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Different Types of Cars in India – Car Body Types

Team AckoJan 17, 2024

In today’s car market in India, there are so many options when it comes to size, style and shape. Car manufacturers in India are researching and developing different types of cars to suit the varied needs of the Indian customer. To help you understand and choose the right type of car, we have compiled different types of cars in India along with examples so that you can make an informed decision.

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Car Body Types:

The Indian car market is complex with automobile manufacturers developing exclusive types of cars car body types for the Indian customers. Whether you’re buying a new or a used car, it’s important to know which car is practical and suitable for you. In this article, get to know the list of different types of vehicles and list of car types in India:

Different Types of Cars in the Indian Market:

Below are the types of cars available in the Indian market along with examples to help you understand them better:

Hatchback:

This type of car is a small car with a rear door which opens upwards revealing the boot space to keep your luggage. Excluding the rear door, hatchbacks are built with four-doors, while two-door hatchbacks are also available in the market. Most hatchbacks use the front-wheel drivetrain to propel the vehicle, while performance-oriented hatchbacks can be either a rear-wheel or front-wheel drive. Below are some of the best hatchbacks in India:

Also, read: Connected Cars: What is it? Features and Benefits

Sedan/Saloon/Notchback:

The main feature of a sedan is that it is designed with separate passenger and boot space. Sedans feature four-doors and a boot or trunk. A sedan is designed as a 3-box configuration vehicle — engine, passenger and cargo. The word sedan is used in American English, while the word saloon is used in British English.

As for notchbacks, these are sedans with a less pronounced boot or trunk space. They are sedans with a hatchback rear. Apart from notchbacks, sedans can be further sub-categorised as fastback, compact or subcompact. Below are some of the best sedans in India:

Compact Sedan:

The Indian car market is complex and the needs of customers are sometimes different compared to other countries. One such is the compact cars. These cars measure less than four-metres in length and enjoy tax benefits from the Indian government.

To take advantage of the pricing factor, Indian car manufacturers developed car body types which are exclusive to India. The compact sedan is one such exclusive type of car. While these cars look like a sedan with four-doors and a boot or trunk, space is much lesser compared to the regular sedan. Below are some of the best compact sedans in India:

Coupe:

A coupe is a two-door car with a sloping roofline, giving it a sporty stance. Most of these coupes come with a powerful engine and feature two-seats or come with smaller rear seats. However, in recent times, coupes are designed with four-doors while its characteristics remain sporty in nature.

While this type of car is not the preferred choice by the masses in India, there are global manufacturers selling this type of cars in India for a small category of drivers. Below are some of the best coupes in India:

Ford Mustang
Audi R8
Mercedes Benz GLE Coupe

Also, read: Vehicle Scrappage Policy in India

Micro Car:

Car manufacturers strive to offer a good product which is both inexpensive and practical to drive, especially in developing countries. Micro-cars have the advantage of cheaper running costs yet offer the convenience of a four-wheeler.

While luxury car makers offer microcars which are super compact with a powerful engine, they are expensive. In India, to make cars affordable, carmakers developed microcars exclusive to India. Example of a microcar in India:

Tata Nano

CUV/Crossover:

CUV or Crossover Utility Vehicles exterior is designed with the combination of a Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and a hatchback. Crossover vehicles have soft off-roading capabilities but do not perform like an SUV. Below are some of the best crossovers in India:

Tata Tiago NRG
Volvo V40 Cross Country
Ford Freestyle
Hyundai i20 Active
Volkswagen Polo Adventure
Honda WR-V
Volkswagen Cross Polo

Crossover Hatchback:

These types of cars are essentially hatchbacks with an exterior and feel of an SUV but do not qualify to be called an SUV. The Indian market is competitive and customers prefer a compact or a small four-wheeler but with an SUV design language. Below are some of the best crossover hatchbacks in India:

Maruti Suzuki S-Presso
Renault Kwid
Ford Freestyle
Tata Tiago NRG
Hyundai i20 Active
Volkswagen Cross Polo
Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

MPV/Minivan:

MPV or Multi-Purpose Vehicles are people carriers and designed to offer more space and seats with either two, three or more rows of seating. This type of vehicle is also called MUV (Multi-Utility Vehicle). MPVs are usually designed like a van for maximum interior space. Below are some of the best MPVs in India:

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga
Toyota Innova Crysta
Renault Triber
Mahindra Marazzo
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga XL6
Honda BR-V
Maruti Suzuki Eeco
Mercedes-Benz V-Class
Renault Lodgy

SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle):

SUVs are built with the combination of passenger cars with features of off-road vehicles. This includes higher ground clearance, four-wheel drive, and other off-roading capabilities. SUVs are large in size with big wheels and boast of different terrain capabilities.

