46+ Different Types Of Cars In India

Car is an essential means of transportation around the Globe. It all started with the invention/ideation of the wheel which was given by Mesopotamia around 5,500 years ago.

Since then, various innovators & enthusiasts like Karl Benz and others have contributed a lot to humanity. It’s the 21st century, and automobile industries have changed and offered different types of cars with tons of options to customers.

But which car type offers what and whom to pick, these are a few common queries that come in the mind of a newbie buyer. So, let’s understand all types of cars with examples and the reason why you should pick that particular car type.

List Of Different Types Of Cars in India

What is Hatchback?

Suzuki Swift in yellow color
Maruti Suzuki Swift Sport

The Hatchback can be identified and defined as the car body type that ends with a hatch door. Basically, a hatch is a tapered door that opens up in an upward direction with the help of a hinged mechanism.

These type of cars generally measures between 3.5 to 4.2 metres and offer a functional cargo space at the rear. This space is accessible from two openings, either you can open the hatch or reach it from the car via exposed space from the rear seats.

To increase the amount of space, you can fold the rear seats in a 100 or 60/40 ratio. This option will give instant access to tremendous space which you can utilise for your next picnic or any other purpose.

Generally, hatchbacks are taller in dimension as compared to sedans. Resultant you get more headroom from a sedan and less than an SUV or any crossover. In case, you measure well in height then a hatchback will give you extra benefits in the long run.

If we look back, the first hatchback was designed and released by Citroën in 1938. In starting, the hatch was a combination of two sections – a top and a bottom but later on, designed converted into a single hatch.

Examples of Hatchback Cars

  • Maruti Suzuki Swift
  • Volkswagen Polo
  • Hyundai Ion & etc.

Why you should buy a Hatchback Car?

As you are considering a hatchback, I assume that you are upgrading from two to four-wheelers or you are just purchasing another car for your family. Excellent pick by the way! There are several reasons that you should or always consider hatchbacks over different types of cars. Let’s review them one by one, shall we?

  • You are upgrading from a bike to a car
  • You have a small family
  • You live in congested places
  • Budget is limited
  • Maintenance cost is low
  • Good fuel efficiency

What is Sedan?

Audi S5 sedan in black color
Audi S5

A Sedan is an extended version of a Hatchback that ends with a sloping roofline. It is based on a 3-box model which is formed by adjoining 3 pillars welded on the chassis with the help of the roofline. As stated, these 3 pillars hold three different compartments of a Sedan which are – the engine, seating & cargo compartment.

In most cases, the engine compartment comes positioned at the front, passengers in the mid, and cargo at the rear. There are exceptions also, like in a few cases, you will see where the engine comes bolted at the rear, or there is no engine (For example – Tesla Model 3).

This category gets a long wheelbase as compared to the hatchbacks and usually measures between 3.7 to 4.9 metres. No doubt, a sedan offers more legroom and cargo space. Like the hatchback, you can’t access the cargo inside (except super luxury sedans) the car. Guess what? Used luxury car dealers like BBT & Auto Beast also offer all supercars in an affordable range.

In 1912, sedan as a word for a type of car body came into existence but seemed like someone in the automobile industry knew it already! Surprisingly, Renault motors introduced Voiturette Type B as the first sedan in the world.

Types of Sedans in India

  • Notchback sedans
  • Liftback sedans
  • Fastback sedans
  • Hardtop sedans
  • Close-coupled sedans
  • Coach sedans
  • Close-coupled saloons
  • Club sedans
  • Sedanets

Examples of Sedan Cars

  • Honda Civic
  • Audi A4
  • Maruti Suzuki Ciaz

Why you should buy a Sedan Car?

The sedan is an upgraded version of a hatchback where you get more space and better performance. Here are a few reasons why you should consider a sedan:

  • Better space and luxury
  • You carry luggage as this vehicle type comes with additional boot space
  • Bigger engines with better performance but lower efficiency
  • Looks, which is only a subjective matter

What is MPV/MUV or Minivan?

Maruti Suzuki XL6 MUV in blue color
Maruti Suzuki XL6

MPV stands for Multi-purpose vehicle whereas MUV is equaled to a Multi-utility vehicle. As the full form suggests, these types of cars are made for family, passengers, or seating purposes only.

