People often wonder, “How heavy is my car?” Some people also question the importance of a vehicle’s weight.
If either of these thoughts have entered your mind, you’ve come to the right place because we’re here to provide the answers you’re looking for.
The weight of a car depends on the make and model, and the year it was made.
You can find your vehicle’s exact weight by using one of these methods –
Are vehicles heavier today than they were in previous years?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average car between 2004 and 2018 was 4,000-pounds.
How does your car’s weight compare?
Determine the weight of your car by:
You can find a nearby car scale at a motor vehicle inspection location and car junkyards.
Owner’s manuals serve a larger purpose than letting you know how your car works.
Check the specifications section of your car’s manual to find out its curb weight.
If you misplaced the manual, or if your vehicle didn’t come with one, no worries.
You can always search online, at a site like OnlyManuals, to find a free manual for your car’s make, year, and model.
If the owner’s manual does not specify your vehicle’s curb weight, look at the driver’s side door.
That sticker typically contains the curb weight as well as the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is a total weight limit, set by the manufacturer, for a particular vehicle.
GVWR considers both the curb weight of the car and the weight including passengers, cargo, and optional accessories.
You should never confuse GVWR with GVW, which is Gross Vehicle Weight.
The Gross Vehicle Weight fluctuates because it is the curb weight plus extra equipment, passengers, and cargo.
Calling the manufacturer is the simplest way to determine the weight of your car.
Have the VIN (vehicle identification number) handy when you call, so the manufacturer can readily search your exact vehicle year and model.
Sometimes, you can find your vehicle’s curb weight on the manufacturer’s website too.
Why Is It Important To Know Your Car’s Weight?
Knowing the weight of your vehicle is essential for a several reasons.
Some bridges have specific weight limits, and knowing your vehicle’s weight means you will not make the mistake of crossing a bridge that cannot sufficiently support your car.
By knowing the weight of your car, you also know the amount of weight the vehicle can hold without overburdening it.
Each state has a particular GVWR rating, so avoid exceeding accepted ratings with an overloaded vehicle.
As per the EPA, for every 100-pounds subtracted from a car’s weight, there’s an addition of approximately 1-2% in its fuel economy.
In other words, the less the weight of your car, the more you save on cash and fuel.
Finally, knowing the curb weight of your car helps the mechanic perform routine maintenance because he or she will know which tools and lifts can handle the vehicle’s weight.
Are Cars Heavier Today?
Yes. Cars are heavier today.
The average weight for vehicles back in 2017 was 4,044-pounds.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the average car in 2003 weighted 4,021-pounds.
Apart from the above study, there are other reasons why today’s rides are heavier than previous cars.
Entry-level models and contemporary cars are fitted with countless features to make driving convenient and less stressful.
Today’s cars are fitted with luxury items, such as rear climate control and heated/cooled seats.
Modern cars are also fitted with various safety-oriented equipment, such as door intrusion beams, airbags, and laminated glass.
Technology used in modern cars for safety, such as tire-pressure-monitoring systems and anti-lock brakes, also contributes to weight.
Whether your car is heavy or light depends on the type of material it is created from, but also the size of the car.
Whether you have a small, midsize, or full-size vehicle affects the weight.
Take, for instance, the weight of these popular vehicles (from smallest to largest) as a comparison:
Nissan Micra weighs 2,600-pounds.
Toyoda Corolla weighs 2,800-pounds.
Honda HR-V weights 2,906-pounds.
Hyundai Sonata weighs 3,247-pounds.
Subaru Forester weighs 3,449-pounds.
Dodge Charger weighs 3,943-pounds.
Audi A8 weighs 4,400-pounds.
Audi A8 weighs 4,400-pounds.
Chevy Tahoe weighs 5,355-pounds.
Are Lighter Cars Faster?
Are Lighter Cars Faster?
Lighter cars require less gas to move and receive a better fuel economy.
Car companies in the U.S. have to meet federally mandated Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) ratings.
By trimming down any excess weight off a car, automakers also meet the requirement.
How Can I Make My Car Lighter?
Make your car lighter by fitting lighter body panels.
If your car has aluminum or steel body panels, consider replacing them with replacement products crafted from GRP, or glass-fiber reinforced plastic.
The benefits of lighter wheels go beyond making your car lighter.
Go light on the added comforts when choosing a trim level for your car.
