Vehicle Segmentation…What Does It Mean?

2011 Chevrolet Cruze...C Segment!

The automotive industry continues to adjust to fluctuating market conditions and changing consumer demand.  Whereas in times past fickle consumers scotched the best laid plans of the automakers, namely building quality small cars, it appears that this time around consumer sentiment is embracing the trend toward more fuel efficient cars.

The Ford Fiesta has hit the market and soon the Chevrolet Cruze will be released; both cars are inexpensive and offer excellent fuel economy, but they occupy different segments of the industry and will, therefore appeal to slightly different buyers.

Have you heard of C-segment cars? If so, they’re compact models which include the Chevy Cruze. But there are other segments of cars on the market, so please read on for a primer for what each segment and their corresponding letters mean:

A Segment — The smallest models on the market, A-segment cars are city cars or called kei cars in places like Japan. The only model in this category sold in the United States is the Smart ForTwo. If you have a picture in your mind what the Smart car looks like, then you understand the segment.

B Segment – Until the Smart ForTwo showed up, B-segment models were the smallest car lines available. Most major foreign manufacturers sell cars in this segment which includes the Nissan Versa, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, MINI Cooper and soon the Ford Fiesta. American manufacturers cannot afford to build these models in the US or Canada, needing cheaper labor to keep costs down. The Fiesta is built in Mexico while the imported Chevy Aveo comes from Korea.

C Segment - C as in compact. That’s easy to remember. Popular models include the Dodge Caliber, Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, Kia Elantra, Honda Civic and Volkswagen Rabbit.

D Segment — What manufacturer doesn’t sell a D-segment as in midsize model? Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Buick Regal, Mercury Milan, Chrysler Sebring, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Suzuki Kizashi, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Volkswagen Jetta, Mercedes C-Class, Nissan Maxima, Subara Legacy…the list goes on and includes a number of crossover models.

E Segment and F Segment — The differences between E-segment and F-segment cars is not always clear. In fact, both are for full size models. E segment generally covers standard cars such as the Buick Lucerne and Ford Crown Victoria or a smaller luxury model such as the BMW 5 Series, while F segment appears to be for large luxury cars such as the BMW 7 Series.

Additional segmentation includes S-segment for sports cars, M-segment for minivans and J-segment for large SUVs. No letter designation is given for pickup up trucks, however.

So, when you hear B- or C-segment discussed over the coming months, then you’ll understand what all of the talk is about.

Resources

EPA.gov: Highest Fuel Economy by Vehicle Class: 2010 Model Year

MSN Autos: What the Heck is the B-Segment?

Photo courtesy of GM Corp.

Daimler, Renault Forge Small Car Partnership

The next generation Smart line will be crafted with Renault-Nissan's help.

The winds of change continue to sweep the auto industry as car manufacturers face the new realities of an ultra-competitive and often distressed global car market.

Market Survival

Sales are on the rebound around the globe but after the bloodletting of 2009, car companies realize that in order to survive, they must cooperate. And, short of outright mergers and acquisitions, new arrangements include forging key alliances to build certain models.

Daimler and Renault with its partner, Nissan, have forged an agreement whereby the three companies will share technologies, platforms and a host of other features across their small car lines. Specifically, Daimler–who produces Mercedes and Smart cars–will be able to join with Nissan and Renault to build its smallest cars. That arrangement was initially hatched more than a year ago when Daimler and Renault-Nissan agreed on a small car deal that would yield the next generation Smart car model.

Component Sharing

Now, the latest agreement goes a step further as Mercedes will share some of the components powering its A and B segment vehicles with Renault and Nissan products. Importantly, Daimler will supply the electric technology which will power these small cars while Renault will supply three three-cylinder gas engines. No diesel engines are in the proposed mix.

The decision to allow Mercedes to supply the electric components comes as surprise given that the Nissan LEAF, a battery electric car, will debut later this year. Thanks to Nissan technology, the LEAF will be one of the first pure electric cars when it hits the market.

Special Deal

By crafting the deal, Daimler will not become the third part to a three-legged car manufacturer stool. Nissan-Renault had been looking for a third partner for several years, first talking with General Motors and then with Chrysler before cutting off those talks.

Daimler is wary of crafting any sort of arrangement with anyone but a premium car manufacturer but tying its small car lines in with Renault and Nissan will allow the German automaker to share a number of key components without sharing platforms in entirety.

Neither Mercedes A-Class or B-Class models are sold in the US, a market which perceives Mercedes as strictly a luxury car manufacturer. However, with tighter EPA guidelines coming down the pike, Mercedes may introduce its A and B segment models to the US or expand its Smart brand to fill that gap.

Will there be more deals forthcoming between Daimler and its new partners? Quite possibly, especially if Daimler and Nissan can forge some sort of agreement for their luxury brands, Mercedes and Infiniti.

Source: Automobile magazine

IIHS Adds Fourth Test Category: Roof Strength

Tiny as they are, Smart Fortwos perform quite well in IIHS crash tests thanks to its built in safety cage.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an association of auto insurance companies who track how well vehicles perform in a crash. These tests go far in helping member companies decide how much to charge customers, which means automakers know that a low score could result in higher insurance premiums. High premiums can keep shoppers away from purchasing a particular model, thus the importance of performing well.

Thousands Killed Annually In Rollovers

Up until recently the IIHS tested cars for front, side and rear impact, but they didn’t test these cars for roof impact which happens as a result of vehicle roll overs. Roof strength is critical because if your roof collapses, you and your passengers could be seriously injured or killed. About 10,000 people are killed annually due to rollovers, which is about one-fourth of all vehicle deaths in the US.

To roll out its new test, the IIHS decided to test the smallest cars on the road – a group of micro and mini-cars that may soon become dominate on our roads especially if gas prices begin to surge once again. The Smart Fortwo, Chevy Aveo, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Hyundai Accent were each tested with some surprising results – the Fortwo’s roof was the strongest while the Aveo was the weakest, the latter model given a “marginal” rating by the IIHS.

Smart Fortwo Cage

IIHS research has shown that car roofs have gotten strong lately, which is good news for consumers. In the case of the Smart Fortwo, which is enveloped in a safety cage, roof strength is superior to most cars on the road.

“We anticipate that our roof strength test will drive improved rollover crash protection the same way our frontal offset and side tests have led to better occupant protection in these kinds of crashes,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “Small cars should have an easier time with the roof strength test,” Lund explains. “Their light weight means their roofs don’t have to work as hard to keep the structure around the occupants intact in a rollover.”

More Tests Soon

Likely, we’ll hear some pretty bad news as the IIHS test expands to incorporate more body styles with SUVs expected to perform poorly. Minivans, crossovers and any other larger vehicle will probably have a difficult time getting a score above acceptable with perhaps marginal being the common score among some segments.

Source: IIHS

See Also — IIHS Recognizes Ford Safety Among This Year’s Top Picks