If we talk about body type specifically then an MPV/MUV or Minivan is a spacious and elongated version of a hatchback. The body structure is based on the 1-box platform which holds everything like passengers’ seating arrangements, mechanical stuff, etc.

You can also identify them by their door opening. Yes, in MPV or Minivan like Kia Carnival, you will see sliding doors. That’s not all, model to model, these types of cars have a flat floor with a high roof.

Compared to hatchbacks, they offer seating space for 6 to 8 people in a three-row configuration and measure between 3.6 to 4.9 metres. Talking of origin, the term MUV/MPV or Minivan originated in America. This was tagged to differentiate small cars from full-size cars and with that, Stout Scarab became the first Minivan which had introduced way back in 1936.

Types of MPVs in India

  • Compact MPV
  • Mini MPV
  • LAV (Leisure activity vehicle)

Examples of MPVs/MUVs or Minivan cars

  • Maruti Suzuki XL6
  • Kia Carnival
  • Toyota Innova Crysta

Why you should buy an MPV/MUV or Minivan car?

An MPV and its related car categories are made for passenger transportation purposes. They come fitted with rows of seating and tons of space for your luggage need. Here are the reasons why one should consider an MPV/MUV or a Minivan for his family:

  • You have a big family (probably 6-8 people)
  • Economical
  • You can go on long trips with your family and friends
  • You often carry goods
  • You are considering a car that can accommodate 6-8 people comfortably without spending a ton of money

What is an SUV or 4X4 car?

Range Rover Sport in white color
Range Rover Sport

SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle, where “sports” holds the responsibility to tackle all 4×4 capabilities. On average, an SUV or 4×4 car length starts from 4.5 metres and goes up to 5.9 metres or above.

Based on the 2-box design, an SUV stands on either Body-On-Frame or Monocoque construction. Here, the 2-box comes divided into the engine and passenger compartment. The seating arrangement in SUVs and 4×4 cars varies a lot. For instance, an SUV like Range Rover Sport comes with a seating arrangement of 5 people, whereas a 4×4 vehicle like Mahindra Thar can accommodate 6 people except that it measures shorter than Sport.

You can also judge an SUV by its off-road capability. Generally, they have been designed for road terrain like – roads, rivers, snow, mountains, etc. These types of cars offer high ground clearance with high eating to get a good command while testing on off-road mode.

Also read:

An SUV consists of a powerful engine with special gears. Except, for a powerful engine, these vehicle comes bolted with a large and wide set of tires.

Talking of the existence of the vehicle type, the name “SUV” came into existence between 1930-48. Although, the 1984 Jeep Cherokee has been considered the first complete SUV in the world with proper modern styling and a list of equipment.

Types of SUVs in India

  • Crossovers
  • Mini SUVs
  • Compact SUVs
  • Mid-size SUVs
  • Large or Full-size SUVs
  • Extended-length SUVs

Examples of SUVs or 4X4

  • Range Rover Sport
  • Ford Endeavour
  • BMW X6

Why you should buy an SUV or 4×4 vehicle?

As compared to MUVs, an SUV or 4×4 cars are a bit different. They are powerful, bigger, and bulkier than a MUV. Fuel efficiency is quite poor as compared to MUV, thanks to their bigger engines. In terms of seat offerings, SUVs are way far from MUVs. That said, let’s know a few more reasons why you should prefer an SUV:

  • You want a powerful engine with a high seating position
  • You often go for a 4×4 experience
  • Fuel efficiency is not a matter of concern
  • You drive more on highways
  • Road presence is all you need
  • You are a politician or a VVIP

What is a Coupé?

Honda Civic in red color
Honda Civic

A Coupé also known as a coupe is a slopping roofline car with 2 or 4 doors. The word coupe belongs to the French word “cut” which indicated shorter in length. On the other hand, the styling of the coupe has been derived from the Berline horse-drawn carriages which were designed to carry two passengers only.

In terms of car body configuration, just like sedans, a coupe is based on the 3-box design but thanks to the sloping roofline, rear passengers get lower headroom. It comes with an average length of 4.9 metres and offers a functional boot space to take care of your luggage items.

Not necessary but most of the coupes are based on the actual sedans (For example – the Mercedes Benz S-Class into the S-Class coupe). So, it is easy to imagine the space and other bits of equipment one gets in a coupe.

