Vehicle bodies come in a variety of designs depending on the intended function of the vehicle. They are also designed to incorporate style, aesthetics, and, most importantly, safety. Vehicle body design has changed over time to accommodate the owners’ lifestyles and personal tastes (FIGURE 1). Look, for example, at the Scion XB or the Tesla Model X. Each of these vehicles has a unique body design to fit the needs and taste of its owner. Manufacturers also use vehicle body design in advertising to tempt buyers to purchase their vehicles.
Common types of body design cater to both passenger and light commercial use. Terms to describe various body designs have become part of common automotive language. However, names describing the same body design type can vary from country to country. For example, a sedan in the United States is a saloon in the United Kingdom. This text will use U.S. terms. Types of body designs include the following:
■ Sedan
■ Coupe
■ Hatchback
■ Convertible
■ Station wagon
■ Pickup
■ Minivan and van
■ Sport utility vehicle
Sedan
A sedan has an enclosed body, with a maximum of four doors to allow access to the passenger compartment (FIGURE 2). The sedan design also allows for storage of luggage or other items in a trunk. The trunk is located in the rear of the vehicle and is accessible from a trunk lid. A sedan traditionally has a fixed roof. However, there are soft-top versions of sedans, which have only two doors.
Coupe
A coupe has only two doors. Reducing the number of passenger compartment doors makes the vehicle structurally more rigid. Traditionally, a coupe has two standard-size seats in front and possibly two smaller seats behind (FIGURE 3). Coupes are available in both a fixed roof and a convertible style. They also are equipped with a trunk for storage purposes. In most cases, the trunk is on the small side.
Hatchback
A hatchback is available in three-door and five-door designs. The odd-numbered door is a hatch that lifts up at the rear of the vehicle. This gives access to the luggage area. The rear seats usually fold down to increase the luggage area (FIGURE 4). Often, the rear seat is split. This allows one side to be folded down if the other seat is required for a passenger. Hatchbacks are versatile vehicles, combining some of the benefits of both sedans and station wagons.
Convertible
A convertible is an automobile with a roof that can be removed, retracted, or folded away (FIGURE 5). The roof is most often a flexible fabric such as canvas or vinyl. Most convertibles use electric motors that retract and raise the top. In some vehicles, known as hardtop convertibles, the roof is made of folding or fixed steel or fiberglass panels. When in place, the hard roof makes these vehicles look more like conventional fixed-roof coupe vehicles (FIGURE 6). In other vehicles, such as a T-top, only a smaller section of the roof area is convertible. The term roadster was applied to a vehicle with no permanent roof covering or side windows. Nowadays, the term is most often used to describe any convertible sports car.
Station Wagon
A station wagon has an extended roof that goes all the way to the rear of the vehicle. It is similar to a van but not as tall. The extra length in the roof increases the luggage capacity. In some cases, the passenger capacity is increased with extra seats in the very rear of the vehicle. Station wagons have a large rear door for easy access. The rear seats can usually be folded to increase the storage capacity even further (FIGURE 7). Station wagons usually have fixed roofs.
Pickup
The pickup, or truck, carries and tows cargo. Usually, it has heavier-duty chassis and suspension components than a passenger car. This is used to support greater loads. Traditionally, pickups had only a single cab with two doors. This limited the number of passengers they could carry. Today’s pickups have options for extended cabs or four-door versions to carry more passengers (FIGURE 8). In some cases, the four-door pickup has a reduced cargo-carrying space. This is to accommodate the extra seating in the cab.
Minivan and Van
A minivan is usually a lighter-duty vehicle. Minivans have suspension systems similar to those in passenger cars. Alternatively, full-size vans use heavy-duty pickup truck– type suspension systems. Minivans can be configured in two different ways. The first way maximizes the number of seats for passengers. The second way maximizes the cargo space (FIGURE 9). Also, because they are light duty, the fuel economy of minivans is substantially better than that of full size vans.
Sport Utility Vehicle
The sport utility vehicle (SUV) is popular in the United States. SUVs can easily be used to carry out functions that would otherwise require several different vehicles (FIGURE 10). They act like both a full-size van and a pickup. They typically have a heavy-duty chassis so that they can carry heavier loads. This load can be in the form of passengers, luggage, or cargo. They can also tow moderately heavy loads. This makes them a great vehicle for family outings, as they can pull a trailer while still carrying a several passengers and luggage.
