When it comes time to search for your next vehicle, you might find yourself debating between a coupe and sedan. In many cases, it isn’t necessarily clear what the difference between these types of vehicles is, and that can make the decision process more challenging. While there is an official distinction between coupes and sedans, not all manufacturers label their vehicles based on this definition.
Official Definition
For the official difference between coupes and sedans, you need to look at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). It is responsible for creating the standardized definitions of various vehicle styles and distinguishes coupes and sedans based on interior volume. The cutoff point is 33 cubic feet, and any vehicle with less than this will be a coupe. If a car has 33 cubic feet or more for its interior volume, it is a sedan.
Comparing Doors and Seats
Despite the definitions, many people will first think of other ways to separate the vehicles. It is common to think of coupes as having two or three doors, while sedans have four, but you can find four-door coupes and two-door sedans, making this distinction unreliable. Other people will choose to count seats, saying that coupes only have front seats, but they may have a removable second row. While the sedan does always have two rows, a coupe can have one or two, making it impossible to tell them apart based on seating.
Styling
It is also common for manufacturers and drivers alike to consider a coupe to be sportier than a sedan. While this is frequently the case, it is not necessarily true. The same can be said of other styling features, such as the fact that many, but not all, coupes have hatchbacks.
Whether you are looking for a coupe or sedan, the team at Hendrick Honda Bradenton in Bradenton, Florida, is ready to help you make your decision.
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