Keeping electronics at a minimum, like additional speakers, large infotainment screens, and power seat controls will add less total weight to your vehicle.
Do not overlook the exterior features, like extra chrome, larger wheels, and electronic door-steps that all add weight.
If you decline the showy perks offered at higher trim levels, you can reduce the overall weight on your car’s model.
The weight of a car varies depending on several factors, and can affect the car’s gas mileage and performance.
If you want to lighten the load, we hope you’ve taken away several suggestions from this post to alter the weight of your car.
But, if you are pleased with the current weight of your car, keep on driving safely!
If you’re like most people, the weight of your car is probably something that you rarely think about.
However, knowing your car’s weight can be very beneficial if you are about to tow it or drive over a weak bridge.
Weighing your car can also help you make decisions about modifications and other changes.
But how much does your car actually weigh?
And what factors influence a car’s weight?
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at average car weight by type and model and discuss some of the reasons why you may find different weights in your car’s specifications.
We’ll also look at where you can find the weight of your car without weighing it on a scale.
The average car weighs 4,094 pounds, according to U.S. Environmental Environmental Protection Agency.
The average small car (e.g., Nissan Micra) weighs 2600 pounds, while the average large car (e.g., Audi A8) weighs 4400 pounds.
Average car weights, in general, have gotten lower over time, even though newer models are larger in average size.
One reason that cars weigh less now than they did a few decades ago is that newer car models are designed to be as lightweight as possible.
Lighter weight reduces the amount of force required to stop and start, improving safety and handling.
It also means that a car’s engine does not have to work as hard to move the vehicle, which reduces fuel consumption.
Cars come in all different sizes and shapes.
Although cars are built with different materials and in different ways, they tend to average in the same ballpark in terms of weight in the same type range.
Here’re some of the average weights by the most common car types out there on the market:
TypeWeight (Kg)Weight (Pounds)Small Sized Cars(eg Nissan Micra):12002600 Midsized Cars (eg Audi A4):16003500 Large Sized Cars (eg Audi A8):20004400 Small Trucks/SUV (eg Kia Soul):15003300 Midsized Trucks/SUV’s (eg Nissan Navara): 24005300 Large Truck or SUV’s:(eg Chevrolet Tahoe):30006600
Weights by Car Model
Weights by Car Model
To be even more specific on the average car weight per car model and not just the car type, here is a list of average weights for some popular car models.
The weight of these car models may vary depending on the model year, engine type, and the accessories installed in your car.
Car ModelYearsWeight(Kg)Weight(lbs)Ford Mustang15-1917003700 Honda Accord94-9712952854 Honda Civic96-0011432519 Toyota Camry90-9412602770 Toyota Corolla201913012870 Dodge Charger06-1018874160 Jeep Cherokee87-0215233357 Jeep Grand Cherokee93-1523005100 Jeep Wrangler17-1817703900 Ford Explorer18-22154900 Mercedes Benz E-class16-1817233800 Honda CR-V18-15233358 Mercedes Benz C-class15-1815503417 Nissan Altima12-1814303153 Chevrolet Malibu15-1815263366 Chevrolet Silverado14-1822004800 Toyota Tundra00-0619003940 Cadillac Escalade02-0626005800 Chevrolet Tahoe92-0020004500 Toyota Highlander13-1820454508 Subaru Outback18-16503642 Mercedes Benz GLC-class15-1817903950 Ford Fusion13-1815543427 Toyota Tacoma95-0414513200
Different types of car weights
Different types of car weights
If you look at your car’s weight specifications in the owner’s manual or search by VIN, you may notice that you will see many different weights, so which one should you look at and what do all these different weights mean?
Here are the most common types of weight, and a short explanation of each of them:
Curb Weight: The weight without the driver, passengers, or any cargo.
Gross Weight: The weight of a car with max cargo loaded and the driver and all passengers.
Gross Combined Weight: This is a unit you have to consider if you have a trailer.
The weight of both the trailer and car together.
Payload: The car’s weight, cargo, passengers (gross weight), plus anything you tow behind the car.
Gross Weight Rating: The max total weight your car can handle with the driver, passengers, and cargo.
Gross Axle Weight: The weight load on each axle of your car.
Maximum Load Trailer Weight: Very similar to the gross combined rate.
Gross Axle Weight Rating: The maximum weight that one axle on your car can handle.
RELATED: Average Car Length – List of Car Lengths
Where can I find the exact weight of my car?