On the capability side, these cars come mated with powerful engines and are usually considered as sports cars too. Equipment like ABS, EBD, Brembo Brakes and etc. come as a performance kit.

Types of Coupe in India

  • Berlinetta
  • 3 door coupe
  • Business coupe
  • Club coupe
  • Combi coupe
  • Four-door or quad coupe
  • Opera coupe
  • Three window coupe

Examples of Coupe

  • Mercedes Benz C-Class coupe
  • Honda Civic
  • Mercedes Benz E-Class coupe

Why you should buy a coupe vehicle?

A coupe is a perfect combination of looks with performance. This vehicle type is a perfect suit for youth, why so? Considering the vehicle’s design, it has been seen that coupes are way more stylish and also come loaded with lots of gadgetry. This due to tech and style repels teens and make them fall in love with the coupe. So, if you are one of them and have deep pockets with a hunger for looks as well as speed, then a coupe is a perfect vehicle for you.

What is a Pickup car?

Mercedes Benz x-class off-roader
Mercedes X-Class Pickup

A pickup vehicle can be defined as a personal lightweight goods carrier that comes separated into cabin and cargo sections. The cargo section has an open or closed flatbed that can be loaded with your household goods.

In terms of space, an average pickup vehicle gets a loading space of around 530 kg. If we talk about towing capacity, then you get to know some severe numbers. For instance – Pickup trucks like Tesla Cybertruck get 14,000 pounds of towing capacity. Isn’t it amazing?

Although there is limited horizontal space, you can carry anything vertically. Generally, a pickup vehicle is based on the company’s ongoing SUV model. They share the same engine, chassis, transmission & whatnot.

In terms of dimension, they measure anywhere between 4.9 to 5.9* and offer 4 to 6 passengers in 2 rows including the driver. As you are familiar with, these pickup vehicles are based on the SUV DNA. Resultant, these vehicles get the right amount of wheelbase, ground clearance, and good suspension travel.

Types of Pickup vehicles in India

  • Half-Ton pickup
  • 3/4 Ton pickup/trucks
  • 1-Ton pickup/trucks
  • Midsize pickup
  • Heavy Duty pickup
  • Compact/Mini/Coupe pickup
  • Electric pickup
  • Hybrid pickup
  • Luxury pickup

Examples of Pickup vehicles

  • Nissan Navara pickup
  • Mercedes X-Class pickup
  • Isuzu D-Max pickup

Why you should buy a pickup vehicle?

A pickup is a dual-purpose vehicle available in varieties of price ranges. Except for towing goods and items, people use it as a lifestyle vehicle. The next thing you can perform in a pickup vehicle is off-roading. Yes, they are capable and tackle any terrain in any season. So, if you are one who prefers value for money and needs an overall package then a pickup truck should next vehicle in your garage.

What is a Crossover or CUV?

Jeep Compass in dual tone color
Jeep Compass

A crossover or often called a CUV (crossover utility vehicle) is a combination of SUVs and sedans. A crossover measures bigger than a compact SUV and shares the chassis with sedans.

Although people compare them with SUVs, except for the looks, they are just SUV-like bodies with small capacity engines. Of course, a crossover offers better luxury and space as compared to a compact SUV or a sedan.

Thanks to the smaller capacity engines, you get better kilometers/miles per litre. In terms of off-road capability, a crossover is not capable of beating an SUV. The prime goal of any crossover is to offer you riding comfort with an ample amount of space to keep your luggage. With that said, you can move it around in rough patches while taking care of ground clearance.

Except for the engine and off-road capability, dimension is another major factor that differentiates a crossover from an SUV and a compact SUV. Saying of dimensions, a crossover measures between 4.3 to 4.9 metres which is good to offer a seating space for 4 to 5 passengers.

Did you know? AMC Eagle is the first car that was launched with s category tagged as a crossover. This fantastic vehicle was built on the unibody platform with a first-in-class automatic AWD transmission.

Types of crossover vehicles

  • Subcompact crossover
  • Compact crossover

Examples of crossover vehicles

  • Honda CR-V
  • Jeep Compass
  • Ford Explorer

Who should buy a crossover vehicle?