In recent times, SUVs are increasingly being used in urban roads and not for off-roading purposes, hence, these SUVs can be either soft or hard off-road vehicles. Below are some of the best SUVs in India:

Toyota Fortuner
Ford Endeavour
Jeep Compass
Range Rover
MG Hector
Mahindra Alturas
Tata Safari
BMW X5
Mercedes-Benz GLC

Also, read: SUV Car Insurance

Crossover SUV:

Based on hatchbacks, these vehicles look like SUVs. Their handling and maintenance is equivalent to sedans; however, they have SUV-like features such as high ground clearance, bigger wheels, plastic cladding around the body, etc. Below are some of the best crossover SUVs in India:

Hyundai Creta
Renault Captur
Nissan Kicks
Renault Duster

Coupe SUV:

Just like the coupe, which has a sloping roofline, the coupe SUVs are designed with a sloping roofline. These vehicles look stylish yet have the features and specifications of an SUV. Below are some of the best coupe SUVs in India:

BMW X4
Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe
Audi Q8

Compact SUV:

The current Indian automobile market trend is the compact SUV. These are the smallest of the SUVs. Generally, compact SUVs measure less than 4-meters; however, they offer the design language of an SUV with higher ground clearance, bigger wheels and a tall stance. Below are some of the best compact SUVs in India:

4-Door Coupe:

A regular coupe with four-doors is known as the 4-door coupe. The design language is similar to that of a coupe with a sloping roofline and powerful engine, but with four-doors instead of the two. The 4-door coupe was designed keeping practicality in mind so it’s easier for the rear passengers to ingress and egress from the car. Below are some of the best 4-door coupe:

Mercedes-AMG GT
BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe
Audi A5 Sportback
Aston Martin Rapide S
Tesla Model S

Station Wagon:

Also known as estate cars, station wagons are based on the sedan car body type with an extended roofline that merges passenger and boot compartment. The biggest difference between a sedan and a station wagon is the bigger boot or cargo area. Below are some of the best station wagons in India that are currently being manufactured or were available in the market:

Tata Indigo Marina
Maruti Baleno Altura
Skoda Octavia Combi
Open Corsa Swing
Tata Estate
Fiat Weekend
Fiat Palio Adventure
Mercedes-Benz E-Class All Terrain
Volvo V90 Cross Country

Convertible/Spyder/Cabriolet:

Convertible is popularly referred to as an ‘Open-Top’ car. This type of car comes with a soft or a hardtop.

They are also referred to as cabriolet or roadster or spyder. Usually, they feature a retractable rooftop. Below are some of the best convertibles in India:

Ferrari California T
Audi A3 Cabriolet
Mercedes-AMG SLC 43
Range Rover Evoque Convertible
Ferrari 488 Spyder
Mini Cooper Convertible

Hybrid Cars:

To produce cars which are eco-friendly and offer better performance, car manufacturers have developed hybrid cars. Hybrid cars combine the petrol or diesel engine with at least one electric motor. While the electric motor might do all the job, sometimes it is the petrol or diesel engine and sometimes both work in tandem. This leads to lower consumption of fuel.

However, the cost of hybrid cars is quite high. Hence, car manufacturers in India are offering mild-hybrid cars which do reduce consumption but not as extensive as a pure hybrid vehicle. Below are some of the best hybrid cars in India:

MG Hector
Toyota Glanza
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Toyota Prius
Lexus RX
Lexus NX
Volvo XC90
Lexus LC

Pick-Up Truck:

Traditionally a commercial vehicle, pick-up trucks have evolved to become a personal vehicle. Pick-up trucks, as the name suggests, have a cargo area to carry or transport goods, while it also offers the space inside for passengers. While there are regular commercial pick-ups, car manufacturers have equipped the pick-up trucks with features of an SUV like 4-wheel drive and other off-roading capabilities. Below are some of the best pick-up trucks in India:

Isuzu D-Max V-Cross
Tata Xenon
Mahindra Imperio
Mahindra Scorpio Getaway
Mahindra Bolero Camper

Electric Cars:

Electric cars are powered by batteries and do not employ an internal combustion engine, unlike petrol or diesel engines. Electric vehicles (EVs) require their batteries to be charged and can run for a certain range. With a maximum emphasis on the eco-friendly automobiles and the effort to reduce carbon footprint, countries across the globe are moving towards electrification of passenger, public and transport vehicles. Below are the types of electric cars that are available or are being developed by car manufacturers:

Electric SUV Cars: With Indian customers preferring SUVs over other types of cars, carmakers have begun offering electric SUVs to customers. Below are some of the best electric SUV cars in India:
Tata Nexon EV
MG ZS EV
Hyundai Kona
Mahindra eKUV100
Electric Sedan Cars: These are sedans which are powered by batteries and do not have an internal combustion engine. While it might be an electric vehicle, the shape or the design language is of a sedan or a saloon. Below are some of the best electric sedan cars in India:
Mahindra e-Verito
Tata Tigor EV
Electric Hatchback Cars: Hatchbacks continue to be the most selling car in India, and electric hatchbacks are not far off in the Indian market. Electric hatchbacks derive power from batteries and the shape or the design resembles that of a hatchback. Below are some of the best electric hatchback cars in India:
Mahindra e2o Plus
Mahindra eKUV100

Importance of Car Insurance:

In India, Third-Party vehicle insurance is mandatory and a legal requirement under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Apart from the mandatory Third-Party cover, insuring your car with the Comprehensive insurance will provide financial cover in the event of your car being damaged. Accidents may occur and knowing that you are financially protected with the Comprehensive car insurance policy, it’s reassuring that you and your car is well shielded in case of any unfortunate mishap.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on industry experience and several secondary sources on the internet; and is subject to changes. Please go through the applicable policy wordings for updated ACKO-centric content and before making any insurance-related decisions.

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