You’ve likely encountered the term “Saloon Car” frequently, but what exactly defines this vehicle type? In essence, a saloon car, often referred to as a sedan in North America, is distinguished by its structural design where the luggage compartment, commonly known as the boot or trunk, is distinctly separated from the main passenger area by a fixed rear bulkhead and the vehicle’s back seats.
Visually, when viewed from the side, the classic saloon car presents a ‘three-box’ silhouette. Imagine three clear segments: one at the front housing the engine, a central compartment for passengers, and a rear section dedicated to cargo. This ‘3-box’ design is the hallmark of a saloon, setting it apart from ‘2-box’ designs prevalent in hatchbacks, estate cars (wagons), and SUVs. These latter types merge the passenger and cargo areas into a single rearward box behind the engine compartment.
Understanding Saloon Car Accessibility and Configuration
Can You Access the Boot from Inside a Saloon?
While the defining feature of a saloon is its segregated boot, it’s not entirely inaccessible from within the car’s cabin. Modern saloon car design often incorporates practical features that bridge this separation to a degree. Many models are equipped with split-folding rear seats, most commonly in a 60/40 configuration, enhancing versatility. This allows for partial or complete folding of the rear seats, extending the cargo space into the passenger area when needed for larger items.
Furthermore, some saloon models include a ‘through-load’ hatch, typically situated in the center-rear seatback. This feature provides a narrow passage into the boot, ideal for accommodating long, slender items like skis without needing to fold down the entire rear seat. However, it’s important to note that primary access to the boot of a saloon car remains via the external boot lid located at the rear of the vehicle.
The 4-Door Saloon Distinction
Saloon cars are universally recognized as 4-door vehicles, offering two doors on each side for passenger entry and exit. This contrasts with estate cars, crossovers, and SUVs where the top-hinged boot lid is classified as a ‘fifth door’, designating them as 5-door vehicles. Although it’s uncommon for passengers to utilize the boot access for entry, this classification is a standard in automotive terminology.
Hatchbacks, depending on their design, can be categorized as 3-door or 5-door. Some hatchbacks feature only two passenger doors, and with the inclusion of the boot lid, they are termed ‘3-door’ vehicles. This configuration is becoming less common, mainly found in smaller city cars and supermini hatchbacks. Even models like the Volkswagen Polo and Renault Clio, previously available in 3-door versions, now predominantly offer 5-door configurations to meet the modern demand for practicality and accessibility. The preference for 5-door cars reflects a broader trend towards enhanced convenience for passengers.
The Market Position and Prestige of Saloon Cars
While saloon cars may not dominate sales charts as they once did, particularly compared to their popularity in the 1970s, numerous manufacturers continue to produce these 4-door body styles. Saloons carry a certain aura of prestige and traditional automotive elegance that persists despite the surging popularity of SUVs and crossovers. In a market increasingly saturated with SUV designs, saloon cars maintain a distinct appeal, often associated with sophistication and a more conventional vehicle aesthetic.
Saloon Cars Across Different Vehicle Segments
It’s crucial to clarify that no SUV or crossover can be classified as a saloon. Despite some concept explorations, the defining characteristics of SUVs inherently categorize them as large hatchbacks or estates. Similarly, city cars, the smallest vehicle class including models like the Hyundai i10, Volkswagen Up, and Toyota Aygo X, are exclusively hatchbacks. The same applies to modern superminis like the Ford Fiesta, SEAT Ibiza, and Peugeot 208, all of which are currently offered only as hatchbacks, although saloon versions existed in the past for models like the Renault Clio and Volkswagen Polo.
The presence of saloon cars becomes noticeable as we move into the ‘C-segment’, encompassing vehicles of the size of a Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla, and Skoda Octavia. However, even in this segment, saloons are less common than hatchbacks and estates. While Honda previously offered a saloon version of the 10th-generation Civic, it has since been discontinued. Toyota remains an exception, offering a 4-door Corolla alongside hatchback and estate variants. Manufacturers like Ford, Vauxhall, and Volkswagen no longer produce saloon versions in this segment, marking a shift from past models like the Ford Orion (saloon Escort), Vauxhall Belmont (saloon Astra), and VW Jetta/Bora (saloon Golf). Ford ceased offering saloon versions of the Focus in the UK after the Mk2, and saloon Astras have been absent for many years.
The decline of saloons is even more pronounced in the larger ‘D-segment’, historically the domain of popular family saloons like the Ford Cortina, Vauxhall Cavalier, and Peugeot 405. This segment is shrinking overall as buyers in this price range increasingly opt for crossover-SUVs. The remaining models in the D-segment, such as the Volkswagen Passat, Peugeot 508, and Skoda Superb, are predominantly hatchbacks or estates, despite some, like the Peugeot 508, having designs that visually resemble saloons. Toyota and Volkswagen still offer ‘true’ saloons in this category, with VW also providing the Passat as an estate.
Premium Saloon Car Market
Saloons find a stronger foothold in the premium vehicle market, starting with the compact executive segment. Here, options include the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Audi A4 Saloon, BMW 3 Series, Jaguar XE, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Volvo S60. It’s worth noting that, except for the Alfa Romeo and Jaguar, these models are also available as estates (Avant for Audi, Touring for BMW, and V60 for Volvo).
Moving up to the executive class, the selection of saloon cars expands further with the Audi A6 Saloon, BMW 5 Series, Jaguar XF, Lexus ES, Maserati Ghibli, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Volvo S90. In this segment, Lexus and Maserati exclusively offer saloon body styles, while the other manufacturers also provide estate versions, such as the Jaguar XF Sportbrake and Volvo V90.
At the luxury limousine level, saloons become the definitive body style. Audi does not produce an Avant version of the A8, BMW lacks a 7 Series Touring, and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class epitomizes the classic saloon. Other options include the Maserati Quattroporte (literally ‘4-door’ in Italian) and the technologically advanced Lexus LS. However, models like the Porsche Panamera and Tesla Model S, while marketed as saloons, are technically large hatchbacks. The smaller Tesla Model 3 is a true saloon, as is the Porsche Taycan, although the Taycan also comes in a Cross Turismo estate variant.
The pinnacle of the saloon car world is occupied by ultra-luxury brands like Rolls-Royce with its Ghost and Phantom models, Bentley with the Flying Spur, and Mercedes-Maybach, offering an even more opulent S-Class derivative. These vehicles represent the most luxurious and exclusive interpretation of the saloon car, though they are far removed from affordability. Even standard luxury saloons like the BMW 7 Series are positioned at a premium price point, reinforcing the perception of saloon cars as generally upmarket vehicles.
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