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What kind of car is this?

Twenty years ago it was relatively easy to choose a car, we had vans, sedans, sports, a jeep and vans. Everyone knew what their needs and boundaries and elected according to these parameters. Today everything has become much more complicated with so-called niche markets, as sometimes seems that every new car sold gets a classification different from the rest. Try to put some order to this chaos created by marketing.

Every day you hear more talk about SUV, compact MPV, sedan-coupé among other denominations, but what does each and how they differ?

Based on the most common classifications: utilitarian, sedan, SUV, van and sport, try to explain what place the vehicles that seem to escape from these definitions.

One of the most successful that in this period of economic boom has been the SUV or Sports Utility Vehicle. It is not simply a mixture of a family car with a 4 × 4, although in many cases this may not be available four-wheel drive. The result is a car tall, long, too big and luxurious, but inefficient and too expensive. Hence, many brands, the first one Nissan , launched the compact SUV. The same idea, but with a reduced size and price more popular.

As with this type, a compact car is not just a sedan smaller than, in most cases adding an entire tailgate to give an impression of sportiness and ease. Almost all brands have their own version on sale, most famously the VW Golf and Renault Megane. All tend to have two body styles, 3 or 5 doors, but some just adding the 4-door and family, making them almost a sub-brand within the manufacturer's catalog. The two cases mentioned, and another, formed the basis for an MPV, or Multi Purpose Vehicle. A versatile car-shaped minivan but smaller than, more thought to the city for long trips.

But whoever takes the cake these days and seems to be the trend to follow is the sedan-coupe or sports sedan, a mixture of elegance, luxury and sportiness only available to few. Porsche, Lamborghini and Aston Martin have already shown their cards, but other manufacturers do not seem to want to be left behind. They are sports cars to which they have added two rear seats and the doors and sedans have become. In fact, the latest attempt to create the definitive car comes from Munich. BMW has recently introduced the 5 GT , PAS or Progressive Activity Sedan. A car that combines a little of everything said above. It's a family car somewhat higher than usual, with a sizable tailgate and a 2 +2 configuration occupants coupled with a sporty character. It also allows more or less depending on the trunk in a horizontal position that we put the rear seats.

All manufacturers want to differentiate themselves with a new and spectacular car, do not give up anything and have it all, but that only results in a higher price for a product for which we must create a need.