How Many Styles of Cars Are There?

There is no single definitive number: most automotive references recognize about a dozen core passenger-car body styles, and when you include niche variants and commercial formats, the count commonly expands to roughly 25–35. The total varies because “style” can mean body style (shape), market segment (purpose), or configuration (number of doors/roof type), and makers frequently blur lines with crossover designs and EV-inspired shapes.

What Counts as a “Style”?

Automakers, regulators, and consumers often mix three lenses: body style (sedan, SUV), market segment (sports car, executive), and configuration details (two-door vs. four-door, targa vs. convertible). In this article, “styles” primarily refers to body styles and their widely recognized variants, with separate notes on commercial vehicles and why the totals shift across regions and eras.

The Core Consumer Body Styles Most People Mean

These are the mainstream shapes you’ll find on dealer lots worldwide; they form the backbone of how buyers and media describe cars today.

• Sedan (saloon): A three-box car with separate trunk and fixed roof.
• Hatchback: Two-box design with a rear hatch; can be 3- or 5-door.
• Wagon (estate): Extended roof and cargo area with a rear hatch.
• Coupe: Traditionally two doors and a fixed roof; increasingly used for sleek, low-roof four-doors.
• Convertible (cabriolet): Retractable soft or hard top.
• Roadster: Two-seat open-top sports car (often soft top).
• Fastback/Liftback: Sloping rear roof with a large, lifting rear hatch.
• SUV: Taller ride height, often boxier profile and available AWD.
• Crossover (CUV): Car-based SUV with unibody construction and softer styling.
• Minivan/MPV: One- or two-box people carriers with sliding doors.
• Pickup truck: Open cargo bed; single, extended, or crew cab.
• Van (passenger): Boxy, high-roof people mover distinct from MPVs in size/form.

Taken together, these 12 cover the overwhelming majority of passenger vehicles globally, though individual models can straddle categories (for example, “crossover wagons” or “coupe SUVs”).

Niche and Specialized Body Styles and Variants

Beyond the core set, manufacturers and enthusiasts use a range of labels for roof treatments, proportions, or historical formats that refine or hybridize the basics.

• Shooting brake: A sporty two-door (or four-door) wagon-like coupe.
• Notchback: A sedan with a distinct, stepped rear deck profile.
• Hardtop (pillarless): No fixed B-pillars; rarer today.
• Targa: Removable roof panel with a fixed roll bar.
• T-top: Twin removable roof panels with a center bar.
• Speedster/Barchetta: Minimalist, low-windscreen open sports car.
• 4-door coupe: Low-roof fastback sedan marketed for style.
• Coupe SUV: Sloped-roof SUV variant trading cargo for style.
• Convertible SUV/pickup: Niche open-top utility models.
• Shooting-brake EV fastback: Modern EV interpretation of sleek hatch/wagon blends.
• Microcar/Kei car: Ultra-compact urban vehicles (often hatchback-based).
• Ute (coupe utility): Car-based pickup, common in Australia.
• Panel van (car-derived van): Windowless cargo version of a small car.
• Landaulet: Chauffeur car with a convertible rear section (rare, ceremonial).

Depending on how tightly you define each label, these add roughly 10–15 more “styles” or substyles to the landscape, though many are variations on the core shapes rather than wholly separate categories.

Commercial Vehicle Body Styles

If you include light- and medium-duty commercial vehicles—often built on dedicated platforms—the taxonomy broadens further.

• Cargo van (panel van): Enclosed commercial hauler.
• Passenger/cargo minibus: Van-based people carrier with multiple rows.
• Chassis cab: Bare cab with a frame for custom bodies.
• Box truck (cube van): Cargo box mounted on a chassis cab.
• Flatbed: Open platform body for goods.
• Tipper/dump: Hydraulically lifting bed for bulk materials.
• Refrigerated van/box: Insulated body with cooling unit.
• Crew cab pickup: Extended cabin with two rows for work crews.

These formats add another 8 or so widely used commercial styles, though fleets often specify bespoke configurations that further multiply the variations.

Why the Number Varies

Counts differ because categories overlap (a liftback can also be a fastback; a crossover can be wagon-like), marketing terms evolve, and regional norms diverge. Electrification has accelerated the blurring: EV “skateboard” platforms favor fastback liftbacks for aero efficiency, while SUV silhouettes remain dominant globally, spawning coupe-SUV and wagon-SUV hybrids.

