There are a lot of occasions where it’s quite useful to know how much does your car weighs.
While you may need to tow the car someday and need this info at that time, or the question might just pop up in your head randomly.
Well, whatever the case might be, this article will help you let you know how much does an average car weighs and a list of weights that are listed according to different car models.
As you might have anticipated, the weights of different cars vary quite a lot depending upon their build and model, so you really cannot have an exact figure. Rather, it’s better to view the model by model.
Content Navigation
How Much Does a Car Weigh?
Car Weight
Well, as we just talked about it in the introduction, you really cannot answer such a question as long as you don’t know what car you are talking about.
The average weight of a small car differs a lot from the average weight of a jeep, for example.
So, we will see a list of car models and see their weights according to that, so it makes more sense to you. A brief list is given below. However, we will discuss these in further detail as you go deeper into the article.
Weight by Car Types
Different Cars
So, there are a lot of different types of car builds available in the market, like the small ones obviously weigh a lot lesser than the jeeps.
So, we will look at the average weights the different car types have.
1. Smart Cars
Smart cars are essentially the small cars which only feature two doors, and do not even offer a trunk. The average weight is around 950 Kgs.
2. Sub-Compact Cars
They can be seen in a huge number and are pretty cheap to keep up with. They weigh around 1100 Kgs. A common example is the Toyota Vitz.
3. Medium Sized Cars
Medium-sized cars are the smallest and the lightest ones which offer a trunk to the passengers. Common examples include the Toyota Corolla and Honda City. They weigh around 1300 Kgs.
4. Large Sized Cars
Much like the medium-sized cars, but they are quite heavy duty and are usually expensive. Cars like Toyota Camry are included in this list and weigh around 1600 Kgs.
5. Compact SUV
This is the most lightweight category when it comes to SUVs. They weigh around 1700 Kgs and are not very much heavier than the category of large-sized regular cars. Examples include Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue.
6. Medium Size SUV
This is the general perspective of people whenever they regularly refer to an SUV. They are significantly heavier than the compact SUVs as they weigh around 2100 Kgs. Cars like Honda Pilot are included in this list.
7. Large Truck/SUV
The ultimate topper of the list, the humungous SUVs which weigh more than any car in the above list. They have a big figure when it comes to weight and reach around 2500 Kgs. Chevrolet Tahoe is one of the most famous SUVs.
List of Weight by Car Model
[table id=102 responsive=scroll /]Different Types of Car Weights
Car Weights Variation
There are various methods by which people calculate the weight of a vehicle.
While the most common one is referred to as the curb weight, which means the gross weight of the vehicle without including anything.
The list we saw above was based upon curb weight, and no additional weight was included, like cargo, extensions, or the passengers.
However, many types of car weights exist, and we will briefly see each type of them to help you whenever you need to find a car’s weight.
Curb Weight
This is the simplest measure of the weight of a vehicle and doesn’t include anything but the vehicle itself. Without any cargo or passenger whatsoever.
Gross Weight
This refers to the total weight of the vehicle when the cargo is loaded to the max capacity, and all passengers are also included.
Gross Combined Weight
In the case that you also have a trailer attached to the vehicle. This measure will include both the trailer and the vehicle and all the cargo in them as well.
Gross Weight Rating
This is a measure of the maximum capacity of the car that it can withstand. Including everything. The passenger weight, cargo, and any extensions or attached trailer as well.
Gross Axle Weight
When you divide the total weight on each of the axles in your vehicle, you get the gross axle weight.
Payload
This refers to the collective amount of weight that has to be pulled by the engine. It includes the gross weight, trailer weight, as well as the passenger and the cargo weight on the vehicle.
Maximum Load Trailer Weight
The concept of the maximum load trailer weight is much similar to that of gross weight combined; however, it also includes the weight of the trailer in it, which is most fully loaded.
How to Find the Exact Weight of a Car?
Exact Weight of a Car
As one simply cannot mention the weights of all the available car models in the market, or it would become an endless article. There are just a lot of models to cover, which makes it simply impossible to cover them all.
Well, if you have one of the rare models which are not listed, you definitely will have to put in some effort. But don’t worry, it’s not impossible to find the weight of your car if it’s not listed here.
Check Car Manual
While there are other methods as well, your foremost approach should be to jump to the car manual for help. The manual that came when you bought the car usually includes all the important information related to your specific vehicle.
If, however, you don’t have the manual or have lost it, you can always find the manual of your model online.
Driver Side Door
On most of the vehicles, there is a permanent sticker attached to the door of the driving seat. The sticker includes various pieces of important information about the vehicle, such as its chassis number.
So, there is a chance that you might find the weight information on that sticker. This can be one of the easiest ways if you can find that sticker.
Manufacturer
Well, if nothing from the above-listed methods work, and you still cannot work out the exact weight of your vehicle, you can always count the manufacturer in for some help.
Just ring them up at any of their offices and drop your query about the exact weight of your vehicle. They have all the information available about each of their model.
Weighing Machines
Weighing Machines
If, in some exceptional case, you cannot even contact the company you bought your vehicle from or their contact is not working, there are always car scales around you that you could use.
But remember, this will not be curb weight and will be the actual combined weight of your vehicle at that very specific moment.
Importance of Weight
Well, you might be wondering why someone would care so much about the exact weight of the vehicle? Is it even useful in any way? Let’s see.
Towing the Vehicle
You might face a problem with your vehicle, which leaves you stranded along the road. In such a case, you would have to contact a towing company or otherwise ask someone to tow your vehicle.
Another cause could be if someone’s car you know breaks down, and you have to tow their car to the service station. Without knowing the exact weight of their vehicle and the capacity of your vehicle, it would be silly to carry on the job.
So, In such cases, one might need to know the exact weight of their vehicle to be sure what vehicle can tow it along.
Fuel Economy
Fuel economy is affected a lot more than you might think. According to research, for every 100 pounds taken off the vehicle, you actually get betterment of about 2% in fuel efficiency.
The figures might not sound impressive on paper, but in the real world, it really makes a significant difference throughout the life of your vehicle.
Final Thoughts
As we saw, there are a lot of times when we might need to know about the exact weight of a vehicle. While there are a lot of different types of vehicles having different sizes, there is no average weight of vehicles.
Rather, it’s according to the dimensions of the vehicle. So, it’s better to have an idea of the vehicle’s weight online or just hitting up the manufacturer to find it out.
