Your Dream Car’s Shadow: A Brief Guide on Car Body Styles
Cars are among the most significant purchases people make throughout their lives, and there is no greater proof of this than the time people take to settle on the model they like (and of course, afford). When it comes to that monumental automotive decision, it pays to know the ride you want to spend for.
Here are some of the most common car body styles, and the reasons people pick them:
The Sedan
Practical. Classic. Quintessential. Cars do not get any more “car-like” than this. Spacious, affordable, and efficient, sedans have long represented the generic image of an automobile, and for good reason. Whether you are single and living in the middle of a city, or a parent regularly driving the kids to and from the suburbs, sedans make for the quickest, least regrettable purchase choice. You won’t turn heads with a sedan off the assembly line, but for a vehicle you’ll use every single day, that may be a plus.
The SUV
For decades now, Sports Utility Vehicles have trailed sedans as the most identifiable car body style. With more seats to accommodate larger carpools, more rear space to carry items, and more power to tow cars or even go off-road, the SUV has always made a point to live up to the acronym, even if its drivers have no practical use for the first two letters.
The Pickup Truck
Of course, the SUV is merely a general-purpose refinement of a more rough-and-tumble body style, the mighty model of machismo — none other than the pickup truck. These workhorses challenge the limits of passenger automobiles, with their flatbed component being able to carry tons at a time without severely affecting the speed or overall performance.
The Wagon
A station wagon is what you get when you combine the simplicity of sedans and the spaciousness of SUVs. Inspired by the horse-drawn vehicles of the pre-automotive times, the wagon body style offers greater utility compared to sedans and a more reasonable size (and cost) compared to SUVs.
There are several more car body styles on the market today, which is why it is important for every prospective car owner to study each of their options before purchasing a vehicle they may or may not love driving for a considerable stretch of the future.