Where can I find the exact weight of my car?
So if you couldn’t find your car model in the list above, there are some even better methods of finding it without weighing it on a scale.
Here are a few easy ways to find your car’s weight fast with accurate results.
The easiest and fastest way to find your car’s weight is probably by using a VIN decoder or lookup.
We have a free VIN decoder here on Mechanicbase, and you can use it as many times as you want.
The VIN code is found in several different locations on your car.
On many car models, there is also a label with VIN around the area where the door lock to the car is latched.
The owner’s manual you received when you bought the car is another good place to find the weight of your car.
The instruction manual is often in the glove compartment, so if you still have the manual for your car, take a look there to find the weight of your car.
Finding your car’s weight on Wikipedia is also an easy option as they have the most car models listed there with the specifications.
But the disadvantage of this method is that cars are available in so many different types with different engines and other accessories, so you may not find the correct result.
There is a sticker with VIN and other different specifications, such as tire pressure, tire size and car weight on almost all car models.
This sticker can often be found on the body of your car behind the driver’s door.
If you have your registration number or VIN number, you can call your authorized dealer and ask them if they can find any specifications for your particular car model.
Of course, the best way to get your car’s exact weight is to weigh it on a scale.
But finding a scale large enough to weigh a car is probably easier said than done.
If you really want to weigh your car on a scale, you can often find these at car scrap yards and car inspection sites.
Weighing your car on a scale may be necessary if you have installed many heavy accessories in your car, such as a large sound system or dog cages.
What is the lightest weight car?
What is the lightest weight car?
These days, the Mitsubishi Mirage is the lightest new car you can buy in the United States.
The weight of this small car is 2018 lbs or 917 kg.
There are lighter cars, but not if you are looking for a new purchase fresh from the factory.
The Ford F450 Super Duty Crew Cab is the heaviest car you can buy if you are looking for a modern car in the US market.
This Ford weighs 8600 lbs or 3900 kg.
What is the average car weight in kg (kilogram)?
What is the average car weight in kg (kilogram)?
The average weight of a car in kg is 1857 kg.
The average weight of a small car (eg Nissan Micra) in kg is 1200 kg and the average weight of a large car (eg Audi A8) in kg is 2000 kg.
Are heavier cars safer?
Are heavier cars safer?
The heavier the car, the safer it is in collisions.
Also, having more weight on each axle results in added stability when braking, which also adds to safety.
Most car owners may not realize it, but knowing how much your car weighs is very important.
You may even need to report this information to the DMV for proper classification and categorization of your car.
It also may come in handy when adding weight to your car.
You don’t want to go over the gross vehicle weight rating, do you?
Or simply, you might need this information when trying to sell your junk car.
No matter how you look at it, knowing approximately what your car weighs is imperative.
The weight of your car in tons will vary depending upon the make, model, year, materials used, and car type (truck, van, SUV, sedan, sports car).
Below, we give you a more in-depth look at car weights in tons.
Your Car’s Weight is a Big Factor in It’s Junk Car Price
When determining junk car prices, a car’s weight is one of the top factors because junk cars value lies mostly in it’s value in scrap metal.
How much weight there is determines the price.
What are the different ways to define vehicle weight?
Did you know that your car weight is measured in different ways?
While you may not know your car’s exact weight, it is useful to know the various methods of weighing it.
Then, if asked, you know exactly what weight you’re looking for.
Here are the various car weight types:
Here are the various car weight types:
Here are the various car weight types:
Curb weight
This is the most commonly used terminology for vehicle weight.
The curb weight includes the weight of the car itself, with all of its standard equipment and the fluids it needs to operate.
It does not include the weight of the driver, passengers, and any cargo they place in the vehicle.
You can think of curb weight as the weight of the vehicle as it sits on the showroom floor.
A car’s dry weight is its curb weight, minus the weight of all of its fluids.
A car’s dry weight is sometimes used by its manufacturer to artificially exaggerate its power-to-weight ratio, when compared to competitors’ standard curb weights.
Payload is the weight of everything you put into your car.
It includes the driver, the passengers, the groceries, the sports equipment, the luggage, plus anything that you are towing.
Gross vehicle weight (GVW)
Your car’s GVW is defined as its curb weight, plus the weight of the driver, any passengers, and whatever cargo and belongings are along for the ride.
