Convertible Advice

If you’re a man - particularly a married one with kids and decades between you and your single days - hearing “bachelor pad” might be ever so slightly bittersweet, but there’s also every chance those words make you remember a time in your life when you were so footloose and fancy free you were basically Kevin Bacon.

It’s often said that if you’re a smart car buyer, you’ll be shopping second hand. That’s because the shine and new car smell of a brand-new car can be fleeting. Especially once you take depreciation into account.

The most economical car argument is still a valid one, despite the fact that oil prices have stabilised around the world.

What is a car? A car is any four-wheeled, self-propelled vehicle that is designed to carry passengers rather than cargo.

What is the average weight of a car? The average weight of a car is 2.05 tonnes. That figure comes from averaging the weight of popular vehicle types spanning the Australian new car market. The average weight of a small/compact SUV is about 1380kg, the average weight of a medium SUV is about 1630kg, the average weight of a large SUV is about 2000kg, the average weight of an upper large SUV is about 2580kg, the average weight of a ute is about 2140kg, and the average weight of a US pick-up is about 2600kg. There are myriad factors that come into play when you're looking for a new or second-hand vehicle to buy, which will best suit you, your lifestyle and your wants and/or needs – and the weight of a car is right up there, in terms of importance. So, 'how much does a car weigh?' should be one of the first questions you ask yourself. Do you want or need your vehicle of choice to be light and nimble on its feet (rubber), easy to drive in cities and around town, and simple to park? Or do you want/need considerable heft to your car? And these are crucial questions whether you're considering the weight of a small car or an SUV or a ute. Another question you'll likely want to know the answer to is: what is the average weight of a car? Read on. Quick note: While some of us still think in tons or tonnes, the weight of a vehicle is usually listed in specification sheets as a kilogram (kg) figure, so, for the sake of uniformity, that's what we'll use in this yarn. Right, on with the show. Car weights may differ because of their different sizes, the materials used, production processes involved, and the actual intended purpose of each vehicle. A heavy-duty work ute is going to be more than just a little bit heavier than a city-based hatchback, right? And two vehicles that occupy the same section of the market – say, 4WD wagons – may also have different kerb weights*, for example, a seven-seat Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed (2125kg, as listed by CarsGuide) is lighter than a seven-seat V6 Ford Everest Sport (2454kg, as listed by CarsGuide). (* For this yarn, we're using the vehicle's manufacturer-listed kerb weight – the weight of a standard vehicle with a full tank of fuel, but no passengers or cargo onboard or accessories fitted – as our reference point.) But, generally speaking, vehicles within the same realm – i.e. small cars, SUVs, utes, pick-ups – will have similar weights to each other – within 50kg of each other – although there may be an outlier or two that straddle two categories of car, or at the very least blur the lines between two categories. The main advantage of having a light car (hatchback, etc) is its manoeuvrability. If it's light, it's small and a small vehicle makes for easier steering around town, through busy city streets and, more importantly, easier parking. The main advantage of having a heavy car (large SUV, etc) is that its weight or size tends to signify that it is better suited to transporting more people and more cargo at one time than a vehicle that is lighter and smaller. Also, the bigger and heavier a vehicle, the more robust it is. In case you missed it earlier, please note, when I mention a vehicle's weight in this yarn, I'm referring to a vehicle's manufacturer-listed kerb weight – the weight of a vehicle with a full tank of fuel, but no passengers or cargo onboard. Sometimes carmakers list tare weight* rather than kerb weight and if that's the case, I'll make sure that's noted. (* The weight of an empty standard vehicle with all fluids - oils, coolants - onboard but only 10 litres of fuel in the tank.) The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) classifies vehicle types based on their footprint (defined as length x width , rounded). So, what is the average car weight? Micro, light or small cars* – we're talking about vehicles such as Kia Picanto, Suzuki Ignis, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Kona and the like. (* Micro: "Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint < 6300mm"; Light: "Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint range 6301-7500mm"; or Small: "Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint range 7501-8300mm", according to the FCAI.) The Picanto (S manual) is listed as having a tare weight of 993kg, according to our weight experts here at CarsGuide. At the heavier end of the market, is the Kia Seltos, really a small SUV, and it tops out at 1495kg (in GT-Line AWD guise). But the average small car weight is around the 1200kg mark. Don't agree with me? That's great – have your say in the comments section below. The average weight of a car in kg is about 1900kg – that's taking commercially available passenger cars into account. The average weight of a large car (a hatch, sedan or wagon with a FCAI-listed footprint range 9001-9500mm) is closer to 2000kg. Large SUVs (with an FCAI-listed footprint of between 8801mm and 9800mm) can carry up to seven people; upper large SUVs (with an FCAI-defined footprint bigger than 9801mm) are able to carry up to eight passengers. The average weight of a large SUV is drawing near to the 2500kg mark, and upper large SUVs can be as heavy as 2800kg (the Nissan Patrol). Utes are classified as light trucks, which are "Vehicles designed principally for commercial but may include designs intended for non-commercial applications". They're available as two-wheel drive (4x2) or four-wheel drive (4x4) vehicles, and as a cab chassis or with a tub at the rear. These vehicles can legally carry up to five people in the cabin, depending on the body type, and have a FCAI-defined footprint of between 9001mm and 9501mm. The average weight of a dual-cab ute is around the 2100kg mark, but some variants top 2300kg (Ford Ranger) without any accessories onboard. Pick-ups, such as the likes of the Ram 1500, the Ram 2500, the Chevrolet Silverado, the Ford F-150 etc, are basically utes on steroids. These pick-up trucks are closer to 3000kg than 2000kg in kerb weight, and have an average weight somewhere in the vicinity of 2600kg. Go to the menu bar at the top of this CarsGuide page, and hit the 'Pricing and Specs' tab, and, from there, follow your instincts. Feel free to also go to the appropriate carmaker's website and download the specification sheet relevant to your particular choice of vehicle.

