Today’s vehicles are wider than ever before. Car dimensions continue to increasing, and the roadway has not changed. The question is how wide is the average car now, and will it continue to grow?
In this article, I will take a closer look at average car width, length, and other various models.
How Wide is the Average Car?
The average car width is about 5.8 feet wide. A car’s vehicle width will vary based on the type of car you are driving. It’s also relative to what safety features have been added and if it has a good aerodynamic performance.
The narrowest vehicle on the road is now the Chevy Spark, which measures 5.2 feet wide. While the widest vehicle title is the Ram 3500, with dual rear wheels, which measures 8.7 feet wide, excluding the mirrors.
Evaluating Average Car Width by Class
#1. Sedans.
There are many sizes of sedans to consider, economy and full size. Most sedans have four doors with room for a good amount of cargo. A compact car or small sedan measures about 5 feet 10 inches wide.
A mid-size sedan is around 6 feet wide. A full-size or large sedan is generally wider than 6 feet.
- Chevy Spark: 5.2 ft.
- Honda Accord: 6 ft.
- Dodge Charger: 6.2 ft.
#2. Station wagons/hatchbacks.
The station wagon is just the right balance between the SUV and sedan. With the hatchback design, there is usually more space than a sedan. A small station wagon or hatchback is usually 6.1 wide.
A large station wagon or hatchback is not considerably wider, roughly 6.2 wide. They will only get longer.
- Volvo V90: 6.3 ft.
- Audi A6 All road: 6.2 ft.
- Subaru Outback: 6.2 ft.
#3. SUVs.
Sport utility vehicles are taller, offering more ground clearance than a typical sedan, but are not necessarily wider. It really depends on what type of SUV you are driving.
A compact SUV or crossover will be approximately 6 ft. wide. With a mid-size SUV, you will be slightly wider, and unable to park in most parking garages. Full size will be some of the widest, and provides ample passenger room.
- Toyota RAV4: 6 ft.
- Honda Pilot: 6.5 ft.
- Cadillac Escalade: 6.10 ft.
#4. Sports Cars
Sports cars provide unequaled performance in a car and have a cool look and are one of the fastest vehicles on the road. Sports cars can be found in any size.
Average overall width for sports cars is 5.7 to 6.5 feet. A sports sedan will be much closer in width to a full-size sedan than it will be a compact car.
Supercars will fit here, but I doubt if many of us think about their width, since we usually only see them in a showroom floor or private garage.
- Chevy Corvette: 6.3 ft.
- Porsche 911: 6.1 ft.
- Dodge Charger: 6.3 ft.
- Lamborghini Aventador: 6.7 ft.
#5. Pickup Trucks
A truck can be both a two door with a bench seat or four door that can seat six band members. Then there is the variable of truck bed size. Bigger truck beds can contribute to the overall width of the pickup as well.
You can find smaller trucks as short as 6.3 feet wide to larger trucks well over 6.8 feet wide. A dually (dual wheel) type vehicle will have the widest widths of trucks and will be the widest of all vehicle types when measuring weight and length.
- Ford Ranger: 6.5 ft.
- Chevy Colorado: 6.2 ft.
- Ram 3500 Dually: 8.7 ft.
#6. Vans
Vans can also have variety of widths depending on the purpose activity. For example, a passenger van will room for people in those three seats, on average around 6.7 ft.
Cargo vans are mainly used to transport goods. Expect an average cargo width of about 6.8 ft.
- Honda Odyssey: 6.5 ft.
- Ram ProMaster Cargo: 6.7 ft.
- Ford Transit 350: 6.7 ft.
How to Find Car Width?
#1. Use a VIN Decoder.
The VIN of your vehicle can tell you a lot about the vehicle. If you use a VIN decoder, you will be able to pick out all of the major specs of your vehicle.
If you’re lucky, you can get your car’s dimensions including width. Plus, this decoder will list transmission, engine, color, features, and safety with the vehicle.
#2. Contact Local Dealer.
Before you make that purchase, ask the dealer how wide the car is. If you spend a lot of time in parking garages, this is a specification you should consider.
This dealership can provide you with a specification sheet with all the dimensions. Even on an older car, the local dealer should be able to provide this information. It is not difficult to get the new car information sheet, even several years on.
#3. Measure Car.
The third option is to measure the vehicle yourself. This can take some time, and it is always going to rely on your measurement skills to get it accurate.
Using your tape measure, start at the driver’s side door. With the help of someone, run a tape measure under the vehicle to the other side, and land the tape measure on the passenger side to see how wide it is.
Don’t forget that the width of the mirrors is not included in your measurement! Contemplate how far out the mirrors go as well, if you need to park in tight spaces.
#4. Use a Car Valuation Site.
A car valuation or vehicle marketplace site can also provide you with all the significant data pertaining to your vehicle. These aren’t just for determining the price of your car, based on features, mileage and age.
If you can add your VIN to obtain a more precise determination, then great. If not, simply put in the year, make, model and specifications to give you an idea of the measurement.
Does Vehicle Width Include Mirrors?
Typically, vehicle width doesn’t include the width of the mirrors. When you are measuring the vehicle, you do not want to include the width of the mirrors. Instead, you measure the outermost point of the vehicle body excluding the mirrors.
Some manufacturers will give both widths – without mirrors and with mirrors unfolded. Using the two widths, you can determine how well the vehicle will fit in a public or personal garage.
How Long is an Average Car?
An average car length is around 14.7 feet, that’s the same size as the Nissan Versa. The length of the vehicle will increase with the number of occupants or cargo because you require more space.
Nevertheless, there are car choices that are shorter than average as well as longer. Again, the Chevy Spark earns the distinction for the shortest car (nearly 12 feet long); Ford Super Duty earns the distinction for the longest vehicle on the roadway (over 22 feet depending on configuration).