This is not normally something to be concerned about when you are carrying passengers and their luggage, but if you are hauling a heavy load in a truck it could become an issue.
You can find the label with your vehicle’s maximum GVW by looking in your owner’s manual, or on the driver’s door jamb of your car.
Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
It represents the total maximum amount that your car, and everything in it, can safely weigh, according to the manufacturer.
These two related weights come into play whenever you are pulling a trailer with your vehicle.
It represents the combined weight of your vehicle, the trailer, and any people and cargo that have been loaded onto them.
This is the weight reading that you would get if you drove onto a scale with the trailer attached.
It is similar to the GVW and GVWR, but it also includes the weight of what you are pulling.
Do not exceed the maximum weight that your vehicle is rated for.
Overloading your vehicle will cause the same problems listed above.
Maximum load trailer weight
This measurement is similar to the gross combined rate.
However, this includes the weight of a fully loaded trailer.
However, this includes the weight of a fully loaded trailer.
Gross axle weight
This is the amount of weight that is currently being supported by each axle.
Gross axle weight rating
This is the maximum amount of weight the axle can support.
What Does a Car Weigh and Why?
What Does a Car Weigh and Why?
What Does a Car Weigh and Why?
What are Car Weight Classifications?
What a car weighs is dependent on many different goals and requirements.
In addition, there are many ways to classify the weights of cars, depending on who is doing the classifying.
Let’s look at the curb weight for cars based on their class or category.
Vehicle weights by size and type: bigger cars weigh more
Generally speaking, larger cars weigh more than smaller cars.
Trucks and SUVs also tend to weigh more than similarly-sized cars.
Here are some average weights for the various types of passenger vehicles on the market today:
Cars Example Avg. Class Weight
Subcompact car Hyundai Accent 2,505 lbs.
Compact car Toyota Corolla 2,919 lbs.
Midsize car Honda Accord 3,361 lbs.
Large car Dodge Charger 3,883 lbs.
Compact SUV Mazda CX-5 3,590 lbs.
Midsize SUV Ford Explorer 4,404 lbs.
Large SUV Chevrolet Tahoe 5,603 lbs.
Midsize Pickup GMC Canyon 3,977 lbs.
Large Pickup RAM 1500 4,951 lbs.
NHTSA weight classifications
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) classifies passenger vehicles by weight class when testing them for their safety performance.
Here’s how the car classes break down, using curb weight as the standard (SUVs, pickups, and vans are each combined within their classes, with no weight classifications):
· Passenger cars mini 1,500 to 1,999 lbs.
· Passenger cars light 2,000 to 2,499 lbs.
· Passenger cars compact 2,500 to 2,999 lbs.
· Passenger cars medium 3,000 to 3,499 lbs.
· Passenger cars heavy 3,500 lbs.
IIHS crash test weight/size classes
To determine a size category for each vehicle, the IIHS uses a combination of weight and the size of the vehicle’s “shadow.” The shadow is the vehicle’s overall length multiplied by its width and expressed in square feet.
Curb weight in lbs.
3000 to 3499 Small to Midsize to Large
FHWA vehicle weight classifications
The FHWA has created classifications for vehicles by their GVWR weight, which is the maximum weight that allows for safe operation on the roads:
Class Weight
Class Weight
Heavy Duty (by GVWR)
US Census Bureau truck weight classifications
The US Census Bureau classifies and counts trucks operating within the US by weight, using the following classification structure:
Light-Duty Vehicle Under 10,000 lbs.
Medium-Duty Vehicle 10,000 to 19,500 lbs.
Light Heavy-Duty Vehicle 19,001 to 26,000 lbs.
Heavy-Duty Vehicle Over 26,000 lbs.
How to Determine the Weight of Your Vehicle
Now you have a general idea of what your car might weigh.
However, the exact measurements can vary greatly by the type of car you have, the materials used to make the car, and the age of the vehicle.
Here are some suggestions on how you can be more specific about the weight of your car in tons.
Driver side Door – Try opening the driver’s side door of your car.
You may be able to find a sticker with the weight listed on it.
Car Manual – Your car’s manual is your guide to all things auto.
Check your manual to find more specifications on your car’s weight.
Manufacturer – If you know the year, make, and model of your car, contact a customer service representative at the manufacturer’s office.
Car Scale – You can locate a nearby vehicle scale to get the weight of your car or truck.
Thinking of selling your junk car for cash?
