C-segment: Difference between revisions

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As the "segment" terminology became more common in the United States, in 2012 the New York Times described the differences, saying "today's small cars actually span three main segments in the global vehicle market. The tiny A-segment cars include the [[Chevy Spark]] and [[Smart Fortwo]]. They're extremely short and very light. Slightly larger are B-segment cars like the [[Ford Fiesta]] and [[Chevy Sonic]]. The A- and B-cars are known as subcompacts. In the C-segment — typically called compacts — are the largest of the small cars. Examples include the [[Toyota Corolla]], a perennial sales leader, as well as the [[Ford Focus]], [[Citroën C4]], [[Citroën DS4]], [[Chevy Cruze]], [[Honda Civic]], [[Hyundai Elantra]], [[Peugeot 308]] and [[Peugeot 408]] sedan, [[Renault Mégane]] and [[Renault Fluence]] or [[Volkswagen Golf]] and Jetta."<ref name="segment">{{cite web| title = Taking the ‘Cheap’ Out of the Small Car| publisher = The New York Times, September 9, 2012, Phil Patton| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/automobiles/taking-the-cheap-out-of-the-small-car.html?hpw}}</ref>

The modern C-segment market in Europe can be traced back to the launch of the [[Renault 6]], the first successful hatchback of this size, in 1968. The ''hatchback'' bodystyle was first introduced by [[Renault]] with the 1964 [[Renault 16]], awarded 1965 [[European Car of the Year|Car of the year in Europe]]. A review in the English ''Motoring Illustrated'' in May 1965 stated: "The Renault Sixteen can thus be described as a large family car but one that is neither a four door saloon and nor is it quite an estate. But, importantly, it is a little different."<ref name="Motoring Illustrated, May 1965">Motoring Illustrated, May 1965</ref> Even the later similar-sized cars like the [[Ford Escort (Europe)|Ford Escort]], [[Vauxhall Viva (1963–1979)|Vauxhall Viva]], [[Austin Allegro]] and [[Hillman Avenger]] were still only available as saloons or estates, asalthough weresome mostcars continentalof competitors.this Yetsize, the ''hatchback'' bodystyle became progressivelylike the most[[Austin popular1100|BMC/BL format1100 inand this1300 sectorsaloons]] of the European market from the middle of the 1960s till the early 1980s. Some carmakers later created theand [[Italy|Italy''liftback'' bodystyle like thes]] [[PeugeotFiat 309128]]. This change in the favoured bodystyle also sawfeatured front-wheel drive replacefrom rear-wheeltheir drivelaunch asduring the norm1960s. in the C-segment.

The C-segment was revolutionized in 1974 with the launch of the [[Volkswagen Golf]], a front-wheel drive hatchback, which was hugely successful all over Europe. Within a decade, most cars of this size in Europe were front-wheel drive hatchbacks. These included the [[Fiat Ritmo]] (Strada in the UK), [[Ford Escort]] (from the MK3 model launched in 1980), [[Opel Kadett]] ([[Vauxhall Astra]] in the UK), [[Renault 11]], and the [[Talbot Horizon]] (originally a [[Chrysler]]/[[Simca]] until [[Peugeot]] took over [[Chrysler|Chrysler's]] [[Chrysler Europe|European division]] in 1979. Most manufacturers still offered a traditional soon of this size though, with Volkswagen using the Golf as the base for its [[Volkswagen Jetta|Jetta]] saloon, and Ford launching the Escort-based [[Ford Orion|Orion]] in 1983.

The 1964 [[Renault 8#More power|Renault R8 Gordini]] (and the 1967 Renault R8 S) is known as the first sportive compact car for a public consumption price.<ref>Auto Plus (Auto Bild group) n°1362, 10 to 17 of October 2014 - 1964 : "1964 : Renault 8 Gordini, the first 'GTi'".</ref> The [[Renault 8#More power|Renault R8 Gordini]] offered a more powerful engine with speed to 180&nbsp;km/h and an innovative four-wheel disc brake system. Compact size cars often bring a performance more akin to that of a sports car than a family car. From the middle of the 1970, a dozen of year after the [[Renault 8#More power|Renault R8 Gordini]], a few rivals were launched. Popularity of this type of car multiplied across Europe during the 1980s, with offerings including the Ford Escort XR3i, [[Peugeot 309|Peugeot 309 GTi]], Vauxhall Astra/[[Opel Kadett]] GTE, [[Austin Maestro|MG Maestro]] and today the reference : the [[Mégane Renault Sport|Renault Mégane Renault Sport]].

Some carmakers later created the ''liftback'' bodystyle like the [[Peugeot 309]], which replaced the Talbot Horizon in this sector at the end of 1985.

Since the mid 1990s, premiums brands normally associated with larger and more expensive cars have entered the C-segment with more affordable hatchbacks and saloon. The first such example was the [[Audi A3]] in 1996. Subsequent cars of this type include the [[BMW 1 Series]] and [[Mercedes-Benz A-Class]].

== European Market in 2014<ref>{{cite web