Editing Car classification (section)

=== United States ===
In the United States, since 2010 the [[Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]] has used a formula it developed that takes into account a combination of both vehicle footprint (length times width) and weight.<ref>{{citation|publisher=Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) |title=Technical Appendix |location=Arlington, VA |year=2010}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! US Highway Loss Data Institute classification !! Definition
|-
| Regular two door || Two-door sedans and hatchbacks
|-
| Regular four door || Four-door sedans and hatchbacks
|-
| Station wagons || Four doors, a rear hatch, and four pillars
|-
| Minivans || Vans with sliding rear doors
|-
| Sports || Two-seaters and cars with significant high-performance features 
|-
| Luxury || Relatively expensive cars that are not classified as sports (price in USD to curb weight in pounds more than 9.0 in 2010) (small cars over $27,000, midsize cars over $31,500, large cars over $36,000, etc.)
|}

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="6" style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety | Highway Loss Data Institute 'Guide to car size groups' (includes minivans)<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/vehicle-size-and-weight/fatalityfacts/passenger-vehicles |title=Vehicle size and weight: Bigger heavier vehicles protect their occupants better |work=Fatality Facts |publisher=Insurance Institute for Highway Safety |access-date=29 May 2017}}</ref>
|-
| 
| colspan="5" style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | Shadow (square footage of exterior length × width)
|-
| style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | Curb weight
| style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | {{convert|70|to(-)|80|sqft|sqm|1|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | {{convert|81|to(-)|90|sqft|sqm|1|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | {{convert|91|to(-)|100|sqft|sqm|1|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | {{convert|101|to(-)|110|sqft|sqm|1|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | >{{convert|110|sqft|sqm|1|abbr=on}}
|-
| {{convert|2001|to(-)|2500|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; background-color: orangered" | Mini
| style="text-align: center; background-color: orange" | Small
| style="text-align: center; background-color: orange" | Small
| style="text-align: center; background-color: orange" | Small
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
|-
| {{convert|2501|to(-)|3000|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; background-color: orange" | Small
| style="text-align: center; background-color: orange" | Small
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
|-
| {{convert|3001|to(-)|3500|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; background-color: orange" | Small
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
| style="text-align: center; background-color: yellow" | Large
| style="text-align: center; background-color: yellow" | Large
|-
| {{convert|3501|to(-)|4000|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; background-color: orange" | Small
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
| style="text-align: center; background-color: yellow" | Large
| style="text-align: center; background-color: yellow" | Large
| style="text-align: center; background-color: lawngreen " | Very large
|-
| >{{convert|4000|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
| style="text-align: center; background-color: gold" | Midsize
| style="text-align: center; background-color: yellow" | Large
| style="text-align: center; background-color: lawngreen " | Very large
| style="text-align: center; background-color: lawngreen " | Very large
|}

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" style="font-weight: bold;" | US IIHS|HLDI Guide to SUV size groups<ref>{{Citation|url= https://www.iihs.org/media/f9365d6d-8473-4d26-a4ca-97c6a4c7d7b6/127016350/Ratings/Protocols/current/tech_06.pdf |title=Technical Appendix |date=December 2006 |pages=4 |website=IIHS.org |publisher=Highway Loss Data Institute |location=Arlington, VA |access-date=23 April 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 
| style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" | Curb weight
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | Mini
| <={{convert|3000|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}} and shadow <{{convert|80|sqft|sqm|1|abbr=on}}
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | Small
| {{convert|3001|to(-)|3750|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | Midsize
| {{convert|3751|to(-)|4750|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | Large
| {{convert|4751|to(-)|5750|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | Very large
| >{{convert|5750|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}} or shadow >{{convert|115|sqft|sqm|1|abbr=on}} 
|}

The United States [[National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]] (NHTSA) separates vehicles into classes by the [[curb weight]] of the vehicle with standard equipment including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil, coolant, and [[Automobile air conditioning|air conditioning]], if so equipped.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/5-Star+FAQ |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation |title=NHTSA 5-Star Ratings FAQ |access-date=12 August 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140808175526/http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/5-Star+FAQ |archive-date=8 August 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! US NHTSA classification !! Code || Curb weight 
|-
| Passenger cars: mini || PC/Mi || {{convert|1500|to(-)|1999|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Passenger cars: light || PC/L || {{convert|2000|to(-)|2499|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Passenger cars: compact || PC/C || {{convert|2500|to(-)|2999|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Passenger cars: medium || PC/Me || {{convert|3000|to(-)|3499|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Passenger cars: heavy || PC/H || {{convert|3500|lb|kg|round=50|abbr=on}} and over
|-
| Sport utility vehicles || SUV || –
|-
| Pickup trucks || PU || –
|-
| Vans || VAN || –
|}

The United States [[Federal Highway Administration]] has developed a classification system used for automatically calculating road use [[toll road|tolls]]. There are two broad categories depending on whether the vehicle carries passengers or commodities. Vehicles that carry commodities are further subdivided by the number of axles and number of units, including both power and trailer units.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/13091/002.cfm |publisher=U.S. Federal Highway Administration |title=Chapter 2. Introduction to Vehicle Classification |date=November 2014 |access-date=23 April 2024}}</ref>

The [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] (US EPA) has developed a classification system used to compare fuel economy among similar vehicles. Passenger vehicles are classified based on a vehicle's total interior passenger and cargo volumes. Trucks are classified based on their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Heavy-duty vehicles are not included in the EPA scheme.<ref name="fueleconomy.gov">{{cite web |url= https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/info.shtml#sizeclasses |title=How are vehicle size classes defined? |website=Fueleconomy.gov |publisher=U.S. Department of Energy |access-date=23 April 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! US EPA car class !! Total passenger and cargo volume (cu. ft.) 
|-
| Two-seaters || Any (designed to seat only two adults) 
|-
| Minicompact || Less than {{convert|85|cuft|L|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Subcompact || {{convert|85|to(-)|99|cuft|L|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Compact || {{convert|100|to(-)|109|cuft|L|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Mid-size || {{convert|110|to(-)|119|cuft|L|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Large || {{convert|120|cuft|L|round=50|abbr=on}} or more
|-
| Small [[station wagon]]s || Less than {{convert|130|cuft|L|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Mid-size station wagons || {{convert|130|to(-)|159|cuft|L|round=50|abbr=on}}
|-
| Large station wagons || {{convert|160|cuft|L|round=50|abbr=on}} or more
|}

Certain cities in the United States in the 1920s chose to exempt electric-powered vehicles because officials believed those vehicles did not cause "substantial wear upon the pavements".<ref>{{cite book|first=Claude Perrin |last=Berry |publisher=Callaghan |year=1921 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=xWgaAAAAYAAJ&q=taxation+on+vehicle+classes&pg=PA137 |title=The law of automobiles |page=137 |via=Google Books |access-date=23 April 2024}}</ref>