You can probably guess that the bigger the car, the more cash you’re likely to get.
Not sure how much your car weighs?
Try one of the methods above and use this information to get the best value on your junk car.
What are vehicle weight trends over time?
Vehicles are getting heavier over time.
What we end up with are larger, roomier, stronger, safer, more efficient, less polluting, and more well-equipped vehicles in our national fleet.
All of those things increase the weight of the average vehicle on the road today.
The government makes cars heavier
Let’s start with how the US Government influences the weight of all vehicles:
The government has safety standards that require things like airbags and door beams to be added, which tend to make cars heavier.
Cameras, radars, and other sensors for automated driver assistance systems add even more weight to vehicles.
But the government also requires cars to have improved fuel economy, which ideally should make cars lighter.
Unfortunately, lighter vehicles are more vulnerable during impacts with larger, heavier vehicles.
So cars have gotten a bit heavier as fuel economy increases, thanks to things like the turbochargers that are being added to many of today’s engines.
The increasing use of more fuel-efficient but heavier transmissions, with more gears inside, is another way that today’s cars have become economical while still gaining weight.
Manufacturers make cars heavier
Vehicle manufacturers sell their cars, trucks, and SUVs by making each new model superior to its predecessor.
This usually starts with an increase in interior space, so just about every new version of a given vehicle will be longer and wider.
This requires more materials and will increase that vehicle’s weight.
New models are also usually quieter inside, which takes extra sound insulation material.
That adds weight.
That adds weight.
You can also count on more standard features on these new models – that also packs on the pounds.
Consumer demands make cars heavier
Today’s consumers want certain equipment and options when they buy a car, and these in-demand items make most cars heavier.
More and more people in colder climates want all-wheel drive on their cars.
This provides safety in bad weather, but it also adds hundreds of pounds of weight.
The current trend to increased SUV sales and decreased car sales has made the average car on the road heavier.
A notable example of this is the growing popularity of big three-row SUVs, which can easily weigh between two and three tons – and that’s before you add any payload!
Questions about vehicle weights
What is the connection between weight & fuel efficiency?
The less that a car weighs, the less fuel it takes to make it go a certain distance.
Lighter, smaller cars do get the best fuel economy.
But what’s the best way to remove weight from a car?
You can’t remove the air conditioning or the infotainment systems – car owners won’t go for that.
You may have heard of some specialized materials, like carbon fiber, that can be used to replace steel and greatly reduce the weight of a car.
Unfortunately, carbon fiber is very expensive, and would add significant cost to mass-market vehicles.
It doesn’t matter how light a car is, if no one can afford to buy it!
Ford switched to an all-aluminum body for its F-150 pickup truck, which reduced the truck’s overall weight.
Cadillac has been able to reduce the weight of some of its cars by using a mixture of materials for various parts and subassemblies.
Once you own your car, there isn’t much you can do about its weight – or is there?
Do you use your car as your personal storage locker?
Are you constantly hauling around heavy sports equipment, weights, and other items that you don’t use regularly?
Here’s your chance to actually improve your car’s fuel efficiency!
worth of “stuff” that you remove from your car, your fuel economy will improve by around one percent.
You’ll see an even larger improvement with a smaller car.
What is the connection between weight & safety?
A lot of a modern car’s safety comes from the way it is designed, as well as all of the airbags and other safety systems built into it.
But what if your car is larger (heavier) or smaller (lighter) than the one you have hit?
The larger, heavier vehicle will hit the lighter one with much more force, and therefore is likely to cause more severe damage and injuries to the occupants of the smaller, lighter vehicle.
Of course, no matter how large your car is, there will always be larger vehicles than yours on the road.
Hitting one with any passenger vehicle will not be a pleasant experience.
So buy the vehicle that’s right for you, and drive defensively!
What is the connection between weight & your car’s scrap metal content?
At this point, most of your car’s value will be determined by its metal content.
The vehicle recycling industry is heavily impacted by the scrap metal market.
Since most of a car’s weight comes from the metal in it, a heavier car containing more metal will be worth more than a lighter one with less.
By weight, the average vehicle is 65% iron and steel, so a car weighing 3000 lbs.
will contain around 2000 lbs., or a ton, of these two ferrous metals.
In addition, there are other valuable metals found in your vehicle.
The heavier your car is, the more scrap metal it contains, so your payday from junking your car will be a bigger one.