One of the first and most well-known automobiles to be mass-produced on moving assembly lines was the Ford Model T in 1908. Back then, the car was only offered in one colour: black. This car was impressive because of how it was manufactured in many different body types throughout its lifetime. These included a 2-door touring body type, a 2-door roadster and even a 4-door sedan among many others.

These days, car buyers are spoilt for choice. Even after you've decided on the make and model that you'd like to buy, there are still many further options for you to choose from. You can choose from different trim levels, optional features, and of course, different body types!

Some car body types are timeless; they've been around for decades, and will probably be around for many more. Others come and go with the times, depending on the buyer's tastes and style.

You might be asking, "What are all the different kinds of car body types?". The truth is there are so very many different types. So for this article, we're going to cover six popular body types that can be found on Malaysian roads.

Sedan

A sedan is probably one of the most common body types that car manufacturers offer. Sometimes called a 'saloon', this car is built with a fixed metal roof. The car's structure is divided into three parts: the engine compartment, the passenger area, and the cargo area. When the structure is divided into three sections, this is what's known as a three-box configuration.  

Even though the sedan is a category of its own, it can also be further divided into many variations. For example, there's the fastback sedan and the hatchback or liftback sedan, all of which are quite commonly seen on Malaysian roads.

These variations of the sedan usually depend on how the rear of the car is designed. A fastback sedan, for example, is when the vehicle has a sloped design from the roof all the way to the back bumper. A hatch or liftback sedan on the other hand, as the name suggests, is when there is an extra door at the back that can be opened up like a hatch. This door usually opens up to give you access to the cargo and passenger areas of the car.

Coupe

A coupe, or sometimes pronounced 'coupé', is in some ways like a fastback sedan. The one significant difference: fastback sedans usually have four doors, while a coupe usually only has two. What they share in common is how the rear of the car is designed. Both vehicles have a slope that goes from the roof all the way to the back bumper. 

Even though a coupe usually has only two doors, some manufacturers have made four-door versions. These are sometimes marketed as four-door coupes or quad coupes. Interestingly, some car experts have argued that these four-door versions aren't truly coupes. Perhaps this depends on how car manufacturers decide to market such vehicles, as well as how buyers might view them.

SUV

An SUV is a sport utility vehicle. Just like other car body types, there is some debate about what is or isn't an SUV. At its core, however, an SUV is an automobile that combines the design elements of on-road passenger vehicles and off-road vehicles together. Some of these off-road design elements are like higher ground clearance and four-wheel drive.

Because SUVs tend to be larger and more powerful, some countries categorize the vehicle differently. In the United States, for example, an SUV is considered to be a light truck. These categorizations mean that different rules and regulations might apply to the same vehicle in different countries.

MPV

In Malaysia, we can find many MPVs as well. These are known as multi-purpose vehicles, though some people may refer to them as minivans. 

MPVs are meant to be people carriers or people movers. This means that the MPV body type is designed to fit as many people as possible while still providing an adequate amount of comfort to them. The vehicle is designed following either a one- or two-box configuration. Its roof tends to flat and high, allowing passengers to move freely inside. Plus, the interior of the vehicle consists of an H-style seating arrangement which lets passengers access the multiple rows of seats quickly.

Depending on the make and model, some MPVs also have extra doors for easy entry and exit of passengers. This could be in the form of one or two sliding doors on its sides, and a rear door as well.

Hatchback

Hatchbacks are also frequently seen on Malaysian roads. These car body types get their name from the rear having a hatch-style door. 

You may notice that this feature is quite similar to a hatchback sedan mentioned earlier. The difference here is that when a car is just called a 'hatchback' (and not a 'hatchback sedan'), they're typically referring to a compact car with a hatch door in its rear.

Hatchbacks are quite popular in Malaysia and the rest of Asia because they tend to function well as city cars. They tend to be found on compact or economy cars. So, their relatively smaller sizes and shorter lengths allow for more economical driving and easy manoeuvring on city streets.

Crossover

Crossovers can sometimes be confusing. These are vehicles that have a unibody design, meaning the car's body, chassis and floor plan are part of a single structure.

For example, you may be able to find some cars marketed as 'crossover SUVs'. These cars tend to be somewhat similar to SUVs but offer less off-road performance while providing more comfort on the inside. Unlike conventional SUVs, crossovers are built on the same platform as passenger cars, which is why it's able to offer better comfort and fuel-efficiency.

What's the best car body type to choose?

With all the choices on the market these days, it may be challenging to choose the perfect one. As with anything automotive purchasing decision we make, it usually boils down to our personal tastes and styles, as well as the intended use of the vehicle. Ask yourself some basic questions: where will you be driving the car most of the time? How often will you have passengers inside? Will you be going off-road, or just driving in the city to work and home?

When you have the answers to these questions, choosing the right body type will be much easier. After all, buying a car is supposed to make your daily life run more efficiently, and the right car model will help you achieve that.