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Compact car
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A compact (North America), small family (European) or c-segment car is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini and smaller than a large family car.
Current compact cars are between 4200 mm and 4350 mm long if they are hatchbacks, or between 4400 mm and 4550 mm if they are cabriolets, saloons or estates. Multi-purpose vehicles and sport utility vehicles based on small family cars, which are called compact MPVs and compact SUVs respectively, have become popular since the early 1990s.
Usual engines are 1.6 to 2.0-litre straight-4s, either petrol or Diesel, with a range between 100 bhp and 150 bhp. Some models also have economical 1.4-litre units. High-performance versions, called hot hatches, may have turbocharged 2.0-litre engines, or even V6 3.2-litre units, ranging maximum outputs from 170 bhp to 260 bhp. Popular small family cars are the Ford Focus, Opel Astra, Peugeot 307, Renault Mégane and Volkswagen Golf.
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After the Second World War, European manufacturers usually featured two vehicle types: small cars (or superminis) and large saloons. In the 1960s, some brands found that many middle class buyers wanted something larger than superminis, and built small family cars. These were usually saloons, with the first successful hatchback in this class being the 1974 Volkswagen Golf, which moved the layout of the smaller supermini Renault 5 to this segment. This proved popular and by the end of the decade, several other manufacturers launched hatchbacks like the Fiat Ritmo, Citroën GSA, Renault 14, and Opel Kadett.
The 1980s began with the launch of two more front-wheel drive hatchbacks: the Ford Escort Mk III and the Lancia Delta. Similar cars such as the Renault 11, Peugeot 309, updated Opel Kadett, Renault 19, Fiat Tipo and second generation Rover 200 followed over the course of the decade. Alfa Romeo's venture into this market, the Nissan-based Arna, was one of the few unsuccessful European small family hatchbacks of the 1980s.
The 1990s saw small family cars firmly pitch themselves as the most popular class of car in Europe. The Volkswagen Golf Mk III was launched in 1991 and elected European Car of the Year. Citroën replaced the GSA with the large family car BX and later the small family car ZX. The ZX's chassis spawned the Peugeot 306 in 1993. Fiat replaced the successful Tipo in 1995 with the distinctive Bravo and Brava (three-door and five-door hatchbacks, respectively). In 1998, Ford launched the dramatically-styled and all-new Ford Focus, completing sales of run-out Escort versions in 2000.
Some small family cars have also spawned compact MPVs, the first of which was the 1996 Renault Scénic. The Opel Zafira, Citroën Xsara Picasso, Ford Focus C-MAX, Volkswagen Touran, SEAT Altea and Fiat Multipla followed and are becoming increasingly popular. In few years they outsold estates and saloons in many countries. A more recent trend is to build coupé cabriolets with components from these vehicles. Examples of this are the Peugeot 307, Opel Astra TwinTop, Renault Mégane CC and Volkswagen Eos.
Small family saloons had a strong following among car buyers in the UK as the 1970s dawned, and enjoyed a popularity similar to that of larger family cars such as the enormously successful Ford Cortina. These two sectors were in fact dominant of the new car market at this time, as the Mini and - to a lesser degree - the Hillman Imp were the only popular mini-cars at this time. The Austin 1100/1300 had been Britain's best selling car for most of the time since its launch in 1961, and rival British products included the Ford Escort, Vauxhall Viva and Hillman Avenger. Foreign cars such as the Citroen GS, Peugeot 304 and Datsun Sunny 120Y were being imported, but their sales made up only a small percenage of the small family car sector.
British Leyland replaced the 1100/1300 with the Austin Allegro in 1973, and it sold well. Ford updated the Escort in 1975 and it quickly established itself as the most popular car in this sector on sale in the UK. The Vauxhall Viva was also a significant sales success, but it finished production in late 1979 on the launch of the all-new Astra - which abandoned the traditional rear-wheel drive saloon in favour of the front-wheel drive hatchback format which was gradually spreading across Europe. The Allegro was front-wheel drive but only came as a saloon or estate, while the Escort was still a rear-wheel drive saloon in 1979 but was due for an imminent replacement by an up-to-date third generation model. The Hillman Avenger continued to sell well as a Chrysler following the 1976 rebranding and as a Talbot after the sale of Chrysler's European operations to French carmaker Peugeot in 1979, in spite of the 1978 launch of the Horizon front-wheel drive hatchback.
