The Right Car Body Style In India: How to Choose

By Admin Reading time: 8 min read Published on: 09 / 04 / 2025
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A car is a dream for many people. It is a great feeling that gives pride and a sense of ownership. When it comes to buying a car, it can be a crucial matter. You would not want to invest in a car that does not suit your personality, style and comfort. What makes cars even more daunting is the fact that many car makers offer best in class models.

Choosing from a diverse range, car styles, fuel options, features, colour and more, many options can help you choose your dream car. Hence the best way you can start finding a car of your taste can be by segmenting your preference from the mentioned options and then hunting them. 

This brief guide on how to choose a car in India will help you understand the aspects to consider before investing in a car for your family.

Auto Industry And Its Segmentation: Car Body Styles Explained

The automotive industry has 3 different segments of cars in India. Following are the classifications based on the three significant types of segmentation in the Indian market:

  • MUV or Multi-Utility Vehicles

  • Hatchbacks

  • Sedans

  • SUVs and MUVs

Let’s dive deeper into the different car styles and take a look at each of them briefly.

1. MUV or Multi-Utility Vehicles

MUVs or multi utility vehicles are one in the list of types of car body styles that can have a huge capacity. A Multi Utility Vehicle or MUV has a car body that is made to carry a number of passengers. MUVs generally are able to carry around six to eight passengers and have car body styles that allow flexibility to ensure there's sufficient space. MUV car body types in India have been there since a long time, having an important place in the market share. The car body of these vehicles is designed in a way to provide foldable rear seats to carry extra passengers and to provide extra space for luggage or cargo to be kept.  A multi-utility vehicle has two or three rows of seats and this is the biggest advantage of this specific car type. It makes travelling easy and gives ample amount of space to travel comfortably.  They have a normal ground clearance because of their lightweight body. It's designed to provide you with comfort with good headroom. It's basically a minivan. 

They work on the FWD driving system and are not a good fit for driving on rough terrains. They are best suited for levelled, smooth roads. These vehicles also have safety features and mechanisms that keep your travelling journey safe and sound. They have good mileage but do not have good power and are used for off-roading purposes generally. MUVs are not as expensive as SUVs and are fuel-efficient.

They are pretty lightweight and run parallel with the advancement in technology. Some examples of the best car body type for a MUV in India are Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Chevrolet Enjoy, Honda Mobilio, and Toyota Innova Crysta. ABE is the best place where you can find the top branded MUVs vehicles.

2. Hatchbacks:

Hatchback car style is a vehicle body style that includes cars with a smaller bodyline than others; hence, they fall precisely in the hatchback car body types list.  What makes them more appealing and serves as a striking feature is the boot. The boot is a space that exists behind the rear seats inside the car itself. A hatch door can access it in the rear.

The hatchback seats can be folded and can create ample storage space as the boot is integrated into the automobile. Hatchbacks are one of those auto types that are considered to be the best for city lifestyle driving.

They are designed to be small and compatible so that parking jobs become easy. Although they do not have any specific category for details like size and engine, hatchbacks usually come under 4 meters and with engine capacity of 900 to 1.5 litres. This makes hatchbacks impeccable in fuel economy and affordable in price out of the different car types.

3. Sedans:

The car body style of sedans is built longer with a three-box configuration. This comprises pillars named and identified as A, B, and C pillars. As compared to the hatchbacks, sedans consist of separate boot departments. It is built distinctively as an addition to the car bodyline. The features for a sedan are as follows: 

  • A boot compartment space dedicated to luggage storage.

  • More passenger space with two rows of comfortable seating full of features.

  • They are designed to provide maximum comfort and convenience for the passengers.

A sedan consists of major components like engine, passenger and boot, which are mentioned above briefly. A `sedan car style is most suited to most Indians as it provides most of the functions and requirements at a reasonable price. 

Sedans available in the market come with 1.5 to 1.8 litres engine capacity and have an average dimension of 4 meters and above.

4. MUVs and SUVs

Finally, its MUVs and SUVs that complete this series of different segment of cars in India. These are multiutility and sports utility vehicles which provide an excellent driving experience to passengers. Although MUVs are less powerful, they are more fuel-efficient. 

SUVs have striking body features like a more significant body and higher ground clearance, making them a perfect choice for every long drive trip. SUVs have a capacity of about2.8 litres and offer a higher driving position than MUVs.

Factors To Consider Before Purchasing A Car: Car Types In India

Many factors can affect a person’s car-buying behaviour, amongst which prominent is the family budget.  It’s the most important thing to keep in mind while buying a car. Depending upon the number of family members and transportation needs, one can select a vehicle that fits their car budget and style.

The second factor definitely after the budget is choosing from different car body types in India. Apart from the major segments, the automobile industry has different car types well suited for segmented audiences.  A coupe car style is apt for those looking for four-seaters cars, while convertible car styles are efficient for those who like to have a style statement, like convertible rooftop cars and more.

The car body style difference is evident between a coupe car and a convertible car; however, they are often mistaken by a sedan style.

Conclusion:

There are different types of cars available in the market with distinct body styles and segments. In this car buying guide India, every segment has been briefly described so that customers can bring home their dream asset, a car. Choose from the best car body styles available in India and leave a luxury statement just your car, in style!

Read More:
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  2. Diesel Or Petrol Second-Hand Car: Which One Is Better?

  3. Car Warranty Vs Car Insurance: Which One To Consider While Buying Used Cars

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