Regional Terminology and Market Nuance

Terminology shifts by region: “saloon” vs. “sedan,” “estate” vs. “wagon,” “ute” in Australia, “kei” standards in Japan. Europe’s A–F “segments” and China’s price/size tiers describe markets rather than body styles, but they influence what car shapes are offered and how they’re labeled.

Trends Reshaping Categories in 2025

Tall-riding crossovers dominate sales in North America, Europe, and China; coupe-roof SUVs remain popular despite cargo trade-offs. EVs like the Tesla Model S (liftback), Model Y (hatchback crossover), Hyundai Ioniq 5 (boxy crossover-hatch), and Mercedes EQE SUV (crossover) exemplify how aerodynamic needs and packaging push designs toward blended fastback and crossover forms.

How to “Count” for Practical Purposes

If your goal is a workable, modern taxonomy for comparing cars at purchase or in reporting, this breakdown keeps things clear without overfitting edge cases.

• Use the 12 core consumer body styles for broad classification.
• Note niche/specialized variants as modifiers (e.g., “coupe-SUV,” “targa,” “shooting brake”).
• Treat commercial vehicle bodies as a separate set if you’re covering fleet or trades.
• Flag regional synonyms to avoid double-counting the same shape under different names.

With that approach, most readers will encounter about 12 everyday styles, plus a handful of qualifiers; expanding to all niches and commercial forms yields roughly 25–35 recognized styles and substyles.

Summary

There isn’t a universal, fixed count of car “styles.” In everyday use, expect around a dozen core passenger-car body styles. Include niche variants and commercial bodies, and the taxonomy expands to roughly 25–35. The exact number shifts with regional language, marketing terms, and evolving designs—especially as EVs and crossovers blur traditional boundaries.

What are the 10 most popular cars?

Top 10 Most Popular Cars in the World

1. Toyota Corolla. Maintaining its leadership for 4 consecutive years!
2. Toyota Camry. Another “leading” model from Toyota is the representative and more comfortable Camry.
3. Honda CR-V.
4. Toyota RAV4.
5. Ford F-Series.
6. Hyundai Tucson.
7. Chevrolet Silverado.
8. Tesla Model 3.

How many shapes of cars are there?

In this summary, we will cover nine representative body types: sedan, coupe, convertible, hatchback, station wagon, minivan, one-box, SUV/off-road vehicle, kei cars, and others.

How many types of models are in a car?

What separates the types of vehicles? Car types include hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, MUVs, coupes, and convertibles and pickup.

How many different types of cars are there?

There are approximately a dozen main car body types (like sedan, SUV, and hatchback), but classifying cars by their physical design, size, features, or purpose leads to a much larger number of specific categories and subclasses, resulting in thousands of individual car models and variations worldwide.
 
Major Categories
Cars are broadly grouped into categories based on their body style, such as: 

• Sedan: A classic car with a separate, enclosed trunk. 
• Hatchback: A compact car with a rear door (hatch) that swings upward to open. 
• SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle): A robust vehicle with high ground clearance, often used for off-roading and family trips. 
• Coupe: Typically a two-door car with a sloping, sleek roofline. 
• Convertible: A car with a retractable or removable roof. 
• Pickup Truck: A vehicle with an open cargo area in the rear. 
• Minivan: A spacious vehicle designed to carry multiple passengers and their cargo. 
• Station Wagon: A car with an extended roofline and a rear hatch, designed to carry both people and cargo. 

Other Ways to Classify Cars

• By Size and Class: Cars are also segmented by size, such as microcars, city cars, compact cars, and luxury vehicles. 
• By Purpose: Some types are defined by their intended use, including sports cars (for performance), luxury cars (for comfort and premium features), and muscle cars (for powerful, American-made performance). 
• By Powertrain: This categorization includes different types of vehicles based on their engine and fuel source, such as hybrid vehicles, electric cars (EVs), and internal combustion engine cars. 

Why so Many Types?
The wide variety of cars available stems from different consumer tastes, market segmentation, and ongoing technological advancements in the automotive industry. Manufacturers constantly develop new designs and features to meet the diverse needs and preferences of drivers worldwide.