I have one, it’s absolutely huge. Same size as my old Saab 9-5. But whereas I could fit 6 bikes in the Saab with the seats down, the saloon I can fit 2.
The tail gate design of saloons is frankly a ridiculous design as you can barely get anything loaded from the rear
I just have to get this off my chest…
2 seater sports cars - I mean what's the point!
In theory a saloon chassis/body is stiffer than a hatch and so handles "better". How much of this true, or even matters?
looks nicer than a hearse
they keep making them because idiots keep buying them 😉
I agree, never seen the point of saloon cars.
The number of saloons sold vs other body types tells you that the general populous has also come to that conclusion.
@scotroutes has what's probably the only reason to persist, or if you have stuff you want to keep out of sight. In a race car you'd probably want the hatch anyway as it would make it easier to fabricate a stiff roll cage that will out perform the standard body stiffness.
2 seater sports cars – I mean what’s the point!
I have one of those, it definitely has a point.
theory a saloon chassis/body is stiffer than a hatch and so handles “better”. How much of this true, or even matters?
More so than a hatchback? Didn’t know that. Anyhow if that’s the case I could see the point on a high performance car, but as you say, on a 2l Mazda 6 that weighs more than the moon…
For people who don't need the huge boot. And having the boot separate to the cabin means the cabin is normally quieter, passengers don't get subjected to cold air/rain etc when the boot is open. Therefore they're more in the luxury end.
they keep making them because idiots keep buying them 😉
Guilty as charged. Never really thought it through, although in my defense I did try to get hold of the estate version with no success
Baddies can lock people in the boot in films.
Never owned a saloon - does rather beg the question as to why you bought it tpbiker....?
My pet electric car peeve - will someone please make a large electric estate car. I don't want a slopey rear reverse tardis SUV or a small hatchback.
Estate Model S or electric A6 estate would do nicely thanks.
In a true saloon car it's quieter as the noise from the rear wheels is completely isolated.
I think they peaked here in the late 70s but they continued to be very popular in Europe until recent years. Think Escort, Cortina, Audi 100/A6, Merc 190/C, BMW 3/5/7 series, Passat, lots of Volvos, Renault, Peugeots, Nissan Bluebird, Marina/Ital/Montego
Things have changed slowly in Europe but their preference for saloons gave us monstrosities like the Clio saloon, Megane Saloon, Opel/Vauxhall Belmont but there were some nice ones like the VW Jetta and the Audi 200 quattro (be still my beating heart)
I was in an Audi sales showroom yesterday, the S3 Saloon looked stunning, and about the right size for my solo journeys around the country.
The RS6 next to it looked better for the bikes though. Its annoying how good looking Audi's are inside and outside, when we got back into my 320d Jnr said to me, "hmm Daddy, your car's lacking compared to those"
SorryI can't add any more to the discussion.
They are quieter and more refined.
I've had a BMW 3 series saloon and estate. The saloon was only slightly less practical than the estate. However an equivalent x3 SUV wins hands down on practicality
My pet electric car peeve – will someone please make a large electric estate car. I don’t want a slopey rear reverse tardis SUV or a small hatchback.
Yeah I hate the lack of estate EV's too, but there is a good reason at least - due to the battery pack it's much easier to build an SUV which allows room for the battery under the seats.
Give it time and there'll be more about.
A poor choice for people wanting to carry awkwardly shaped large but light items such as mountain bikes. So not going to be much love for them here.
They do have their benefits, and are significantly nicer than a "crossover" [shudders]
Don't get me started on "crossover SUVs", all the practicality of a saloon but don't worry it has the handling of a 4x4. Literally what is to like?
does rather beg the question as to why you bought it tpbiker….?
Indeed it does! Tbh I rocked up with my road bike before I bought it and it went in no issues.
Subsequently tried to put in the gravel bike with wider handlebars and they were too wide to fit through the opening without taking off the front wheel! It then dawned on me the error of my ways
Baddies can lock people in the boot in films.
I believe that American saloons have to have an internal release for this reason. I could be imagining it though.
I believe that American saloons have to have an internal release for this reason. I could be imagining it though.
The Baddies cut those out though - have you not read any Jack Reacher books!? 🙂
The tail gate design of saloons
The boot lid?
I had a Vento and a Golf mk3 at the same time. The Vento was a much nicer car. Drove better, huge boot carried more (buggy and travel cot in lengthways - try that in your hatchback), quieter. Sadly it was the 1.9TDI not the VR6 driven by the police.
