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Full-size car

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2022 Kia K81965-1968 Ford Galaxie LTD
2022 Kia K8
2022 Kia K81965-1968 Ford Galaxie LTD
1965-1968 Ford Galaxie LTD

Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars. It is the largest size class for cars. In Europe, it is known as E-segment or F-segment.[1]

After World War II, the majority of full-size cars have used the sedan and station wagon body styles, however in recent years most full-size cars have been sedans. The highest-selling full-size car nameplate is the Chevrolet Impala, sold as a full-size car from 1958 to 1986, 1994 to 1996, and from 2000 to 2020.

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Vehicle size class

Vehicle size class

Vehicle size classes are series of ratings assigned to different segments of automotive vehicles for the purposes of vehicle emissions control and fuel economy calculation. Various methods are used to classify vehicles; in North America, passenger vehicles are classified by total interior capacity while trucks are classified by gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Vehicle segments in the European Union use linear measurements to describe size. Asian vehicle classifications are a combination of dimensions and engine displacement.

Mid-size car

Mid-size car

Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification. Mid-size cars are manufactured in a variety of body styles, including sedans, coupes, station wagons, hatchbacks, and convertibles. Compact executive cars can also fall under the mid-size category.

E-segment

E-segment

The E-segment is the 5th category of the European segments for passenger cars, synonymous with the term executive car.

F-segment

F-segment

The F-segment is the 6th category and largest of the European segments for passenger cars, and always belongs to "luxury cars".

Sedan (automobile)

Sedan (automobile)

A sedan or saloon is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for an engine, passengers, and cargo. The first recorded use of sedan in reference to an automobile body occurred in 1912. The name derives from the 17th-century litter known as a sedan chair, a one-person enclosed box with windows and carried by porters. Variations of the sedan style include the close-coupled sedan, club sedan, convertible sedan, fastback sedan, hardtop sedan, notchback sedan, and sedanet/sedanette.

Station wagon

Station wagon

A station wagon or estate car, is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door, instead of a trunk/boot lid. The body style transforms a standard three-box design into a two-box design — to include an A, B, and C-pillar, as well as a D-pillar. Station wagons can flexibly reconfigure their interior volume via fold-down rear seats to prioritize either passenger or cargo volume.

Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet Impala

The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size car built by Chevrolet for model years 1958 to 1985, 1994 to 1996, and 2000 to 2020. The Impala was Chevrolet's popular flagship passenger car and was among the better-selling American-made automobiles in the United States.

Current definition

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Regulations for 1977 and Later Model Year (dated July 1996) includes definitions for classes of automobiles.[2] Based on the combined passenger and cargo volume, large cars (full-size cars) are defined as having an interior volume index of more than 120 cu ft (3.4 m3) for sedan models, or 160 cu ft (4.5 m3) for station wagons.[3][4]

Engines

From the introduction of the Ford Flathead V8 in the 1930s until the 1980s, most North American full-size cars were powered by V8 engines. However, V6 engines and straight-six engines have also been available on American full-size cars, especially until 1950s, and have become increasingly common since the downsizing of full-sized cars in the 1980s.

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V8 engine

V8 engine

A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.

V6 engine

V6 engine

A V6 engine is a six-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.

Straight-six engine

Straight-six engine

The straight-six engine is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balance, resulting in fewer vibrations than other designs of six or less cylinders.

Downsize (automobile)

Downsize (automobile)

In the context of the automobile industry, downsizing is a practice used to transition vehicles from one size segment to another. Commenced during the Malaise era, downsizing is done in response to consumer and government demands influencing vehicle design. As vehicle product lines completed their model cycles, automobile manufacturers developed the next generation of a vehicle with a smaller exterior footprint to allow for weight reduction and increased fuel economy, using a shortened wheelbase and body length.

History

Early 20th century

The lineage of mass-produced full-size American cars begins with the 1908 Ford Model T. In 1923, General Motors introduced the Chevrolet Superior, becoming the first vehicle to adopt a common chassis (the A-body) for several brands. In comparison to the cars of the 21st century, these vehicles are small in length and width.

From the 1920s to the 1950s, most manufacturers produced model lines in a single size, growing in size with each model redesign. While length and wheelbase varied between model lines, width was a relatively constant dimension, as the American federal government required the addition of clearance lights on a width past 80 inches.[5]

1960s

In 1960, following the introduction of compact cars (such as the Chevrolet Corvair, Ford Falcon and Plymouth Valiant), the "full-size car" designation came into wider use. In the 1960s, the term was applied to the traditional car lines of lower-price brands, including Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth.[6][7] As a relative term, full-size cars were marketed by the same brands offering compact cars, with entry-level cars for buyers seeking the roominess of a luxury car at a lower cost. Into the 1970s, the same vehicles could transport up to six occupants comfortably (or eight in a station wagon), at the expense of high fuel consumption.[8]

1970s

The sales of full-size vehicles in the United States declined after the early 1970s fuel crisis.[9] By that time, full-size cars had grown to wheelbases of 121–127 inches (3.1–3.2 m) and overall lengths of around 225 in (5,715 mm). In response to the 1978 implementation of CAFE, American manufacturers implemented downsizing to improve fuel economy, with full-size vehicles as the first model lines to see major change.