A crossover is a perfect fit that falls mid of an SUV and compact SUV. This category of the vehicle allows you to enjoy the fun of an SUV and offers more space than a compact category. Although, they are not into hardcore off-roading but capable to digest those potholes and water crossing that you might face during your next trip. In seating, a crossover offers a spacious cabin for 5 passengers with enormous boot space. Here are a few more reasons that you should consider before investing your money into a crossover vehicle.

  • You often go for a weekend gateway with your small family and loved ones
  • Cheaper & economical than an SUV
  • Offers good space over hatchback & sedans
  • Good road presence

8. Station Wagon or Estate

What is a Station Wagon?

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo in silver color
Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

Station Wagon, also known as estate or wagon is another type of car in the list of Throttlebias. It is based on sedan or saloon body style and comes configured on two-box design architecture. Usually, a Station Wagon has 4 pillars (A, B, C, D) and can be identified by their sloping/extended roof back to the third row or cargo space.

Just like any hatchback or sedan, you can access the boot space via the hatch/liftgate hinged at the top. These car types are a bit more extended than sedans and offer less cargo space because of the third-row seating.

A Station Wagon can comfortably accommodate 4-5 people but earlier when earlier they used to fit 6-8 people, a perfect fit for a family. Built on the roots of a sedan, a station wagon measures slightly longer – between 3.9 to 5* metres.

The first station wagon came into existence way back in 1910 and first experimented with wooden bodies. Time changed, and trends as well. According to CNBC, people are changing their perspective about station wagons. Buyers are picking crossovers over station wagons which eventually converting the sales graph down. As of now, most automobile manufacturers are investing in crossovers over stations wagons.

Types of Station Wagons

  • Wooden wagons
  • Full-size wagons
  • Two-door wagons

Examples of Station Wagons

  • Volvo V90 Cross Country
  • Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo
  • Volkswagen Golf SportWagen/AllTrack

Who should buy a Station Wagons?

Station wagons are limited to a few manufactures. Several enthusiasts find them appealing over any other type of car. Reasons can be any – Looks, practicality, power, and etc. Station wagons have different road presence which helps them to attract eyeballs of all age groups. There might be several reasons that you will find useful before buying a Station Wagon.

  • Practicality
  • Powerful engine (Merc & Porsche)
  • Good for camping as if offers good

9. Shooting Brake

What is a Shooting Brake?

Ferrari FF in red colour
Ferrari FF

A shooting brake car type can be defined as the sleeker version of a station wagon. Just like s Wagon, the rear pillar (D) of the shooting brake slopes down from the C pillar and merges to the rear liftback of the car.

In short, a shooting brake car is a merge between an estate and coupe. Usually, these types of cars offer 4 doors with a seating capacity of 4 adult passengers but, it’s an exception, there are few shooting brakes with 2 doors and 2 seating capacity.

Just like wagon & wagon, the architecture of a shooting brake is based on the 2 box design. This helped the car to gain a better centre of gravity and handling as well.

If you have noticed, the shooting brake car category belongs to a few premium automobile manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and contributes few numbers to the overall car sales. You can say that the trend is falling a bit.  Comparing this category to others, the history of shooting brake is a bit interesting. Earlier in the 1890s, these types of cars were used as horse-cart wagon to carry goods for parties and other purposes. Wait! Before you ask which was the first shooting brake car. Let me tell you that CLS-Class Shooting Brake was the first modern production model which was introduced in 2012. Soon after the success of CLS, the manufacturer launched a smaller and capable CLA to the stable.

Types of Shooting Brake

  • Horse Drawn Wagons
  • Two-Door Shooting Drake
  • Four-Door Shooting Drake

Examples of Shooting Brake

  • Ferrari FF
  • Mercedes Benz CLS Shooting Brake
  • Panamera Sport Turismo

Who should buy a Shooting Brake?

If you prefer a car with performance with out of the box looks then you should consider s shooting brake. This vehicle category comes bolted with a powerful engine, rich interiors, and attention to detail craft. Isn’t that you need for so long? Due to styling purposes, a shooting brake offers less headroom space for the rear passengers. This is probably smaller as compared to other car categories but who gives a dam when you are in love with the car itself.

Types Of Cars By Class

We have discussed types of vehicles by body styles, now let’s have a look at types of cars by their class.

Mini/Micro cars

What is a Mini or Micro car?