One of the first foreign cars to have a major impact on this sector in the UK was the Golf - a Giugiaro-styled front-wheel drive hatchback launched in 1974. It gained a cult following thanks to its practicality, safety, reliability and build quality, and the sporty GTI version sparked a huge demand for "hot hatchbacks" in the UK and many other countries. Other foreign competitors to sell (though in lesser figures) during this era in the UK included the Renault 14, Fiat Strada, Honda Civic and Mazda 323.
The 1980s began with the launch of one of the UK's most important small family cars ever. The MK3 Ford Escort went on sale in the autumn of 1980 and became the latest car in its sector to ditch the rear-drive saloon format in favour of hatchbacks and front-wheel drive. It was Britain's most popular car for most of the decade and also spawned XR3i and RS Turbo "hot hatchback" versions, as well as a practical Orion saloon which was launched in 1983.
Vauxhall's new Astra quickly established itself as a popular choice among British buyers, and the aerodynamically-styled 1984 MK2 model carried off where the 1979 original left off. The GTE 16v, with a top speed of nearly 140mph, was the fastest hatchback in the world in the late 1980s.
British Leyland called time on Allegro production in early 1983 and replaced it with the all-new Maestro. Successor organisations Austin Rover and Rover Group kept the Maestro on the price lists in spite of its disappointing sales. The venture with Japanese carmaker Honda had seen the launch of the Triumph Acclaim, a four-door saloon which set new British benchmarks for reliability and build quality. It was succeeded by the Rover 200 in 1984 and this model was even more popular.
History was made just before the end of 1985 when the first Peugeot car - a 309 - rolled off the Ryton production line. The Talbot marque was ditched soon afterwards so Peugeot could concentrate on producing some of its own range in the UK, and the 309 was one of Britain's most popular small family cars in the late 1980s.
The MK2 Volkswagen Golf went on sale in the UK at the start of 1984 and maintained the success and popularity of its predecessor. Other foreign small family cars to succeed during the 1980s included the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Mazda 323 and Nissan Sunny. 1988 saw the arrival of two more impressive foreign imports - the Fiat Tipo and Renault 19.
Ford began the 1990s by replacing its 10-year-old Escort (and the Orion saloon version) with an all-new model. The Escort was Britain's best selling small family car throughout the decade. Its eventual successor - the Focus - went on sale in September 1998, but Ford hedged its bets with this radical new design and kept the Escort in production for two more years.
Vauxhall rejuvenated its Astra with the launch of an all-new model in October 1991, and in early 1998 with a new version.
Rover's 200 Series - launched over the autumn of 1989 - was very popular with British buyers during the early 1990s, and its successor - launched in 1995 - initially achieved the same success. Later, a facelift transformed it into the Rover 25 and re-positioned as a supermini.
As well as the Volkswagen Golf (which entered its third incarnation in 1991 and its fourth in 1997), another foreign car to prove popular with British family buyers was the 1993 Peugeot 306 - though it was actually built in England at Ryton. It attracted sales throughout the decade, at the end of which it was still popular in its sector despite being more than six years old.
Renault's Megane, which replaced the successful Renault 19, arrived on the UK market in early 1996 and was an instant hit with British buyers, being the nation's fifth best selling new car in 1998. A mild makeover midway through 1999 strengthened its position.
Other foreign imports to sell well in this sector during the 1990s including the Citroen ZX, its successor the Xsara, the Fiat Brava/Fiat Bravo, the Nissan Almera and the latest incarnations of the long-running Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda 323.
The Ford Focus quickly proved to be an instant hit with UK buyers and by the time of the second generation model's launch in December 2004 it had been Britain's most popular car every single month since May 2000. The MK2 Focus inherited its predecessor's attributes and most importantly built on its sales success.
The Vauxhall Astra played second fiddle to the Focus right up to the launch of an all-new fifth generation model in March 2004, and in 2005 and 2006 the latest Astra was Britain's second most popular new car.
