Different Types of Car Body Styles in India

The first stage to becoming obsessed with cars or owning one is understanding the fundamentals. When buying a car, the first element you may want to consider is the type of vehicle that will best meet your requirements. Knowing the different car types available in the Indian automobile market will increase your chances of finding your ideal car.

The current car market in India offers a wide range of choices. We have anything you can think of, including hatchbacks, sedans, MUVs, SUVs, convertibles, coupes, and pickup trucks. But with so many sizes, shapes, and designs, it can take time to choose the ideal vehicle.

In order to facilitate your journey, we have comprehensively explained the different car body styles in India and made a list of the most popular cars in each category.

Types of Cars in India

One of the difficult choices you might have to make during the buying process is what kind of car to buy.

• If you live in a rural region without traffic congestion, you can choose a big car with enough room for your needs.
• Those living in cities must be concerned about traffic, mainly if they rely on a vehicle for both their daily commute and weekend excursions.

Most significantly, one should also consider the car user’s family. Although there are countless ways to categorise vehicles based on their bodies, we have limited the list to a few famous types of car bodies in India. You can choose the best car for your requirements with the help of this succinct description of car body styles.

Hatchback

• The most ubiquitous form of vehicle in India is a hatchback. A small car with four doors and a boot is called a hatchback. It's best to seat only four persons at a time for greater comfort.
• Fuel economy is one of the many benefits of a hatchback, and it scores high on this count. Hatchbacks give superior mileage than other vehicles because they are compact and lightweight.
• The most congested city streets, where car dimensions are a significant consideration for all vehicles, are best suited for hatchbacks.
• Parking in most places can be a nightmare, and hatchbacks are the best car models for parking convenience.
• A hatchback’s tiny boot room is one of its drawbacks, making these vehicles unsuitable for transporting large amounts of luggage.
• The Tata Indica, Maruti Alto, Hyundai i10, Maruti Swift, Ford Figo, etc., are some of India’s top hatchbacks.

Sedan

• Another segment that is very popular in the Indian industry is sedans. These vehicles are perfect for families because they provide enough room for all needs.
• A sedan has four passenger doors and one for the boot, similar to a hatchback. The boot space in sedans is significantly more extensive and accommodates luggage of various sizes.
• Manufacturers occasionally add boot space to existing hatchback cars to turn them into sedans. One of the best instances of this conversion is the Maruti Swift Dzire.
• In general, sedans are considered more elegant than hatchback automobiles. There are countless high-end cars on the market today that are both fashionable and cosy.
• Many subvariants are within the sedan category, and automakers are constantly introducing new body styles.
• Ford Fiesta, Mahindra Verito, Hyundai Verna, Honda Amaze, etc., are a few of the best sedans on the Indian market.

Compact Sedan

• The car market in India is complicated, and customers’ needs can occasionally vary from those in other nations. People buying compact sedans receive tax rebates from the Indian government.
• These vehicles are less than four meters long.
• Indian automakers created car body styles that are unique to India to reap the benefits of the pricing element. One such exclusive vehicle is the compact sedan.
• Although these vehicles have four doors and a boot, they have much less room than a typical sedan. Tata Motors is the first company to reduce the length of the Indigo to create India’s first compact sedan, the Indigo CS (short for Compact Sedan).
• Some of India’s top compact sedans are Honda Amaze, Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, and Tata Tigor. 

Coupe

• A two-door vehicle with a slanted roofline and a sporty posture is called a coupe. The majority of these coupes have a strong motor and either have two seats or two additional smaller rear seats.
• Four-door coupes are available nowadays, but their sporty traits have stayed the same.
• Most Indian drivers do not favour this type of vehicle, but international car manufacturers are marketing them to a select group of motorists in India.
• Coupe cars can reach triple-figure speeds in a few seconds because they are typically high-performance.
• Some of India’s top coupes are Ford Mustang, Audi R8, and Mercedes Benz GLE Coupe.

Micro Car

• “Microcars” are the smallest-diameter vehicles, frequently with three or four wheels and a motor under 700 cc (43 cu).
• Some specific microcar types of car bodies include voiturettes, bubble cars, cycle cars, invacars, and quadricycles.
• Microcars frequently have fewer licensing and registration requirements than regular cars and are subject to specific laws.
• Due to the low demand, the Nano, a modern microcar, struggled to find buyers and had to be discontinued.
• Motors introduced the Nano, many of us had the opportunity to see the Reva electric microcar.