Peel P50 in the red color
Peel P50

A mini also known as a microcar is the smallest car in the world. These set of cars comes coupled with 3 or 4 wheels and measures between 2.2 to 2.4* metres. In terms of engine, a mini/micro car use smaller capacity (less than 500cc) engines.

Types of mini or micro cars

Economy Cars

What is Economy car?

 Suzuki Wagon R in blue color
Suzuki Wagon R

As the name suggests, an economy car is made for all basic needs that a human wants. Usually, they offer excellent fuel economy with an adequate seating capacity of 4 to 5 passengers.

Types of economy cars

  • Ford Ka
  • Suzuki Wagon R
  • Hyundai Eon

Executive/Luxury Cars

What is an Executive car?

Audi A6 in white color
Audi A6

A luxury car is also considered as an executive class that comes loaded with a spacious cabin and a host of features. Compared to other types of cars, an executive or luxury vehicle comes with a higher price tag.

Types of Executive/Luxury cars

  • BMW 5 series
  • Audi A6
  • Genesis G80

Supercars

What is a Supercar?

Lamborghini Huracan in orange color
Lamborghini Huracan

A supercar stands for performance, precision and comfort. They offer high-performance engines, high-speeds with great handling. They are made for speed and comes at expensive price tags. Usually, a sports car starts from $20,000 and goes up to millions.

Types of supercars

  • Lamborghini Huracan
  • BMW M4
  • FORD GT

Hypercars

What is Hypercar?

Bugatti Divo in Blue color
Bugatti Divo

A hypercar is a synonym to a supercar. They are exclusive limited edition cars that propel a humongous amount of power (in some cases even more than a supercar). No doubt, all of them hypercar are made by hands and comes with starting price tag of around $1 million and goes up to $45* million.

Types of hypercars

  • Bugatti Divo
  • Pagani Huayra
  • Koenigsegg One 1

Muscle cars

What is Muscle car?

Ford Mustang in orange color
Ford Mustang

The terms muscle cars has been originated from America. They are specially designed and manufactured coupes that comes mated with custom-made engines. To give these cars extra power punch manufacturers bolts superchargers and special components.

Types of Muscle cars

Types Of Cars By Modifications

In this category, we will highlight different types of vehicles by their modification jobs. That’s said, a few manufacturers offer car modification as an option whereas some customers get them modified by experts. So, let’s have a look, shall we?

Hot Hatch

Mini Clubman JCW
Mini Clubman JCW

A hot hatch is a sub-category of hatchbacks that offers performance and handling like a sports car. Even though their engines are not more than 2000cc but due to their weight to power ratio, these hatch performs exceptionally well.

Limousine

Limousine in grey color
Limousine

A limousine can be defined as a luxury vehicle with extensive length. They usually measure between 5 to 9 metres and can accommodate up to 12 passengers. These Limousines come as custom made and offer an extensive range of features and luxury.

UTE

UTE car
UTE

A UTE is defined as a utility vehicle with a pickup rack. These vehicles offer different compartment for goods which comes separated from the cabin. Except for transportation, a UTE can be utilised for a good day-to-day vehicle.

Pony Car

Pony Car
Pony Car

A pony car can be referred to as an affordable muscle car with a specific range of vehicles. A pony car can be a coupe or even a convertible. In the case of high customization, a pony car can be classified as muscle car.

Sports Sedan

Sports Sedan
Sports Sedan

A sports sedan can be acknowledged as a regular sedan with powerful engines and sporty looks.

Grand Tourer

Grand Tourer
Grand Tourer

Grand Tourer is also known as GT is a 2 and 4 door sedans or sports car that are designed for both good speed and touring. Usually, a GT refers to the luxury statement because of the styling and space in offer. These vehicle types come bolted with powerful engines with optional AWD. In terms of seating, a family of four is a good fit for this type of vehicle.

Also Read:

Hot Rod

Hot Rod Cars
Hot Rod Cars

The Hot Rod is derived from the drive shaft of the engines. They can be convertible, roadsters, coupe and etc. with no fenders, no bumpers. A Hot Rod comes fitted with wide tyres and big engines. They are personalised and modified vehicles to reduce weight and increase performance.

