C-segment: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:04, 7 October 2014

Revision as of 19:40, 26 October 2014

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{{Merge to |Compact car|date=June 2014}}

[[Image:Peugeot 308 155 THP Allure (II) – Frontansicht, 14. September 2013, Frankfurt.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Peugeot 308]], awarded 2014 [[European Car of the Year|Car of the year in Europe]], is the '''C-segment''' car with the highest sales increase (+62%) in Europe in 2014]]

[[Image:2009-2011 Volkswagen Golf (5K) 118TSI Comfortline 5-door hatchback (2011-11-08) 01.jpg|thumb|right|[[Volkswagen Golf]] the best seller in the '''C-segment''' and in overall European market in 2013]]

[[Image:Ford Focus 1.6 Ti-VCT Champions Edition (III) – Frontansicht, 23. September 2012, Mettmann.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ford Focus]], runner-up in the '''C-segment''' in Europe in 2013]]

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

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The '''C-segment''' includes only [[hatchback]], [[Sedan (automobile)|sedan]] and [[Station Wagon]] configurations &mdash; as the [[European Commission]] reserves the [[M-segment]] for [[Multi-Purpose Cars]] and [[J-segment]] for [[Sport Utility Cars]] (including [[Off-road Vehicles]]), [[Light Commercial Vehicles]], compact [[Sport Utility Vehicles]] ([[C-SUV]]s), compact [[Crossover Utility Vehicles]] ([[C-CUV]]s).

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]], [[HondaPeugeot Civic308]] and [[Peugeot 408]] sedan, [[Renault Mégane]] and [[Renault Fluence]] or [[Volkswagen Golf|Volkswagen’s 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>

| 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 [[VolkswagenRenault Golf6]], the first successful hatchback of this size, in 19741968. AtThe ''hatchback'' bodystyle was first introduced by [[Renault]] with the time1964 [[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, as were most continental competitors. HoweverYet, the ''hatchback'' bodystyle became progressively the most popular format in this sector of the European market byfrom the earlymiddle 1980s.of Somethe carmakers1960s even soldtill the saloonearly versions1980s. ofSome theircarmakers popularlater hatchbacks under a different name duringcreated the 1980s,''liftback'' namelybodystyle like the Escort-based [[Ford Orion]] and Golf-based [[VolkswagenPeugeot Jetta309]]. This change in the favoured bodystyle also saw front-wheel drive replace rear-wheel drive as the norm in the C-segment.

The C1964 [[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 -segment features1964 many: "hot1964 hatchbacks": Renault 8 Gordini, whichthe featurefirst 'GTi'".</ref>. The [[Renault_8#More_power|Renault R8 Gordini]] offered a more powerful enginesengine with speed to 180km/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. TheFrom firstthe successfulmiddle suchof carthe in1970, Europea wasdozen of year after the 1976[[Renault_8#More_power|Renault R8 Gordini]], a few Volkswagenrivals Golfwere GTIlaunched. 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 and, [[Austin Maestro|MG Maestro]]. and today the reference : the [[Mégane Renault Sport|Renault Mégane Renault Sport]].

== European Market in 2013<ref>{{cite web

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Luxury brands such as [[BMW]] (1 Series), [[Audi]] (A3) and [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]] (brand-new [[Mercedes-Benz A-Class|A-class]]) are getting more and more popularity in the segment since years, differently from what is happening in other minor segments like [[A-segment]] and [[B-segment]].

[[Image:Mercedes-BenzFord AFocus 2001.6 AMGTi-VCT LineChampions (WEdition 176(III) – Frontansicht, 2523. MaiSeptember 20132012, HildenMettmann.jpg|thumb|right|Success of [[MercedesFord A-classFocus]], is an example on how luxury is getting more market sharerunner-up in the '''C-segment''' duringin recentEurope yearsin 2013]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Model !! 98 months 20132014 Sales

|-

| [[Volkswagen Golf]] || 344.755

|-

| [[Ford Focus]] || 175.683

|-

| [[Opel/Vauxhall Astra]] || 154.080

|-

| [[AudiVolkswagen A3Golf]] || 124344.571225

|-

| [[BMWFord 1 SeriesFocus]] || 118151.490229

|-

| [[Škoda Octavia]] || 114135.908913

|-

| [[RenaultAudi Megane]]A3/S3/RS3 || 114133.495906

|-

| [[MercedesOpel/Vauxhall A-ClassAstra]] || 100121.430900

|-

| [[ToyotaPeugeot Auris308]] || 82100.277377

|-

| [[HyundaiSeat i30Leon]] || 7589.781956

|-

| Other[[Renault C-segmentMegane]] || 65889.037250

|}

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! [[PSA Group]] !! [[Mitsubishi Group]] !! [[Renault-Nissan Group]] !! [[Subaru Group]] !! [[Toyota Group]] !! [[VW Group]]

|-

| [[Peugeot 308]] || [[Mitsubishi Lancer]] || [[DaciaRenault LoganFluence]] || [[Subaru XV]] || [[Lexus CT]] || [[Seat Leon]]

|-

| [[Citroen C4]] || || [[Renault Symbol/ThaliaLogan]] || [[Subaru Impreza]] || [[Toyota Corolla]] || [[VW Beetle]]

|-

| [[Citroen DS4]] || || [[Renault Symbol#Symbol III (2012–present)|Renault Symbol]] || || || [[Škoda Rapid (2012)|Skoda Rapid]]

|-

| [[Citroen C4 Aircross]] || || [[Nissan Pulsar]] || || || [[VW Jetta]]

|-

| [[Citroen C-Elysee]] || || || || || [[Seat Toledo]]