While General Motors and Ford would reduce the exterior footprint of their full-size lines to that of their intermediates, AMC withdrew its Ambassador and Matador full-size lines (to concentrate on production of mid-size vehicles).[10][11] To save production costs, Chrysler repackaged its intermediates using the erstwhile full-size names, moving on to exiting the segment in 1981.[12]

1980s

During the 1980s, to further comply with more stringent CAFE standards, manufacturers further reduced the exterior footprint of several model lines out of the full-size segment into the mid-size class. For 1982, Chrysler exited the full-size segment entirely, with the mid-size Dodge Diplomat and Plymouth Gran Fury serving as its largest sedan lines.

Following the 1985 model year, General Motors replaced most of its full-size rear-wheel-drive model lines with smaller front-wheel drive sedans on the H and C platforms. Only station wagons, the Chevrolet Caprice, and the Cadillac Brougham remained. Initially developed to replace the Ford LTD Crown Victoria, the 1986 Ford Taurus was produced alongside it as the Ford mid-size model line.

After largely abandoning the full-size segment for compact cars and minivans, Chrysler gained reentry into the full-size segment in 1988 with the Eagle Premier (also produced as the Dodge Monaco). Developed by AMC before its acquisition by Chrysler, the Premier was a version of the front-wheel drive Renault 25 adapted for North America. The Saab 9000 took a special position at the end of the 1980s, as for a long time it was the only imported car to be classified as a "large car" by the EPA.[13]

1990s

From the 1980s to the 1990s, the market share of full-size cars began to decline; along with the increased use of mid-size cars, vans and SUVs grew in use as family vehicles. From 1960 to 1994, the market share of full-size cars declined from 65 percent to 8.3 percent.[14] From 1990 to 1992, both GM and Ford redesigned its full-size car lines for the first time since the late 1970s.

For 1992, Chrysler developed its first front-wheel drive full-size car line, replacing the Eagle Premier/Dodge Monaco with the Chrysler LH cars (Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, Chrysler Concorde/New Yorker/LHS). The same year, the Buick Roadmaster was introduced, becoming the first rear-wheel drive GM model line adopted outside of Chevrolet and Cadillac since 1985; the Chevrolet Impala was returned for 1994.

In 1995, the Toyota Avalon was introduced, becoming the first Japanese non-luxury full-size car with six seats to be sold in North America. The 1989 Lexus LS400 luxury sedan was the first Japanese full-size car sold in North America.

Following the 1996 model year, GM ended production of rear-wheel drive sedans.

2000s–present

By 2000, with the sole exception of the Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car, full-size cars had abandoned rear-wheel drive and body-on-frame construction. Instead of model lineage, the EPA "large car" definition of over 120 interior cubic feet came into wide use.

Initially developed for the midsize Oldsmobile Aurora, the GM G-body chassis was expanded into the full-size segment for Cadillac in 2000 (for the Deville, later the DTS) and adapted by Buick (the Lucerne) in 2006. In 2005, Chrysler replaced the LH cars with the LX cars (returning to rear-wheel drive). The same year, Ford introduced the Five Hundred, its first front-wheel drive full-size car (the first American full-size car offered with all-wheel drive); in 2008, the Five Hundred was renamed the Taurus.

After the 2011 model year, Ford ended production of the Panther platform, shifting to the Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS; in 2017, the latter was replaced by the Lincoln Continental. In 2011, General Motors ended production of the G-body for several chassis (with Cadillac later shifting its largest sedans to rear-wheel drive). In 2012, the Tesla Model S became the first fully electric full-size car sold in North America. For the 2013 model year, the Chevrolet Impala became the final American-market full-size sedan sold with a front bench seat.

By the mid-2010s, full-size cars began seeing a steep decline in sales in North America,[15] with SUVs replacing much of the full-size segment.[16] At the end of the decade, demand for sedans (of all sizes) shifted towards vehicles of other layouts, reducing or shuttering production of sedans entirely. In 2018, Ford announced the sales of all Ford-branded passenger cars (except for the Mustang) would end in North America by 2022.[17] GM announced the closure of several manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada, with the production of the Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse ending in 2020. As of 2022, full-size cars from Asian manufacturers include the Lexus LS, Genesis G80/G90, Nissan Maxima, and Toyota Avalon.[18] Another car from an Asian manufacturer, the eighth-generation Hyundai Sonata, is classified by the EPA as full-size despite being marketed as a mid-size model.[19]

Discover more about History related topics

Ford Model T

Ford Model T

The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relatively low price was partly the result of Ford's efficient fabrication, including assembly line production instead of individual handcrafting. It was mainly designed by an American and two Hungarian engineers. The Model T was colloquially known as the "Tin Lizzie", "Leaping Lena" or "flivver".

