car styles explained: saloon

While SUVs and other vehicle types are undoubtedly on the rise, saloons have remained popular with bigger families and long-distance travellers, as well as business professionals. They are reliable, economical, extremely practical, and often easier to drive than vehicles like SUVs.

The other great thing about saloons is that there’s a huge range on the market – so you’ll always find one that suits your needs and budget.

What is a saloon car?

A saloon car normally has the following features:

● Four doors with two on each side (five including the boot).

● A boot lid which usually lifts upwards with a smaller opening than a hatchback.

● Rear seats which tend to fold down in order to push more luggage through.

● A separate boot from the cabin and the rest of the car. This will poke out at the back making the car longer. When it comes to buying the right car, size always matters. Choose too big and you may not be able to park it in your garage, or often find yourself paying more for petrol and tax. Too long and you may not be able to reverse-parallel park on the streets. Too tall and you may not be able to enter cark parks with low ceilings.

But, of course, if you have a large family then the more space, the better! If you need a larger car, then a saloon may fit the bill.

Practicality and capabilities

Because of their self-contained boots which stick out at the back, saloons are generally longer than hatchbacks. This makes them harder to manoeuvre. So, if you struggle to park on the best of occasions, maybe a saloon isn’t the best choice for you – unless, that is, your model comes complete with parking sensors (which thankfully many modern models do).

Their design offers a generous amount of comfort and sheer relaxation for passengers and drivers alike. Along with their comfort, the interior is generally quieter than most types of cars thanks to the separation between the boot and the cabin.

Space: the saloon car’s big selling point

Saloons also provide large amounts of space inside. The long design of these cars means the rear and front seats are spaced further apart, allowing passengers to stretch their legs out with ease. Or it doesn’t have to be people you’re accommodating; one common feature is ski-flaps which fold down the central armrest in the back seats to reveals a “secret” compartment or opening, so you can slide and fit long articles of luggage effectively. This is perfect for lugging planks of wood or, you guessed it, skis.

The long and low profile of a saloon gives it a sophisticated and stylish look, while not being too flashy. This subtle style is elegant and popular with professionals all around the world.

On the whole, saloon cars can be a little less practical than hatchbacks, thanks to the small boot opening where the rear windscreen stays in position. Some older saloon models also have fixed rear seats resulting in no option other than to try and expand the boot space, so if you are in the market for a more aged used saloon, we recommend checking your motor has that feature.

How big is a saloon car?

Saloon cars tend to be between 4-5 metres long.

As we mentioned, the boot space is usually enough for a large family. Whether you need to transport DIY items or sports gear (we’re looking at you golfers), then there is usually more than enough boot space in a saloon.

Best saloon cars on the market today

If it’s luxury and style you’re after, consider the Audi A4, the Mercedes-Benz-C-Class, or the BMW 3 Series.

If you need a more spacious motor for your family with a respectable fuel economy and excellent reliability, you may like the Ford Mondeo, VW Passat, or Skoda Octavia.

Whatever you’re looking for, these models all have one thing in common: They are spacious, long and offer an extremely comfortable drive.

Which saloon car has the biggest boot?

Saloon cars all have sizeable boots – so, it’s worth considering all other aspects as well.

However, one of the largest-booted cars out there is the Audi A6, which has a huge capacity up to 565L – or 1,680L, if you’re taking the seats down.

There’s enough space in these boots to fit nine suitcases!

What is a sedan?

‘Sedan’ is simply the American term for a saloon, so you're unlikely to find yourself searching for one on UK shores, unless you're after a particularly US-styled car.