Articles by Marcus Craft

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.

The Lexus LX500d is the base-spec variant in the Lexus LX range, however this seven-seater is anything but entry-level in what it offers. And it has a circa-$150,000 price tag to match its bulging features list.So, does this supremely refined, plush and feature-packed urban-friendly vehicle make sense as a family-moving daily driver? More importantly, is it an effective off-road tourer?

Rogue is the top-grade variant in Toyota's HiLux line-up now that the Rugged X has been discontinued and the range-topping GR Sport hasn't arrived here yet.The Rogue has new suspension and is now wider, taller and, supposedly, tougher than ever before. But can it compete with the likes of Ford Ranger Wildtrak, Nissan Navara Warrior, or even Ford Ranger Raptor?

What is the average width of a car?The average width of a car is 1.94 metres.That figure comes from averaging the width of popular vehicle types spanning the Australian new car market.The average width of a small/compact SUV is about 1800mm, the average width of a medium SUV is about 1840mm, the average width of a large SUV is about 1860mm, the average width of an upper large SUV is about 1980mm, the average width of a ute is about 1870mm, and the average width of a US pick-up is about 2300mm.One of the most crucial factors you must take into account when buying a car is whether it will fit in the allocated place in which you plan to park it when it’s not being used – whether that be a resident-only car park, your driveway, garage, car port, etc. And, of course, a vehicle’s width is part of this.So, how wide are cars? Whether you’re buying a hatchback, a sedan, a wagon or a full-size US pick-up, you must know the dimensions of your potential purchase in order to ensure you’re able to safely house it at your home.Car widths differ depending on the vehicle type, for instance a Hyundai i30 (1795mm) is not anywhere near as wide as a Ram 1500 pick-up (2465mm).Note: for the purposes of this yarn, we’re focussing on commercially available mainstream passenger vehicles.So, what is the average width of a car? As the old saying goes: how long’s a piece of string?Read on.The width of different vehicle models within the same realm – hatchbacks, sedans, wagons, SUVs, utes, pick-ups, etc – does not vary as greatly as length may. By its very nature, a motor car has to accommodate at least two seated people across its width.How much do vehicles differ? Not a whole lot, really. Models that occupy the same section of the market will be within 150mm of each other in terms of width.A small urban car, perhaps well suited to a couple or a couple and their labradoodle, will need less people- and cargo-space than a gargantuan, bush-based, horse-trailer-towing US pick-up that regularly carries five people (and two dogs in the tub).So, it’s logical the city runabout vehicle will take up less physical space – and so offer less room – than something like an outback load-lugger.But generally speaking, cars within the same realm – hatchbacks, sedans, wagons, SUVs, utes, pick-ups – will have similar measurements.And remember, a carmaker’s listed vehicle specifications will often include two width measurements: without the wing mirrors extended (which we will use throughout this yarn), and with the wing mirrors extended.Of course there is, and which one you prefer – wider or narrower – mostly boils down to your lifestyle and specific vehicular needs.The main advantage of having a narrow(er) car (hatchback, etc) is its ease of parking in urban areas. For your reference, the minimum dimensions of a small car parking space in Australia (as per the Australian Standard AS 2890) is listed as 2.3 metres wide by 5.0m long. So, there’s that…The main advantage of having a wider car (wagon, van, ute) is the fact that its extra width translates into more interior room and cargo space, meaning (hopefully) more comfort and greater people- and/or cargo-carrying ability.How much do car widths differ by within the same category? Well, I reckon there’s about a maximum 150mm difference between the narrowest and widest in each vehicle type. Reckon I’m incorrect? Good for you. Feel free to push back in the comments section.In Australia we use the metric system of measurement. In this feature, we’ll refer to a car width in millimetres, which is a standard specification measurement in the vehicular world, rather than listing a car width in metres or an average car width in cm or, god forbid, feet.The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) defines selected vehicle types on their footprint (defined as length - mm x width - mm, rounded).This is a more considered way of calculating how much space a vehicle occupies, rather than merely thinking about only its width or length.First up, 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 narrow Picanto is listed as “from 1595mm” across, according to our dimension experts here at carsguide.com.au. The wide-for-a-small-car VW Polo is listed as having a width “from 1751mm”, by the CG mob.CarsGuide has listed the Subaru Impreza width as “from 1775mm” wide, and the Ford Focus is listed as “from 1825mm" wide.The average width of a small SUV (with a length - mm x width - mm less than 8100mm) in this part of the vehicular market, according to CarsGuide measurement experts, falls somewhere between 1760mm wide (Kia Stonic) and 1819mm wide (Volkswagen T-Roc).Let’s jump to medium SUVs – (with a FCAI-defined footprint of 8101mm-8800mm) – which includes vehicles such as Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail, Volkswagen Tiguan, etc. These vehicles are referred to as “medium” or “mid-size” and may have five or seven seats.The average width of a medium SUV falls somewhere between 1800mm (Mitsubishi Outlander, as listed by CarsGuide) and 1883mm wide (Ford Escape, as listed by CarsGuide).Large SUVs can carry up to seven people; upper large SUVs are able to carry up to eight passengers.The average width of a large SUV (with an FCAI-listed footprint of between 8801mm and 9800mm) such as Toyota Prado, Land Rover Discovery and their ilk, falls somewhere between 1815mm (Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, as noted by CarsGuide) and 2008mm (Land Rover Defender, as noted by CarsGuide).Upper large SUVs have a FCAI-defined footprint bigger than 9801mm. Think 300 Series LandCruiser (“from 1970mm wide”), Hyundai Palisade (“from 1975mm wide”), and Nissan Patrol (“from 1995mm” wide).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 width of a ute available in Australia falls somewhere between 1815mm (Mitsubishi Triton, as listed by CarsGuide) and 1954mm (VW Amarok, as listed by CarsGuide).Pick-ups are like utes on steroids and the availability of these US 'trucks' is no longer restricted to Australia's grey imports market.Pick-ups – we’re talking about the likes of the Ram 1500, the Ram 2500, the Chevrolet Silverado, the Ford F-150, etc – are now available via mainstream distributors. The average width of these vehicles falls somewhere between 2063mm wide (Chevrolet Silverado, as listed by CarsGuide) and 2630mm wide (Ram 3500, as listed by CarsGuide).If you’re reading this yarn on the CarsGuide website – and not on some dodgy website that’s pilfered our content and is pretending it’s their own – then look up at the menu bar at the top of the page and tap ‘Pricing and Specs’. That will take you, yes, to the ‘Pricing and Specs’ section. Also, feel free to visit the appropriate car-maker’s website and download any specification sheets that are relevant to your particular choice of vehicle. Make sure you look at the correct make-model-variant details.