Chevrolet Superior

Chevrolet Superior

The Chevrolet Superior Series F was launched in 1923, manufactured by Chevrolet for four years with a different series per year. The 1923 model was known as the Series B, the 1924 model was the Series F, for 1925 it was known as the Series K and the 1926 Superior was known as the Series V. It was replaced in 1927 by the Series AA Capitol. It was the first Chevrolet that didn't have a larger companion model and was the only car sold by Chevrolet in several body style configurations all supplied by Fisher Body. Each year new mechanical changes, appearance updates or optional features that became standard in subsequent years became expected of all GM products including Chevrolet. Body styles were separated into open and closed which meant closed included retractable glass in the doors and glass surrounding rear seat passengers. Standard items included tools, a jack for tire removal, speedometer, outside lockable door handles, ammeter, oil pressure gauge, dashboard light, choke pull knob, electric horn, ignition theft lock, and a two piece vertical ventilating windshield that allowed fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Wheels were 30" and came standard with hickory wood spokes or optional pressed steel discs. For 1925, bumpers were offered optionally along with outside side view mirrors, heater for passenger compartment and a clock.

Compact car

Compact car

Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, prior to the downsizing of the United States car industry in the 1970s and 1980s, larger vehicles with wheelbases up to 110 in (2.79 m) were considered "compact cars" in the United States.

Chevrolet Corvair

Chevrolet Corvair

The Chevrolet Corvair is a compact car manufactured by Chevrolet for model years 1960–1969 in two generations. A response to the Volkswagen Beetle, it remains the only American-designed, mass-produced passenger car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine. The Corvair was manufactured and marketed in 4-door sedan, 2-door coupe, convertible, 4-door station wagon, passenger van, commercial van, and pickup truck body styles in its first generation (1960–1964) and as a 2-door coupe, convertible or 4-door hardtop in its second (1965–1969) – with a total production of approximately 1.8 million from 1960 until 1969.

Ford Falcon (North America)

Ford Falcon (North America)

The Ford Falcon is a model line of cars that was produced by Ford from the 1960 to 1970 model years. Though preceded by the Rambler American, the Falcon was the first compact car marketed by the Big Three American manufacturers. Introduced five years after the Ford Thunderbird, the Falcon was the third car line introduced by Ford.

Corporate average fuel economy

Corporate average fuel economy

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are regulations in the United States, first enacted by the United States Congress in 1975, after the 1973–74 Arab Oil Embargo, to improve the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks produced for sale in the United States.

Downsize (automobile)

Downsize (automobile)

In the context of the automobile industry, downsizing is a practice used to transition vehicles from one size segment to another. Commenced during the Malaise era, downsizing is done in response to consumer and government demands influencing vehicle design. As vehicle product lines completed their model cycles, automobile manufacturers developed the next generation of a vehicle with a smaller exterior footprint to allow for weight reduction and increased fuel economy, using a shortened wheelbase and body length.

Dodge Diplomat

Dodge Diplomat

The Dodge Diplomat is an American mid-size car that was produced by Dodge from 1977 to 1989. At launch, it shared a common design with the Chrysler LeBaron and for much of its later production run was the counterpart of the more upscale Chrysler Fifth Avenue and lower priced Plymouth Gran Fury. It was also sold in Mexico between 1981 and 1982 as the Dodge Dart, and in Colombia as the Dodge Coronet. The Diplomat was initially offered in a coupe and a sedan; in 1978, station wagons were added as replacements for the discontinued full-sized C-body wagons.

Chevrolet Caprice

Chevrolet Caprice

The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-sized automobile produced by Chevrolet in North America for the 1965 to 1996 model years. Full-size Chevrolet sales peaked in 1965 with over a million sold. It was the most popular car in the U.S. in the 1960s and early 1970s, which, during its lifetime, included the Biscayne, Bel Air, and Impala.

Cadillac Brougham

Cadillac Brougham

The Cadillac Brougham was a line of full-size luxury cars manufactured by the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors from the 1987 through 1992 model years and was marketed from 1977 to 1986 as the Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. The optional "d'Elegance" trim package that was introduced during the Fleetwood era remained available. The model received a facelift in 1990 and was replaced by the 1993 rear wheel drive D-body Cadillac Fleetwood.

