid sliding or skidding. It uses a computer linked to a series of sensors—detecting wheel speed, steering angle, sideways motion, and yaw (rotation). If the car drifts outside the driver's intended path, the stability-control system momentarily brakes one or more wheels and, depending on the system, reduces engine power to pull the car back on course.

ESC is especially helpful with tall, top-heavy vehicles like sport-utilities and pickups, where it can also help keep the vehicle out of situations where it could roll over.

Electronic stability control became standard equipment on all cars with the 2012 model year. It started on luxury cars years ago and then migrated to other vehicles. It became especially commonplace on SUVs. Automakers each tend to have a proprietary name for their stability control systems, as listed below. If in doubt whether a used car has it, find out before you buy. Prior to 2012, while a model may be available with ESC, not necessarily every trim or individual car was so equipped.

Safety-belt features

While the seatbelt is arguably the single most important piece of safety equipment, enhanced features help seatbelts do their job more effectively.

Seatbelt pretensioners instantly retract the belts to take up slack during a frontal impact. This also helps position occupants properly to take full advantage of a deploying air bag. Force limiters, a companion feature to pretensioners, manage the force that the shoulder belt builds up on the occupant's chest. After the pretensioners tighten it, force limiters let the belt play back out a little to reduce the force.

Some models offer inflatable safety belts in the rear seat that further reduce the force of the belts themselves on rear passengers in an accident and spread those forces over a wider area—a particular concern with more fragile occupants, such as kids or the elderly.

Adjustable upper anchors for the shoulder belts can make a meaningful safety difference. Adjustable anchors help position the belt across the chest instead of the neck to prevent neck injuries. They also can help keep the belt from pulling down on a tall person's shoulder, making it more comfortable and thereby encouraging its use.

LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children)

All vehicles are now required to have the LATCH system to make child-seat installation easier and more secure. The system features built-in lower anchors and top-tether attachment points for LATCH-compatible child safety seats. The LATCH system was designed to encourage the use of child restraints by simplifying installation and eliminating challenges and incompatibilities that safety-belt installation may present. But we've found a number of cars and trucks in which the LATCH system is tough to use correctly, so try installing a seat before you buy a new child seat. Check our findings in the road test for guidance on fit and compatibility.

Newer safety features - accident avoidance systems

Brake assist

Brake assist detects when a driver initiates a panic stop (as opposed to ordinary gradual stops) and applies the brakes to maximum force. In conjunction with anti-lock brakes, the system enables threshold braking without locking up the wheels. Studies have shown that most drivers, even in panic stops, don't apply the brakes as hard as they could, so Brake Assist intervenes to reach the shortest possible stopping distance.

Forward-collision warning (FCW)

Forward-collision warning uses cameras, radar or laser (or some combination thereof) to scan for cars ahead and alert the driver if they are approaching a vehicle in their lane too fast and a crash is imminent. Most systems alert the driver with some sort of visual and or audible signal to a potential crash, allowing time for you to react.

Automatic emergency braking (AEB)

These systems add to the benefits of forward-collision warning. AEB will sense a potential collision and if you don't react in time, the car will initiate automatic braking.

Pedestrian detection

This system uses the features of forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking to help protect pedestrians. The vehicle's camera(s) or radar are looking for a pedestrian in the vehicle's path. Some systems will alert the driver with an audible or visual alert and some will even start automatic emergency braking if a collision is deemed high.

Adaptive cruise control

Adaptive cruise uses lasers, radar, cameras, or a combination of these systems to keep a constant distance between you and the car ahead, automatically maintaining a safe following distance. If highway traffic slows, some systems will bring the car to a complete stop and automatically come back to speed when traffic gets going again, allowing the driver to do little more than pay attention and steer. Some vehicles equipped with lane keeping assist will also allow the car to stay within the lane markings.

Blind-spot warning (BSW)

Using radar or cameras, this system illuminates a light or icon in or adjacent to the outside mirrors to warn that another vehicle is lurking in the lane beside, possibly hidden in your car's blind spot. Many systems also sound an audible warning if you attempt to move over anyway or operate your turn signal indicating that you're going to. More advances systems can also brake or steer the vehicle back towards the center of the lane. Also effective are outside mirrors with a small convex section for a wide-angle rearward view.

Rear cross-traffic alert

These systems sense traffic that may cross your path as you reverse, which can be helpful when you are backing out of a parking space or driveway. Some systems will automatically brake for the driver to avoid an object.

Lane-departure warning (LDW)

This alerts you if you steer your car out of its lane without the turn signals activated. Using a camera or lasers to monitor lane markers, the LDW may sound a chime, blink a dashboard telltale, and/or vibrate the steering wheel or seat.

Lane-keeping assist (LKA)

In addition to sensing when you leave your lane, this technology will introduce a mild steering input to put you back into your lane.

Active head restraints

Active head restraints move up and forward in a rear crash to cradle the head and absorb energy in an effort to mitigate whiplash injury.

Backup camera

Starting in the 2018 model year all light-duty vehicles will come with standard rear-view cameras. This camera-based assistance system is activated when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The rear view is displayed in a center console screen or rear-view mirror. Mostly used as a parking aid by providing a bumper-level view aft, a backup camera can also assist with spotting a child or pedestrian concealed in the blind zone immediately behind the vehicle.. A recommended convenience, this is a safety feature whose value is made apparent every time you drive. Plus, some more advanced systems give a 360 degree view around the vehicle.

(See our blind spot measurements on previous vehicles not equipped with a camera.)

Parking assist systems

These are sensors embedded in the front, rear, or both bumpers that alert you—at parking speeds—that light poles, walls, shrubbery and other obstacles are getting close.

Automatic high beams

This function automatically switches from low to high beam and back again, for improved nighttime visibility as conditions warrant.

Tire-pressure monitors

A government regulation requires all vehicles made after October 31, 2006, to have a low-tire-pressure warning system. Underinflated tires can hurt handling and fuel economy. They can even lead to a blowout as underinflated tires are more susceptible to damage and wear. A tire can lose air through the rubber and does so slowly so that many drivers don't notice. The type of tire-pressure monitor we favor measures tire pressure directly. Others gauge air loss indirectly by using sensors to count wheel revolutions.

In either case, we still recommend checking your tire's inflations pressure monthly with a conventional tire-pressure gauge.

Telematics

Combining cellular telephone and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology, several major automakers are offering an automated service that provides a high level of security and convenience. Systems include GM OnStar, BMW Assist, Hyundai Bluelink, Kia UVO, Lexus Safety Connect, Mercedes-Benz's mBrace, and Toyota Safety Connect. These systems allow the driver to communicate with a central dispatch center at the touch of a button. This center knows the location of the vehicle and can provide route directions or emergency aid on request. If an air bag deploys, the system automatically notifies the dispatch center, locates the vehicle, and summons emergency service, if the driver does not respond to a phone-based inquiry. Plus ,most manufactures have smartphone apps that will start, unlock your car and beep the horn to help find your lost car in that large parking lot.

The cost of telematics systems are built into the price of most vehicles that have them, but a monthly subscription fee, typically $10 to $20, is usually required. Smartphone apps usually require a subscription fee as well.

Ford's MyFord Touch and Sync3, some versions of Fiat-Chrysler's Uconnect, and the Mazda Connect system also support E911 services, which uses paired cell phone to call 911 by infotainment system onboard instead have dedicated onboard modem. Also, most new, name-brand portable navigation devices include emergency assist features that can identify nearby emergency services.

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