How much does the average car weigh?
The weight of an average car is between 2,871 pounds to 3,280 pounds. The weight depends upon several factors like the type of the car, the features, the size, the manufacturer and more.
For example, a midsize car weighs 3,361 pounds whereas an SUV weighs 3,590 pounds.
Golf cart weight by Brand
| Car model | Curb Weight (in pounds) |
| 2020 Toyota Supra 2 Door Coupe | 3397 |
| 2020 Kia Soul GT-Line 4 Door Wagon | 2844 |
| 2020 Lexus LS 500 4 Door Sedan | 4707 |
| 2020 Subaru Outback Ltd 4 Door AWD | 3730 |
| 2020 Chevy Silverado LT Trail Boss 4 Door Crew Cab | 5105 |
| 2019 Ford Fusion S 4 Door Sedan | 3472 |
| 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4 Door 4WD | 4677 |
| 2019 Honda Accord LX 4 Door Sedan | 3131 |
| 2019 Toyota RAV4 LE 4 Door | 3370 |
| 2019 Toyota Highlander XLE 4 Door | 4310 |
| 2018 Toyota Camry LE 4 Door Sedan | 3296 |
| 2018 Honda Civic LX 4 Door Sedan | 2751 |
| 2018 Hyundai Elantra SE 4 Door Sedan | 2811 |
| 2017 Subaru Crosstrek AWD Crossover | 3109 |
| 2016 Nissan Leaf All Electric | 3256 |
Car weight terminology
Dry Weight: This is the weight of the vehicle without passengers, fluids or any other consumables inside the car.
Curb Weight: This weight is equal to the dry weight plus the weight of vehicle fluids that are needed for the vehicle operation.
Gross Vehicle Weight: This weight is the maximum weight of the vehicle when it is fully loaded in accordance with the instructions laid down by the manufacturer. It is equal to the curb weight added with the weight of accessories.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating: This rating refers to the maximum value of the safe weight of your vehicle. It includes curb weight and the weight of the passengers, accessories, consumables, fuel and the weight of the tow trailer.
Payload: This is the maximum load that can be taken by your vehicle. It is specified in the owner’s manual of the car. It can be calculated by subtracting the curb weight from the gross vehicle weight.
How much does a car weigh in tons?
A car weighs 1.4 tons. The weight of the car in tons depends upon the manufacturing process, model of the car, year of manufacturing, materials used and the type of car like sedan, SUV, minivan or sports car.
How much does a car weigh in pounds?
A car weighs approximately 2,871 pounds. A small car like Nissan Micra weighs around 2,600 pounds while a large car like Audi A8 weighs 4,400 pounds.
How much does a car weigh in kilograms?
A car weighs close to 1,302 kilograms. A compact truck or an SUV weighs 1,628 kilograms whereas a large truck or a large SUV weighs 2,541 kilograms.
What are the heaviest parts of a car?
According to car mass breakdown, the car body, powertrain, and suspension system are the heaviest divisions of a car. These divisions include the car parts as mentioned below.
- Car body: This includes the passenger compartment frame, underbody floor structure, panels, roof structure, cross and side beams as well as the front end structure. These parts contribute to 23-28% of the car weight.
- Powertrain: The powertrain of the car includes the engine, transmission system, exhaust system and fuel tank. It contributes to 24-28% of the car weight.
- Suspension system: The suspension system comprises the chassis, suspension, tires, wheels, steering and brakes of the car. It contributes to 22-27% of the car weight.
Modern cars are heavier than their older variants mainly because of the features that are embedded in them. The latest cars are equipped with advanced safety features like airbags, laminated glass, tire-pressure monitoring systems and anti-lock brakes. In addition to this, new car models come with added comfort and convenience features such as heated/cooled seats, Bluetooth support and real-time navigation systems. These features increase the car weight by considerable amounts.
How much does a small car weigh?
A small car weighs around 2,800 pounds to 3,520 pounds. Some examples of popular small cars along with their weights are given below:
- Nissan Micra or Audi A4: 2,870 pounds
- Toyota Camry: 2,800 pounds to 2,875 pounds
- Honda Civic: 2,762 pounds to 3,010 pounds
- Nissan Sentra: 2,866 pounds to 3,077 pounds
- Hyundai Elantra: 2,822 pounds to 3,131 pounds
- Volkswagen Jetta: 2,888 pounds to 2,970 pounds
- Honda Accord: 3,131 pounds to 3,428 pounds
- Nissan Altima: 3,212 pounds to 3,462 pounds
- Kia Optima: 3,230 pounds to 3,558 pounds
- Hyundai Sonata: 3,247 pounds to 3,527 pounds
How much does a large car weigh?
On average, a large car weighs approximately 3,800 pounds. The list below mentions a few large cars and their weights in pounds,
- Audi A8: 3882 pounds
- Dodge Charger: 3,934 pounds to 4,574 pounds
- Nissan Maxima: 3,552 pounds to 3,676 pounds
- Chrysler 300: 4,013 pounds to 4,380 pounds
- Toyota Avalon: 3,560 pounds to 3,704 pounds
- Kia Cadenza: 3,633 pounds to 3,799 pounds
How much does a smart car weigh?
The curb weight of a smart car is 1940 pounds. The following list mentions the names of some smart cars and their curb weights.