Eagle Premier

Eagle Premier

The Eagle Premier is a full-size executive car that was developed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) during the 1980s through its partnership with Renault. This model was manufactured in the then-brand-new Brampton Assembly in Canada. Chrysler Corporation bought the rights to the Premier when it acquired Renault's outstanding shares in AMC in 1987, and began selling the car under the new Eagle marque.

Dodge Monaco

Dodge Monaco

The Dodge Monaco is an automobile that was marketed by the Dodge division of Chrysler Corporation. Introduced as the flagship of the Dodge product line, the Monaco was introduced for 1965 to replace the Custom 880, later then later joining as a sub-model of the Dodge Polara. During its production, the Monaco was offered in multiple body configurations, including two-door and four-door hardtop sedans, four-door sedans, two-door convertibles, and station wagons.

Best-selling models

In 2018, the three highest selling cars in the full-size sedan category in the United States were the Dodge Charger, Chevrolet Impala and Chrysler 300.[20]

Source: "Full-size car", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, March 17th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-size_car.

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Further Reading

Minivan

Muscle car

Chevrolet Impala

Personal luxury car

Chevrolet Caprice

Plymouth Reliant

Pony car

Rebadging

Chevrolet Citation

Mid-size car

Chevrolet Lumina APV

Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

Pontiac Parisienne

Ford LTD II

Dodge St. Regis

Opera window

Coke bottle styling
See also
References
  1. ^ "REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 - MERGER PROCEDURE" (PDF). ec.europa.eu. Luxemburg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. March 17, 1999. p. 2. Retrieved August 4, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Code of Federal Regulations Sec. 600.315 - 82 Classes of comparable automobiles". U.S. Government Publishing Office. July 1, 1996. p. 733. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  3. ^ "FAQ - How are vehicle size classes defined?". www.fueleconomy.gov. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  4. ^ "2019 Toyota Avalon Review: Breathing Life Into the Sedan Segment". www.extremetech.com. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  5. ^ "Part 393 - Lamps and Reflective devices". Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  6. ^ "Vintage Reviews: Motor Trend's 1957 New Car Issue – Road Testing The Low Priced Three". curbsideclassic.com. September 16, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  7. ^ Cobb, James G. (June 15, 1997). "The Return of Detroit's 'Low Priced Three'". The New York Times. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  8. ^ Norbye, Jan; Dunne, Jim (February 1974). "Is there still a place for FULL-SIZE cars?". Popular Science. 204 (2): 24, 26, 30, 34, and 35. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  9. ^ Peterson, Willis L. (1989). Principles of Economics: Micro (Seventh ed.). Irwin. p. 11. ISBN 9780256067965. Retrieved July 13, 2017. The turnabout in the downward trend of energy prices that occurred during the mid-1970s caused large changes in the size and fuel efficiency of cars demanded by U.S. consumers and in turn changed the products produced by U.S. car makers.
  10. ^ Cranswick, Marc (2001). "AMC's Final Full-Size - Ambassador - 1967-74". Cars of American Motors: An Illustrated History. McFarland. pp. 167–176. ISBN 978-0-7864-4672-8. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  11. ^ "American Motors: Less models but evolutionary changes". Automotive Industries. Chilton. 151: 33. 1974. Retrieved July 13, 2017. In a rather stunning move, AMC is cutting its number of models from 13 in 1974 to eight in 1975. Partly because the company is able to sell practically anything it builds, three cars — Ambassador, Javelin and AMX — have been discontinued.
  12. ^ Witzenburg, Gary (October 1981). "Driving the 1982 Chryslers". Popular Mechanics. 156 (4): 90. Retrieved February 28, 2017. With all its full-size cars discontinued, those gas-guzzler names are transferred to the remaining 112.7-in wheelbase, rear-drive, intermediate, four-door sedans.
  13. ^ "Saab 9000 Offers More Than Unique Looks Road Test". September 3, 1988.
  14. ^ Jedlicka, Dan (May 1, 1995). "American Tradition is Still Around - The Big Car lives". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  15. ^ Muller, David (January 6, 2017). "In the Biggest Year Ever for Auto Sales, Big Sedans Sank". Car and Driver. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  16. ^ Keith Naughton, Jamie Butters, David Welch & Tommaso Ebhardt. "The American Sedan Is Dying. Long Live the SUV".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Bunkley, Nick (April 25, 2018). "Ford to stop selling sedans in North America in face of unstoppable crossover onslaught". AutoWeek.com.
  18. ^ "Best Luxury Large Cars for 2022". www.usnews.com. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  19. ^ Ryan, Colin (February 10, 2022). "2022 Hyundai Sonata Review". Kelley Blue Book. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "US car sales analysis 2018 – Large segment". www.carsalesbase.com. January 18, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
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