Low Rider

Low Rider cars
Low Rider cars

A vintage car with lower suspension whether it’s hydraulically or mechanically is known as Low Rider. The car type modification focuses only on vintage, probably till the 90’s rides. However, in the case of hydraulic suspension setup, the USP of these cars comes into life as that enables them to dance. Except for suspension, a Low Rider car showcase lots of chrome in the grille, wheels, mirrors and etc.

Tuner Car

Tuner Cars
Tuner Cars

A Tuner is a racing-inspired modified muscle car that only focuses on hard-core performance and handling. The origin of Tuner has come from Japanese car culture. One of the USP of all Tuners is the drift. Yes, no all of them, but they are specialised and tuner for it.

Bosozoku

Bosozoku cars
Bosozoku

Bosozoku means violent running tribe. It is a car modification culture that originated and was inspired by Japan. Generally, this car type uses big bumpers, exposed wheels and exhaust pipes. Earlier, this modification type also used to reflect the gangster lifestyle.

Dragster

Dragster car
Dragster

As the name suggests, a dragster is a car modified for drag race only. This means a drag car gets a really powerful engine with rear wide tires.

Rat Rod Cars

Rat Rod Cars
Rat Rod Cars

A Hot Rod car with damaged exteriors and a working engine make a Rat Rod car. In other words, a rat rod comes worn and torn situation or you can say it is designed to look abandoned. Max. of the components used in the design are reused and modified according to the need. That’s said, this whole combination makes a Rat Rod stand out in the crowd.

Military Cars

Military Cars
Military Cars

A military car is a 4×4 SUV with specialised army types of equipment and a paint theme.

Donk Cars

Donk Cars
Donk Cars

A Donk is also known as Hi-Riser is a modified car with a huge set of wheels. The term donk has been taken from Chevrolet Impala which earlier used to get transformed into Donk cars. On the other hand, a Donk car is also used to show the hip-hop culture as a background probe in many songs and movies.

Kit Car

Kit Car
Kit Car

A kit car is Lego form a real car where an owner can build a car from scratch. The buyer can select from a wide range of spare parts available by the manufacturer and turn them all into a functioning car.

Restomod Car

Restomod Car in green color
Restomod Car

A restomod car is an amazing combination of modern and aftermarket products on classic cars. These vehicle types receive minimal modification so that they remain restored with the same looks. You can also consider this as a restoration of a classic car.

Ricer Car

A ricer stands for Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements cars. This is one of the heaviest and unnecessary fashion to modify a car. Taken by Japanese car culture, you will see a ricer car using accessories like long exhaust pipes, super-bright body paint, huge spoilers and much more.

Types Of Cars By Motorsport and Racing Car

Motorsport and racing category highlights the car combination that involves racing on both off and on-road. Let’s have a look at top 6 car types.

Rally Car

Rally Car drifting on road
Rally Car

A Rally car is a custom modified car based on normal cars. To tackle the unwanted situation or to stay safe while driving on dirt, roads or mountains, they receive special modification on both inside and outside of the car.

NASCAR

NASCAR
NASCAR

NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. These cars are made to perform on high-speed tracks. A NASCAR is a stock car that receives meaningful modifications like – antiroll bar, retuned engines and gearboxes. One can identify a NACAR by its rear-wheel covered.

Formula One Car/ Grand Prix Car

Formula One Car
Formula One Car

A Formula 1 is a single-seater, open-top, high-performance racing car which is made for race tracks only. They are made by using carbon fibre and high-strength materials to achieve maximum power to weight ratio. That’s not all, a Formula One car comes mated with top-notch electronic gadgetry and aerodynamics components like active diffusers/wings.

Drift Car

Drift Car
Drift Car

As the name says it all, a drift car spins and slides the rear set of the wheel at the same time to produce smoke. This also belongs to a motorsport activity where different cars compete with each other. One can also consider drift car like a stunt car.

Off-Road Race Cars

Off-Road Race Cars
Off-Road Race Cars

These type of cars are a good combination of Rally and SUV cars. Whether it’s any terrain, an off-road car is built to tackle any situation. Usually, these cars perform racing on rough terrains like the Himalayas.

Go Kart

Go Kart
Go Kart

Just like an F1 car, a go-kart is a single-seater beginner level racing car. This category of the vehicle comes with verities of engine sizes and features. Usually, these cars are used to experience the F1 and also get trained for Go-Kart sports.