- Smart Fortwo Electric Drive C453: 2,392 pounds
- Smart FortwoCabrio Electric Drive A453: 1,984 pounds
- Smart Fortwo C453: 1,940 pounds
- Smart FortwoCabrio A453: 2,072 pounds
- Smart Forfour W453: 2,260 pounds
How much does an SUV weigh?
An SUV weighs 4,700 pounds on average. The names of a few SUVs and their approximate weights are mentioned below:
- Kia Soul, Nissan Navara and Chevrolet Tahoe: 4,799 pounds
- Nissan Rogue: 3,454 pounds to 3,660 pounds
- Honda CR-V: 3,307 pounds to 3,512 pounds
- Toyota RAV4: 3,455 pounds to 3,630 pounds
- Jeep Cherokee: 3,590 pounds to 4,250 pounds
- Subaru Forester: 3,449 pounds to 3,588 pounds
- Jeep Grand Cherokee: 4,513 pounds to 5,363 pounds
- Toyota Highlander: 4,134 pounds to 4,508 pounds
- Toyota 4Runner: 4,400 pounds to 4,805 pounds
- Honda Pilot: 4,036 pounds to 4,319 pounds
- Hyundai Santa Fe: 3,591 pounds to 4,372 pounds
- Nissan Armada: 5,576 pounds to 5,963 pounds
- Ford Expedition: 5,443 pounds to 5,692 pounds
- Chevrolet Tahoe: 5,355 pounds to 5,602 pounds
- Chevrolet Suburban: 5,586 pounds to 5,808 pounds
- GMC Yukon: 5,379 pounds to 5,626 pounds
How much does an electric car weigh?
An electric car weighs close to 440 pounds on average. The list mentioned here gives the weights of some popular electric cars.
- Jaguar I-Pace: 4,702 pounds
- Strom Motors R3: 1,212 pounds
- Mercedes Benz EQC: 5,346 pounds
- Tata Nexon EV: 3,020 pounds to 3,086 pounds
- MG ZS EV: 3,456 pounds to 3,547 pounds
- Hyundai Kona Electric: 3,384 pounds
- Mahindra E Verito: 2,788 pounds
- BMW i3: 2,634 pounds
- Tesla Model 3: 3,552 pounds
- Audi e-tron: 5,643 pounds
- Porsche Taycan: 4,717 pounds
Impact of weight on fuel efficiency
The fuel efficiency of a vehicle is highly influenced by the weight of the vehicle. As the equation of kinetic energy states, for the same speed, the energy of a vehicle is directly proportional to the mass of the vehicle.
This means that a heavier vehicle needs more energy or fuel to attain a certain speed as compared to a lighter vehicle.
In addition to the weight of the vehicle, numerous other factors impact the fuel efficiency of a vehicle.
Some of these factors are given below.
- Power specific fuel consumption: It determines the amount of driving force exerted on the road for a certain amount of fuel consumed, considering the various driving conditions.
- Brake-specific fuel consumption: It determines the rate of fuel consumed per unit of the power produced by the vehicle.
- Transmission system: The transmission system of the vehicle consists of a gearbox, driveline, and tires. These determine the frictional losses of the vehicle while driving over the road surfaces.
- Design of the vehicle: The design of the vehicle greatly determines the air resistance by the vehicle. This, in turn, influences the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
How to Improve the Fuel Efficiency of Your Car?
You can improve the fuel efficiency of your car by reducing the weight, decreasing the external drag and turning off the air conditioner.
Reduce the weight
The most effective way to improve vehicle efficiency is to remove the excess weight in the vehicle. The weight of the vehicle highly impacts fuel efficiency. Reducing the weight of the vehicle is your way out for efficient fuel driving.
Decrease the external drag
When loaded with external items such as bike racks and roof boxes, the vehicle exerts extra force to drive against the air resistance. It requires more fuel and reduces the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
Maintain the basic requirements
Regular services of the vehicle are extremely important to maintain the fuel efficiency of the vehicle such as fluids, the air in the tires and more. Well-maintained vehicles with adequately inflated tires reduce the frictional losses of the vehicle.
Turn OFF the air conditioner
The air conditioning system of the vehicle causes a strain on the engine while increasing the fuel requirement. Therefore, it is good to turn the air conditioner OFF whenever unnecessary.
Be gentle on the gears
The gears must be changed gently and as quickly as possible while driving at a high speed.
Use the start/stop technology
Most of the new car models are equipped with start/stop technology. Make use of the technology in a specified manner to increase the fuel efficiency of the car.
Follow the speed limits
The speed limits for different sizes of vehicles on the highways are often specified. It’s recommended to drive according to these speed limits as it can save up to 25% of fuel. You can also drive in the economy speed range mentioned in the owner’s manual and on the speedometer to save more fuel.
Follow the course of the road
You don’t need to accelerate while going downhill. Using gravity for your benefit can help you increase the fuel efficiency of the car. Examine the course of the road and move the car at the desired speed accordingly.
Slow down rather than braking
Pushing brakes unnecessarily greatly reduces the fuel efficiency of the car. It is because the engine needs to start all over again after braking. Instead of braking, you can slow down the speed and maintain the momentum to increase the fuel efficiency of the car.