MPV/Minivan

• A minivan is a car with two or three rows of moveable seats intended to transport people. The term “van” is also occasionally used to describe it. The tag “multi-utility vehicle” (MUV) or “MPV” is used to refer to this class of vehicles.
• Minivans are also great for some types of jobs. Tradespeople can benefit from the vehicle’s space by efficiently transporting DIY items.
• A minivan can serve as a dependable mode of transportation and a suitable place to stay the night. You can go for this vehicle if you require transport for a business journey or tourist excursions into the wild.

Some of the MPVs available in India are Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Innova and Mahindra Marazzo.

SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle)

• Along with hatchbacks and sedans, sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) are among the well-liked automobiles on Indian roadways. An SUV with enough space can accommodate a large family of seven or eight people.
• The majority of SUVs also feature a large amount of storage space. SUVs are famous for more than just their generous interior space; they also have flawless performance and chic styling.
• SUVs are perfect for various terrains, including slick interstates and rough backroads. Driving an SUV on congested city streets may be challenging because they are best suited for long highway journeys.
• Additionally, an SUV’s large body makes parking on city roadways difficult. The best vehicles in the nation include the Tata Safari, Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner, Honda C-RV, and Mahindra Scorpio.

Convertible/Cabriolet

• Nothing is more desirable in terms of car body styles than a convertible. A foldable or entirely removable roof distinguishes convertible vehicles as a body style.
• A convertible’s canopy is typically made of canvas or vinyl, though it is also possible for it to be a hard top. This makes for nothing less than pure driving joy as you can sense the breeze in your hair.
• The roof of a convertible is notable for being both foldable and, in some instances, removable.
• Convertibles have complex mechanisms that quickly and precisely fold the top. Convertibles allow you the flexibility to both appreciate the excellent weather and protect yourself from it when it’s terrible.
• Some convertible car types are Porsche 718 Boxster, BMW Z4, and Mini Cooper.

Pickup Truck

• Pickup trucks offer much usefulness in a manageable package, making them a unique vehicle body type.
• The distinguishing feature of this body type is a sizable open luggage space behind the passenger area.
• The pickup truck’s off-roading and passenger-carrying capabilities pair well with this storage area’s large payload capacity.
• A pickup truck’s dimensions are large enough to transport huge loads. Manufacturers of such vehicles typically construct the body on a chassis frame. Therefore, a pickup truck is the best choice if you want a vehicle designed with usefulness above all else.
• If you frequently need to move large quantities of goods but want to avoid purchasing a car specifically for business use, a pickup truck can be helpful. The Pickup Truck Body Type Cars include Mahindra Bolero Camper, Tata Yodha Pickup, Toyota Hilux, and Isuzu D-Max V Cross.

Hybrid Cars

• Automakers have developed hybrid cars to produce more effective, efficient vehicles. Manufacturers pair a gasoline or diesel engine with at least one electric generator in hybrid vehicles.
• Sometimes an electric motor is used instead of a diesel or gasoline engine, and other times both work together. As a consequence, there is less fuel consumption.
• Hybrid cars do have a high price tag. As a result, Indian automakers now offer mild hybrid vehicles. These cars reduce fuel usage more than conventional hybrid cars.
• The top hybrid vehicles in India include MG Hector, Toyota Glanza, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Lexus NX, Toyota Prius, Lexus RX, Volvo XC90, and Lexus LC.

Will Car Insurance be Different for Each Style?

Two factors influence auto insurance premiums: personal driving history and vehicle details. The make and type of your car is one factor that influences how much you pay for auto insurance. Whether you’re looking to buy a new or used car or just reviewing your car insurance plan to see if you could lower your premium, understanding how the make and model affect your auto insurance cost may help you decide on your next vehicle purchase.

The size also has an impact on the annual premium. The cost of insurance for a car usually rises with its size and weight because bigger cars are more likely to sustain damage. For instance, smaller cars are easier to manoeuvre and generally pose less risk than standard cars in accidents involving other vehicles.

The vehicle’s body style may also affect how much your auto insurance will cost. Different car body types for coupes, cars, SUVs, minivans, and trucks affect the premium vastly. Sporty coupe body designs will typically cost more to protect than sedans or minivans because insurers frequently associate sports models with riskier driving behaviours and an elevated risk of accidents.

Keep in mind that various other variables besides the car's design influence the cost of auto insurance. Your premiums will be affected by your driving record, insurance expertise, and other variables. It also matters what kind of policy and the scope of insurance you select.