When you’re buying a car there are numerous factors to take into account but perhaps the most important question you have to ask yourself before buying your new or second-hand vehicle is: how long is it?

It's the ultimate bush-track test: three ute-based 4WD wagons, all great off-roaders in their own right, face off in a bush showdown. The new V6-powered Ford Everest in Sport grade, the Isuzu MU-X in top-spec LS-T guise, and the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport in top GSR spec.A low-range 4WD test made up of hard-core challenges at the outer limits of reasonable use for a standard 4WD.

The Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series is a legend of Australian 4WDing. But while it's a beast out in the bush, it's the wrong side of ordinary to drive in any city or suburb.It's also expensive and there are many cheaper and better-equipped alternatives available, so why is there so much love for the 79?The price has gone up, as has the GVM, and the 79 finally has AEB, so is it worth almost $85,000?

It's all in the name. A utility is a light commercial vehicle with function - the ability to carry passengers and heavy loads with a minimum of fuss - at the top of the design priority list and the size of the tray or tub is critical.Tools, timber, pipes and bricks or bikes, baskets, rugs and hampers, a ute often plays a dual role between work and recreations so you need to know the length, height, width, width between the wheel arches, and tray depth. Here's our guide to the GWM ute.We have generally only listed tub dimensions. The dimensions of cab chassis trays depend on the specific tray you select when you buy a new vehicle. Always check with the appropriate vehicle dealer.These are guidelines, reliant on vehicle manufacturer-listed measurements. Measurements may vary, depending on tray or tub type.Tray refers to the load space of a cab-chassis ute; the tub refers to the load space of a pick-up style ute.GWM Ute tray dimensionsThe GWM Ute is available in pick-up style only; there are no cab-chassis versions available as standard.GWM Ute tub dimensionsThe GWM Ute is available only as a dual-cab and only in the pick-up style.Tub dimensions are 1560mm long, 1614mm wide, 1146mm wide between the wheel arches, and 563mm high.

Measure twice, load once. Possibly the most sensible way to assess the capacity of a ute on your shopping list to meet you needs. The size of the tray or tub is critical.

People in the front, business in the back, a ute is the perfect way to transport passengers and a serious load and the size of the tray or tub is critical.