Becoming an instant hit when first launched back in 1964, the Mustang has been one of Ford's top dogs when it comes to performance.

'Dune buggy', or the more Australian 'beach buggy', is a pretty broad descriptor these days. As well as a new wave of recreational single-seater buggies and two-seat side-by-sides, there have been any number of home-made contraptions that have passed for a beach buggy over the years. Most of them have been crude, most have been fun machines and all of them have been dangerous.

It might be a cult hero today, but if you want to be completely honest, the Mini Moke was an utter flop when it was first unveiled. Not that it lacked any of the charm or character that has helped it become such an icon, rather that it was immediately deemed unsuitable for the very thing it had been designed to do. Designed by the Alec Issigonis - the same genius mind that sketched up the Mini – t

Defining what constitutes a ‘sports car’ is a reliably easy way of starting an argument. Some, slightly simplistic folk will insist that it means anything with wheels that’s painted red. Others that having a roof that’s convertible makes the grade. But the simplest definition is that it’s any car that values performance and the thrill of driving over whether or not you have ample space to fit your

Depending on who you ask, the second-generation Tesla Roadster might just be the quickest series-production car of all time – or maybe it’s the stuff of dreams, literally. Since its reveal all the way back in November 2017, the new Roadster has been the subject of much debate, with Tesla founder Elon Musk claiming at the time it would sprint from zero to 60mph (0-97km/h) in a record 1.9 seconds while on the way to 100mph (161km/h) in 4.2s. Yep, that was an insane set of claims, which was complemented by two others: a quarter-mile (0-402m) time of 8.8 seconds and a “provisional” top speed of more than 402km/h. Fast forward to June 2018 and Mr Musk announced at Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting that those performance claims were for the Roadster’s entry-level variant, rightfully describing it as “crazy”. So, just how quick and fast can the Roadster get? Well, we still don’t know for sure, as the flagship version with the SpaceX-inspired ‘rocket thruster’ option is yet to have its acceleration and max-speed claims issued – well, clearly. To make matters a little more confusing, Mr Musk took to Twitter in July 2019 to claim the Roadster would complete the zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) dash in 2.1s. When asked which variant of the Roadster he was referring to, Mr Musk clarified it was the entry-level version without the ‘rocket thruster’ option. Confused? We are, too. For what it’s worth, Tesla’s website still lists the entry-level Roadster’s zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) time as 1.9s, so maybe that’s with the ‘rocket thruster’ option? And if so, how quick is the flagship with it? As always, time will tell. What is seemingly for sure, though, is the Roadster will be up there with the quickest and fastest cars money can buy when it’s officially released as early as late 2021. And in case you were wondering, yes, it’s been delayed, having originally been scheduled for deliveries from 2020. Either way, the Roadster will face stiff competition from the very best from this millennium, including from within the Tesla model line-up, with the eagerly anticipated Model S Plaid large sedan revealed in September 2020 with zero-to-60mph (0-97km/h) and -100km/h claims of less than 2.0s and 2.1s respectively. It remains to be seen exactly how the Roadster and Model S Plaid measure up, but you’d be wise to put your money on the former to come out on top in a straight line… and around corners. Other official Roadster challengers include the Ariel Atom 500 (0-100km/h in less than 2.3s), Dodge Challenger SRT Demon (2.3s), Bugatti Chiron (2.4s) and Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (2.5s), among others. For reference, the Roadster’s tri-motor powertrain features one electric motor up front and two at the rear, combining to deliver a ridiculous 10,000Nm of maximum torque to the wheels, all four of which are driven. Its peak power hasn’t been claimed yet. Despite its epic performance claims, the Roadster can still travel 1014 kilometres (620 miles) between full charges thanks to its 200kWh battery, according to Tesla. And yep, that’s yet another unprecedented claim. Assuming the Roadster comes to reality, it will be very interesting to see what its official acceleration and top-speed claims are, along with its other data. That said, the inevitable tests that look to confirm them will be even more so. Bring on the unofficial videos already!