Hot hatches

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.

France has a history of building some of the most widely revered hot hatches in the world, and it doesn’t look like the electric car era is going to change that. This is the spiritual successor to the Renault Clio Sport - the Alpine A290.

Could Cupra really offer a brand new go-fast station wagon for Aussies in 2023?

Cupra Australia has announced a new special edition for its most popular model, the Cupra Formentor, before its previous Rojo Edition has even sold out.

A new variant has been added to the top of the range for Abarth’s new electric ‘hot hatch’, with the 500e Turismo variant coming in hatch and cabriolet body styles.

The BMW Australia range has been subjected to a significant pricing increase for the second time in 2023, with only a few variants managing to escape the bump.With some models’ pricing increased by as much as $9000, the pricing adjustments have been applied to almost every model except for the non-M 4 Series, which had its pricing adjusted quite recently, as well as the brand’s electric SUV iX models.Also excluded from the pricing adjustments are the updated BMW X5 and X6 SUVs, which had new prices confirmed in February this year to reflect a change in specification.At the time, the increased pricing for the X5 and X6 range was bumped up by $8000 over the old model (to start from $134,900 before on-roads for the X5 xDrive30d). Electrification and tech updates are the main changes for the new 2023 models.The only model in this round of pricing updates to have a feature or specification change is the X7 xDrive40d which gains a light-up 'glowing' kidney grille.In January, BMW Australia adjusted pricing across the range by thousands of dollars for each model, with some up by as much as $11,500, though models that had increased prices were also subject to updates like the addition of head-up displays in some variants or heated steering wheels in M models.A spokesperson for BMW Australia told CarsGuide the adjustments still aim to ensure competitive pricing for its customers.“BMW constantly reviews its pricing structure throughout the year, taking into consideration a number of different factors,” they said.“However, we always aim to ensure our products remain appropriately positioned and represent a competitive pricing proposition in the market for our customers.”A full list of pricing updates can be found below.2023 BMW 1 Series pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW 2 Series pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW 3 Series pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW 4 Series pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW 5 Series pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW 7 Series pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW 8 Series pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW X1 pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW X2 pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW X3 pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW X4 pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW X5 pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW X6 pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW X7 pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW Z4 pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW iX pricing before on-road costs2023 BMW XM pricing before on-road costs

The Toyota GR86, Supra, Corolla and Yaris GR could all be joined by even more go-fast siblings as Toyota’s new boss has hinted that his predecessor has the time to remain involved in developing sports cars.

The hot hatch class is in crisis.

Cupra says Australia's warm welcome to the brand has allowed to to secure additional supply of its headline-grabbing electric hatchback.

A British tuning company Mountune, best known to Australians for a recent partnership with Ford for the Focus and Fiesta, is officially making Australia its newest base of operations.