Types Of Cars By Engine Layout

An engine of a car can be planted in different positions of a car. Reason can be any, be it performance, efficiency or anything else. Here’s the list of cars by engine placement.

Cars By Engine Layout
Cars By Engine Layout

Front Engine Cars

The engine of these cars come bolted in the front, under the hood. You will see the front engine in-car categories like hatchback, sedan, SUV or even in sportscars.

Mid Engine Cars

Mid-engine cars are found in sports and supercar territory. Here, the powerful engine comes located in the mid of the car. Usually, a mid-engine car transmits the power to the rear wheel via dual axles. This type of engine placement helps the sports car to gain an adequate equal amount of weight distribution and perform better at higher speeds. Audi R8, BMW i8 and Bugatti Veyron are one of the finest examples of mid-engine cars.

Rear Engine Layout

Rear Engine Layout is another tried and tested method of engine placement in cars. Just like mid-engine cars, this type of engine is also used in a range of sportscars. A rear-engine layout sits transversely on the rear chassis, just above the rear wheel axles. Usually, this type of engine layout was used to provide effective cooling and excellent control over braking as well as other engineering aspects. Porsche 911, Fiat 500 and VW Beetle are some of the rear-engine fitted cars.

Types Of Cars By Fuel Type

Did you know we have other fuel alternatives except gasoline and electric? Below is the list of

Cars By Fuel Type
Cars By Fuel Type

Petrol Type

Petrol is one of the finest forms of fuel used to drive types of passenger cars. These engines are small in size as compared to diesel and provide a good fuel economy.

Diesel Type

Diesel is another alternative to petrol which is widely used in passengers as well as the commercial range of vehicles. On average, diesel vehicles pop more pollutants in the environment as compared to petrol cars.

Electric Type

An electric car type is propelled by a set of lithium-ion batteries and electric motors. They are rechargeable and emits zero pollution (directly). That’s not all, they also produce less sound pollution. Slowly but steady, electric type vehicles are becoming a habit and those days are not far when there will few gasoline-based vehicles on the roads. Tesla Model 3, BMW i3 are some of the best electric vehicles available today.

Hydrogen Type

Hydrogen type vehicles are also known as fuel cell electric vehicles. These vehicles run on a combination of batteries and fuel-cell technology which helps them to produce power for themselves and produce zero emission.

Hybrid Type

Hybrid type vehicle is a duo of electric and a regular petrol/diesel engine. At low speed, usually below 40kph, the electronics helps to run the car on full electricity. This helps in saving more fuel and saving the environment. Whereas, at higher speeds, the engine takes over the electric motors and charges the set of a lithium-ion battery. Toyota Prius, Honda Accord and Range Rover are famous examples of Hybrid type vehicles.

Solar Type

A solar-type car uses a 100% renewable source of energy. In other words, they absorb ultraviolet rays of the sun and convert electricity to charge the set of batteries.

Steam Type

Steam type vehicles, also known as the foundation of engines, uses steam as fuel to convert mechanical energy into motion. These kinds of engines were slow and not that efficient. And soon after the invention of petrol and diesel engines, steam became out of the league.

Types Of Cars FAQs

How many types are there in cars?

There are 46+ car types available, which are segmented into body types, classes, modifications, motorsport, engine & fuel type.

What type of cars does the learner car drive?

Being a leaner, one should always pick a small car like – hatchback. A hatchback will allow you to tackle different situations like traffic, parking and etc. with ease. Here, before you pick any of the hatchbacks, please consider – safety features in your mind.

What are small cars called?

A small vehicle class comes into the category of compact and subcompact cars. Also, these types of cars are described into different body types like – hatchback or compact sedans. Generally, small cars are famous in China, India & European automobile markets.

Written by Shailesh Thakran

Hi, I am a Marketing professional. I help Organizations/Startups in Structural, Design and Content Marketing to become online entities. I love blogging, mainly about automobiles, travel trailers & everything related to wheels. With the help of Thorttlebias, I want to educate and share in-depth articles/tips for other RVers. Outside of work, I love to read & play with my Rottweiler. Guess what! We can be friends, below are my social profiles.

2 thoughts on “46+ Different Types Of Cars In India”

  1. Hi Shailesh, thanks for the in-depth detail about types of car. Whether its any segment, type or class, you nailed every detail with good definitions. Keep sharing good stuff like this 🙂

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