If you’re looking for a vehicle, you have plenty to choose from right now. Between new and used vehicles, there are thousands of models on the market. They come in a vast range of colors, sizes, and prices. They’re also available in a variety of trim levels, each with its own list of exciting features. All those options can easily be overwhelming for many people, and they certainly make it difficult to choose just the right vehicle without suffering from buyer’s remorse after the fact.
One of the many factors to think about when you’re looking for a vehicle is body style. That category alone branches out in numerous directions. Some of the available options are sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, convertibles, crossovers, SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans. Several subcategories enter the mix as well. With sedans, SUVs, and pickups, you have compact, mid-size, and full-size. Pickups also come with regular, extended, crew, and extended crew cabs. Those are only a few of the variations you’ll find at dealerships like axio auto.
Is body style really that important, though? Does it make that much of a difference? Yes, it does. Body style is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a vehicle for many reasons.
Why Car Body Styles Matter
Appearance
One of the most basic reasons why body style matters is the impact it has on a vehicle’s appearance. That’s the first thing you notice when you’re looking at cars, isn’t it?
Most people can scan a car lot in a matter of seconds and instantly decide which vehicles catch their eye and which ones don’t. All the other features and factors are important, but realistically, they’re secondary to the way a vehicle looks. No matter how much technology a car is equipped with or how much towing capacity a truck might have, if its appearance doesn’t appeal to you, you’re going to move on to something else.
Interior Space And Utility
Beyond the outward appearance of a vehicle, another important aspect people consider is the amount of interior space it has. Body style makes a great deal of difference in this regard. A Porsche 718 Cayman wouldn’t be practical for a family of six. It only has two seats, and there’s no room for gear or groceries. For a large family, an SUV or minivan would be a better choice.
On the other hand, a full-size SUV or cargo van wouldn’t necessarily be a good fit for a young couple or a single person. The ample passenger seating and cargo space those vehicles offer would be an overkill for someone who doesn’t generally haul passengers or cargo. For work crews, luxurious SUVs that are designed for comfort might not be appropriate; instead, they’d likely be better served by a cargo van or a crew cab pickup.
Some body styles, like SUVs and minivans, are known for being extremely versatile, though. They can suit a wide range of needs. They typically have folding seats that allow people to adjust their passenger and cargo space as needed. As such, they can be perfect for growing families, carpools, small businesses, delivery services, and many others.
Performance And Handling
Body style can affect a vehicle’s performance and handling too. It has an impact on weight, center of gravity, aerodynamics, cornering, and many other factors. Sports and compact cars are typically lighter than other types of vehicles, and they have lower profiles. That makes for better handling in many cases, but it hampers their performance on rough terrain. These vehicles are often more responsive and more fun to drive on curvy roads, but they’re light, so they’re not much fun to drive in ice and snow.
Larger vehicles, like SUVs and pickup trucks, are heavier, so they’re better suited to wet roads, ice, snow, and other adverse conditions. They sit higher, so they’re not as vulnerable to bumps and rough terrain. They’re easier to see out of as well, which can certainly be helpful in some situations. Still, they aren’t generally as responsive as smaller vehicles. Some definitely break the mold in this respect, though.
Fuel efficiency is also a point to consider here. Naturally, larger, heavier, bulkier vehicles are bound to burn more gas than smaller, sleeker, lighter cars. Having said that, many other factors also enter the mix when determining fuel efficiency.
Safety
Safety factors into the equation as well. It’s a top priority for today’s automakers with cars now being equipped with a long list of safety features from airbags and electronic stability control to automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring. Despite all those features, though, some body styles fare better in collisions than others.
In general, larger vehicles can handle crashes better than smaller ones. On the most basic level, they have more mass, so they absorb impacts more effectively. They also have more material between their occupants and the outside world.
Smaller, sleeker body styles aren’t always so capable of protecting their occupants or handling outside forces. From another perspective, some larger vehicles, such as mid- and full-size SUVs, are more prone to rollovers than those that sit lower to the ground. Keep in mind that body style isn’t the only deciding factor when determining how safe a vehicle is, though.
Choosing The Right Body Style
In a nutshell, vehicle body styles are exceedingly important. On the surface, they affect the appearance of a vehicle. They can determine whether it looks sleek and beautiful or tough and rugged. Some people are drawn to specific body styles simply because of the way they look. Body style also factors into the amount of passenger and cargo space a vehicle has. It can determine whether a vehicle has any towing capacity as well.
Additionally, body style plays a role in a vehicle’s performance in various conditions and on different types of terrain. It affects handling, fuel efficiency, and comfort too. On top of all that, body style can determine how safe a vehicle is to at least some extent. If you’re looking for a vehicle, keep all these points in mind to help you choose the right one for you.
Thanks for stopping by!
Magda
xoxo