Truth be told, I bought it as the cheapest car with that engine. It was 3k cheaper than the equivalent Golf and I made the garage a silly offer telling them they’d never sell it to anyone else. I drove 144k faultless miles in that car commuting and it averaged 12p/mile all in (including depreciation) over that time. A lorry reversed into it and wrote it off and I was heartbroken. The Golf died on the M4 when the 1.4 petroleum expired and I never missed it.
The Baddies cut those out though – have you not read any Jack Reacher books!?
The cunning little things.
I believe that American saloons
Are called sedans and they have a trunk rather than boot.
Americans 'used to' do it best...
A poor choice for people wanting to carry awkwardly shaped large but light items such as mountain bikes.
Yep, but a good choice for carrying golf clubs. Probably a better market to target.
I had one for a while. Was quite handy living in a cheaper bit of the city. Could leave sports kit and other handy bits and bobs in the boot and not worry about it. Nothing valuable but anything visible would result in a broken window. Bike fitted on the back seat OK so worked out alright for trips away. Wouldn't buy one now.
Don’t get me started on “crossover SUVs”, all the practicality of a saloon but don’t worry it has the handling of a 4×4. Literally what is to like?
Well you've got to have something to 'other' people with, I guess.
SUV owner here. I find my one has equal practicality to our Passat estate, which is no small thing itself. YMMV.
Manual cars, what's the point?
they keep making them because idiots keep buying them
I like saloons and currently have a 3 series. Quieter & more refined and I don't need to carry big stuff as my OH has SUV's.
Americans ‘used to’ do it best…
Mleh, amateur effort...Behold...Note that it's a 2 door.
Manual cars, what’s the point?
And.
Car manuals, what's the point?
Are called sedans and they have a trunk rather than boot.
Are called sedans by Americans. And Americans call the boot a trunk. But I am not American. Thank god.
God made America.
America makes Sedans.
Sedans are chairs.
You get chairs in saloons.
Makes you think.
Where do you put your dog if you have a saloon car?
The dog drives.
Another dull saloon
I had a Vento and a Golf mk3 at the same time. The Vento was a much nicer car. Drove better, huge boot carried more (buggy and travel cot in lengthways – try that in your hatchback),
Not surprisingly the Vento (which was basically a Golf with a bit more boot tagged on to the back end) had a larger capacity than the Golf.
I think that the point of this thread is that as the Vento already had that extra length over the Golf, then it may as well have had the extra height to this length for even more internal space.
(I'm making an assumption that there was a golf/Vento estate variant back then)
My pet electric car peeve – will someone please make a large electric estate car. I don’t want a slopey rear reverse tardis SUV or a small hatchback.
MG 5?
Pretty long range, pretty quick charging, pretty cheap, and it's an estate...
The golf estate was 3k more expensive and the same length, but had no more space unless you piled stuff high. The VR6 was a great car and the police loved them.
When I came to replace it, I used the buggy test. Insert buggy lengthways and close the boot. Surprising how many cars (including estates) can’t take a buggy length ways.
Saloon cars will be longer than hatchbacks.
Americans ‘used to’ do it best…
All the cornering and handling ability of MS Ever Given
Where do you put your dog if you have a saloon car?
In the Land Rover. Well, one's gamekeeper usually puts him in, but you get the idea.
passengers don’t get subjected to cold air/rain etc when the boot is open
That had never occurred. Makes sense for taxis then.
Americans ‘used to’ do it best…
Someone finally explained vinyl roofs to me a month or so back. Supposed to look like a convertible.
Though no-one has explained the allure of convertibles to me. I've driven one for a weekend (MX5 London to Dorset and back and around Lyme Regis) and I've been driven in the back of one (a Golf) and both times found it pointless and unpleasant.
In traffic you're breathing more fumes and it's unpleasantly noisy. Above 30mph it's unpleasantly noisy and you're buffeted by the wind*. Both times found it massively unpleasant on a busy A road or motorway. Unless it's really warm you're cold but if the sun is out you've got no shade. Was ok on a quiet country lane.
(which also goes for driving with the windows open, yet I see people in modern cars which must have working aircon with their windows open on the motorway frequently)
I believe that American saloons have to have an internal release for this reason. I could be imagining it though.
I rented a Ford Fusion in Canada and can confirm.
Ford made a minging focus saloon
Agree on the looks of the Audi A200 above, but then I thought the Avant version looked great too
