Compact car

Compact class is the name for the class of vehicle from small cars and middle class. The European Commission refers to this vehicle class as middle class. Also known as the class is lower middle class, in the EuroCar classification is the C- segment. Although the compact cars are still valid with Neupreisen between about 17,000 and € 28,000 as reasonably affordable, most new-car buyers are commercial and non- private.

Two of the best-selling car models in the world, the Toyota Corolla and the Ford Focus, belong to the compact class.

Features and History

A typical feature of the compact class is a hatchback with a tailgate, on which also the interior is loadable. Usually, the back seat is folded down to transport bulky goods can. The tailgate interior is the reason for the name three or five- door hatchback.

An early proponent of this type is the 1964 presented Autobianchi Primula, with a transversely mounted front engine. Also, the Simca 1100 of 1967, built the transverse front engine and thus the today usual compact design. As a class of its own, this design, however, was established only after the success of the VW Golf I 1974 by the media.

In most models of this class, there are also engines that are quite powerful in relation to the mass of the car, which makes compact class car for driver interesting that want to combine " sporty " driving with a good price - performance ratio.

Because many vehicles are motorized always bigger and stronger over time, provides the following description of the compact class a snapshot represents the length of the vehicle is (as of 2012) about 4.15 to 4.50 meters. New car of the class are mostly traded 14000-30000 euro. Financially worthwhile record holder is currently the BMW 1 Series M Coupé, which according to the list costs 51,500 euros in the basic equipment.

Lower middle class

The term lower middle class is partly used as a synonym for the compact class, partly specially designed for notchback models in this class. In most countries outside of Western Europe, these models are much more popular than sloping stern, so that appropriate versions are partially developed only for these countries.

In the U.S., there is the concept of Compact Cars, which was introduced in 1960 for vehicles that were compact compared to former full-size cars, but still huge by European standards. In the wake of the oil crisis in the 1970s, these were replaced by much smaller models that almost continuously now based on European or Asian vehicles, the lower middle class.

Current examples

Audi A3

BMW 1 Series

BMW 2er

Chevrolet Cruze

Citroën C4

Citroën DS4

Dacia Logan

Fiat Bravo

Fiat Sedici

Ford Focus

Honda Civic

Hyundai i30

Kia cee'd

Lexus CT

Lancia Delta

Mazda3

Mercedes -Benz A-Class

Mercedes -Benz CLA Class

Mitsubishi Lancer

Nissan Leaf

Opel Astra

Peugeot 308

Renault Mégane

Seat Leon

Škoda Rapid

Subaru Impreza

Suzuki SX4 S -Cross

Toyota Auris

Toyota Prius

Volvo V40

VW Beetle

VW Golf

VW Jetta

Registrations in Germany

For figures on annual new registrations of passenger cars in the compact class segment in Germany according to statistics from the Federal Motor Vehicle Office, see the list of registrations of new passenger cars in Germany by segment and model series # compact class.

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