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Tell most people to draw a car, and chances are they’ll come up with a drawing of a saloon. This is because saloons are one of the most popular car types, and if you’re looking to buy or hire a car, they should be one of the options you consider. But this begs the question, though, what is a saloon car?
You can typically identify a saloon by its long body and stylish exterior. These cars comprise a bonnet, the main body section and a sticky-out boot. Keep reading if you’d like to learn more about these cars as we go over their history and key features.
A saloon car is a car with a luggage compartment and a passenger compartment separated by the vehicle’s rear seats and a bulkhead. Observing a saloon from the outside, you’ll see that it has three distinct compartments. The first compartment is the bonnet for the engine, the second is the passenger area, and the third is the saloon’s boot.
A saloon, also known as a sedan, has a long and sophisticated exterior. The external boot lid is attached below the back window and opens upward. Although saloons can be used as family cars, they’re more popular among business professionals. Some of the most popular saloon cars include the Toyota Camry, Audi A8 and Mercedes Benz E-Class.
Saloons are often quieter than hatchbacks and estates due to their boot compartment being separate from the car body
Key Features Of A Saloon Car
You can identify saloon cars by key characteristics such as:
- Four-door design (two on each side)
- Seating for four or five people
- Fixed roof
- Three-compartment design (bonnet, passenger space and boot)
- An aerodynamic, streamlined look
- Separate boot compartment
See our blog post on the types of saloon cars where we explore the different categories of this vehicle.
Short History Review Of A Saloon Car
The name ‘saloon’ is derived from the French word ‘salon’, which means a large room. This term was originally used to refer to the large luxury carriages on a train. However, around the 1900s, British car makers began using it to describe cars with an enclosed passenger compartment.
Saloons are more commonly known by Americans as sedans. This name is derived from the 17th-century travel mean known as a sedan chair. A sedan was an enclosed box with windows carried by porters.
Read about the common misunderstanding of this car type name in our ‘Saloon vs Sedan’ article.
The Pros & Cons Of A Saloon Car
Digging deep into the features of saloon cars, here are the major benefits and drawbacks of hiring or buying one.
Pros
- Looks: Saloons often have sleek and elegant designs. The streamlined body shape and well-designed exterior amplify the aesthetics of these vehicles.
- Luxury: The saloon is the benchmark of luxury cars. This body type is popular among many luxury and premium brands.
- Fuel Efficiency: Saloon cars tend to be lighter than larger vehicles like SUVs or trucks. Because of this, they usually have better fuel mileage.
- Safety: Cars with the saloon body type have solid construction, which ensures safety on the road in the event of an accident. They’re also usually equipped with some of the best safety features.
- Comfort: The interior space in most saloons is quite vast. There’s also plenty of legroom and headroom so you can enjoy a smooth and comfortable ride.
Cons
- Limited Visibility: Saloons have lower driving positions than other car body types like SUVs and estate cars. As a result, their visibility is limited.
- Boot Space: Even the best saloon cars have limited boot space. You’re better off with other options if you want a family car with plenty of room for cargo.
- Parking Difficulty: The long body of a saloon makes it more difficult to park compared to a hatchback and other small cars. However, most modern saloons have parking sensors or cameras to help out.
Check out our other article, Saloon vs Hatchback, to learn about the difference between both car types.
Style Vs Practicality: Why The Popularity Of Saloons Has Been Declining?
Over the past decade, the popularity of saloons has been declining. This is mostly due to the increasing demand for other car types like SUVs and hatchbacks. While saloon cars are very stylish, they’re not as practical as other types of cars. For example, SUVs are more spacious and often have better off-road capabilities, while hatchbacks are more practical and suited to city driving (especially parking).
Despite their decreasing popularity, some drivers still prefer saloons to other car types because of their sleek design and stylish looks. This is why luxury and premium saloon cars such as the Jaguar XJ and Mercedes C Class have held off better against changing market demands.
Saloons also go by the name ‘passenger cars’ due to their having separated compartments for passengers.
Who Should Hire Or Buy A Saloon Car?
Anyone who wants a car with comfortable seating for four to five passengers should hire or buy a saloon. Saloons are popular among business professionals, who often use them for basic transportation needs such as visiting clients, attending meetings and business travel.
Saloons are also great options for anyone who prioritises the comfort and style of a car. A saloon vehicle usually has a very spacious interior, which allows the passengers to enjoy comfortable rides. It also offers great handling for an amazing overall driving experience.
Although the boot of a saloon has decent luggage space, it is quite limited when compared to that of an SUV or an estate car. Also, their lower driving position means that they aren’t quite suitable for anyone who drives through rough roads frequently.
Find out how a saloon differs from a coupe.
What Is A Super Saloon?
A super saloon is a type of saloon vehicle that is more powerful than regular models. Super saloons have the same body design of three compartments and a separate boot opening. However, they have a higher amount of horsepower and offer better performance. Some cars that fall into the super saloon category include the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Mercedes S Class. This is the same notion that applies to ‘sportbacks’ – a hatchback’s more powerful variants.
Saloon cars are available in various sizes to suit different needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do Saloon Cars Not Have Rear Wipers?
Saloons do not have rear wipers because they usually don’t need them. Rear wipers are meant for cars with an upright rear window that collects dust, rain or snow. Because saloons have a sloped roofline, any dirt that lands on the rear window slides down, leaving it clean. Also, adding a wiper creates more aerodynamic drag, decreasing the vehicle’s efficiency.
What Is The Fastest Saloon Car In The World?
The fastest saloon car in the world is the Brabus Rocket 800. The Rocket 800 is a modified version of the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (W219) produced by Brabus. This car reaches a top speed of 370 kph (230 mph) thanks to its powerful engine and 7-Speed AMG speedshift. This Brabus supercar goes from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in only 4.1 seconds.
What Is The Difference Between A Saloon And A Sedan Car?
There is no difference between a saloon and a sedan car. They both mean the same thing. The saloon is the term that British carmakers use to refer to four-door cars where the body is split into three compartments. It’s also said like that in Australia. The name sedan is more popular in the USA and Canada.
What Is The Opposite Of A Saloon Car?
The opposite of a saloon car is a convertible car. Unlike saloons with a closed-body style, four doors and a fixed roof, a convertible has a retractable roof that you can either fold down or fully remove, allowing you to enjoy a more open-air driving experience. Also, convertibles usually have two doors compared to the saloon’s four. We can also say that the opposite is all car types with a boot compartment not separated from the passenger cabin.
Is A Saloon A Big Car?
A saloon is not always a big car, as there are different sizes of cars with these body types. There are subcompact saloons, compact saloons, mid-size saloons and full-size saloons, which are the largest of them all. The actual size of a saloon car depends on the category and the model.
Conclusion
So, what is a saloon car? A saloon is a four-door passenger car characterised by its unique three-compartment design and separated boot space. While these cars are not as popular as they once were, they remain a favourite of many drivers. For anyone who wants a comfortable but stylish ride and appreciates the beauty the car exterior can offer – the saloon car type is the right choice
