C-segment: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 11:07, 6 November 2012

Revision as of 12:52, 7 November 2012

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[[Image:Opel Astra J front 20100515.jpg|thumb|right|[[Opel Astra]], runner-up in the '''C-segment''' in Europe in 2011]]

C-segment is car size classification defined by the [[European Commission]]<ref>{{cite web

|title=REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 - MERGER PROCEDURE

|publisher=Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg

|url=http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/decisions/m1406_en.pdf

}}</ref> as the third-largest segment (above the [[A-segment]] and [[B-segment]]) in the European market car classification. It approximatelyThe C-segment corresponds approximately to the [[Compact Car]] segment in North America, orand the [[Small Family Car]] in British English acceptationterminology.

AsThe '''C-segment''' includes only [[hatchback]], [[Sedan (automobile)|sedan]] and [[Station Wagon]] configurations &mdash; as the [[European Commission]] defines alsoreserves the [[M-segment]] for [[Multi-Purpose Cars]] and [[J-segment]] for [[Sport Utility Cars]] (including [[Off-road Vehicles]]), into '''C-segment''' are not classified vehicles using similar or adapted platforms of the '''C-segment''', but which are falling in segments M and J like [[Light Commercial Vehicles]], compact [[Sport Utility Vehicles]] ([[C-SUV]]'s), compact [[Crossover Utility Vehicles]] ([[C-CUV]]'s).

In the end, '''C-segment''' includes only [[hatchback]] and [[Sedan (automobile)|sedan]] bodies, including [[Station Wagon]] declination.

The size is similar to North-American [[Compact Car]] current size, i.e. approximately {{convert|4100|mm|0|abbr=on}} and {{convert|4450|mm|0|abbr=on}} long for [[hatchback]]s, or {{convert|4400|mm|0|abbr=on}} and {{convert|4750|mm|0|abbr=on}} long for [[Sedan (automobile)|sedans (saloon)]] or [[station wagon|station wagons (estate car)]].

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]], [[Chevy Cruze]], [[Hyundai Elantra]], [[Honda Civic]] and [[Volkswagen Golf|Volkswagen’s Golf]] and Jetta." <ref name="segment">{{cite web