Body type
The shape category of a car — sedan, SUV, hatchback, wagon, coupe, convertible, pickup, or van — and what each shape implies for cargo and access.
Body type is the first filter most shoppers apply, consciously or not. CarPairly classifies every model as one of eight shapes. Sedan: a separate trunk behind the rear seats. Hatchback: the trunk joins the cabin under a lifting tailgate. Wagon: an extended roofline that adds cargo space without SUV height. SUV: raised seating and easy access, spanning everything from urban crossovers to off-roaders. Coupe: a fixed-roof body, traditionally with two doors. Convertible: a roof that folds away. Pickup: an open cargo bed. Van: a tall, boxy body for carrying many people or bulky loads.
EU type-approval law keeps its own list of passenger car body codes, including saloon, hatchback, station wagon, coupé, convertible, and multi-purpose vehicle, so legal and retail category names do not always match.
Shape affects cargo layout, access, and aerodynamic drag, so compare the cargo volume and consumption figures on the spec sheet instead of assuming. Segment (A–F) is tracked separately: body type says what shape, segment says what size.
Differs by market
Naming varies: EU type-approval law (Regulation (EU) 2018/858) uses "saloon" and "station wagon", while US usage says sedan and wagon. CarPairly uses the US terms in data labels site-wide.