The Volkswagen Golf entered its fifth incarnation at the beginning of 2004 and maintained the sales success of its predecessor. But perhaps the most surprising success so far this decade would have to be the Renault Megane II, launched in November 2002 with styling quite unlike any other offering in this sector at the time. Not only did it match its predecessor's sales success in the UK, but it ended up reaching even greater heights. In 2005, the Megane II was Britain's fourth most popular new car. Other offerings in the small family car sector include the Peugeot 307, Honda Civic, Toyota Auris, Citroen C4 and Mazda 3. The small family sector is now firmly establishd as Britain's most favoured sector. In 2004, five of Britain's 10 best selling cars were in this sector - compared to just three in 1992. Back in 1992, the top 10 in the UK featured three larger family cars, but from 2001 to 2006 has featured just one.
Compact car is a largely North American term denoting an automobile smaller than a mid-size car, but larger than a North American subcompact car, similarly recognized in much of the world as a "C-segment" (between B- and D-segment) vehicles. Compact cars usually have wheelbases between 2.54 meters (100 inches) and 2.67 metres (105 inches). The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a "Compact" car as measuring between 100 ft³ (2800 L) and 109 ft³ (3000 L) of combined passenger and cargo volume capacity.
Although compact cars had been made in the United States before World War II, the compact class was introduced in 1950 when Nash introduced a convertible Rambler. It was built on a 100-inch wheelbase to which a station wagon, hardtop, and sedan versions were added.
Several competitors to the Nash Rambler arose from the ranks of America's other independent automakers, although none enjoyed the long-term success of the Rambler. Other early compact cars included the Henry J from Kaiser-Frazer and its Sears-Roebuck marketed variant the Allstate, the Willys Aero and the Hudson Jet.
The modern compact class was greatly expanded between 1958 and 1960 when the Studebaker Lark, Chevrolet Corvair, Ford Falcon, and Plymouth Valiant were brought to the market previously dominated by the Rambler American. These cars also gave rise to compact vans, which were sized similarly to the Volkswagen Transporter / Bus and used components from cars like the the Falcon or Corvair.
Within a few years after that, the compacts had given rise to a new class called the pony car, named after the Ford Mustang, which was built on the Falcon chassis. At that time, there was a distinct difference in size between compact and full-size models, and an early definition of the compact was a vehicle with an overall length of less than 200", much larger than European designs.
During the 1960s, compacts were the smallest class of North American cars (and much bigger than those elsewhere), but they had evolved into only slightly smaller versions of the 6-cylinder or V8-powered 2-bench 6-passenger sedan. They were much larger than imports by makers such as Volkswagen and Datsun, which were typically 5-passenger 4-cylinder engine cars, even though ads for the Ford Maverick and Rambler American would make comparisons with the popular Volkswagen Beetle. In the early 1970s, the domestic automakers introduced even smaller subcompact cars that included the AMC Gremlin, Chevrolet Vega and Ford Pinto.
The 1977 model year marked the beginning of a downsizing of all vehicles, so that cars such as the Ford Fairmont which replaced the compacts were re-classified as mid-size, and cars inheriting the size of the Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega such as the Ford Escort and Chevrolet Cavalier are now classified as compact cars. Cars such as the Honda Fit and Chevrolet Aveo which are still smaller are now known as subcompact cars.
Legally, the American government has defined class size under environmental law under Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40--Protection of Environment, Section 600.315-82 Classes of comparable automobiles. Passenger car classes are defined based on interior volume index or seating capacity, except automobiles classified as a special vehicle such as those with only two designated seating positions.
| Class | Minicompact car | Subcompact car | Compact car | Midsize car | Large car | Small station wagon | Midsize station wagon | Large station wagon |
| Interior volume index (cubic feet) | under 85 | 85-99.9 | 100-109.9 | 110-119.9 | 120 or over | under 130 | 130-160 | over 160 |
In the 1985 model year, compact cars classified by the EPA included Ford's Escort and Tempo, the Chevrolet Cavalier, Toyota Corolla and Camry, Acura Legend, Mercedes-Benz 300 and Nissan Maxima, and Volvo DL.
In North America, the compact segment is still discernible as a class smaller than the average car but larger than the smallest models on the market. The Chevrolet Cobalt would be an example. The term has also been adopted to describe small SUVs, such as the Ford Escape.
- Vehicle size class
- Compact MPV
- Compact SUV
- Economy car
- Hot hatch
- Minivan
- Small family car
- Sport compact
- Supermini car