Sedan vs. Coupe

You’ve got your coupes, and you’ve got your sedans. Coupes are two-door cars and sedans have four doors. Case closed, right?

Not so fast.

While the number of doors is an important difference, auto manufacturers use coupe and sedan platforms differently to build more specialized vehicles for their customers. As a result, the differences between coupes and sedans go beyond their exterior styling.

Learning how to define a coupe, and what makes a car a sedan, can help you find the vehicle that best matches your needs and your lifestyle.

Let’s get into it. It’s tempting to think black and white here: sedans are for four adults, and coupes are sportier cars for two grownups and one or maybe two small kids. (You’re not going to make your mom fold herself into the back of your coupe for a trip to the store, are you?)

But wait. Sedans can be sporty and stylish too. Sexy, even. (Seen a Dodge Charger or a Hyundai Genesis lately?) These adjectives don’t belong solely to the coupe. On the other hand, some coupes allow plenty of extra entry these days (see the Mazda RX-8 and the Hyundai Veloster). Other examples of blurred lines include the Volkswagen CC and the Mercedes-Benz CLA; these two vehicles are listed by their manufacturers as four-door coupes.

What is a Coupe?

The first coupes appeared in the 1800s when carriage builders tweaked traditional coach designs to shorten them and make it easier for passengers to climb aboard. As the popularity of coupe cars grew in the 1960s, more automotive designers welded hardtops to two-seat, open cars as a nod to their carriage roots.

Soon after, the coupe car term started to blur as manufacturers greatly diminished or completely removed the rear seat to create a sportier 2+2 body style. This term refers to cars that have a sleek, sloping roofline, two doors, and two functional seats up front, plus two tiny seats in the back. More recently, auto manufacturers started to apply the coupe definition to the sporty variants of their sedan lineup. As a result, the coupe term has become more popular with manufacturers, who apply it more loosely. Automakers may also offer both a coupe and sedan using the same model line, like the Honda Civic. The ability to clearly define coupe vehicles has become challenging in recent years as a result.

Who looks for coupes? Drivers who want something on the sportier side, who are economy-minded, and who don’t have larger families tend to get the most out of these fun two-door vehicles.

Types of Coupe Cars

Two-door, two-passenger coupes are often performance-oriented vehicles such as the Audi TT, Porsche 911, and aforementioned Mazda Miata. Some two-passenger coupes have a mid-engine layout with the powerplant behind the passengers, like the 2020 Acura NSX and redesigned 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. These coupes often have storage in the front of the vehicle, with a second trunk area in the rear. The all-new Corvette has quite a bit of cargo capacity, with room for multiple pieces of luggage in the front and two golf bags in the back. As a result, it’s a surprisingly good choice for a couple’s weekend getaway and livening up a routine commute.

If more room is desired, two-door, four- or five-passenger coupes maintain that performance orientation with even more practical usage. Less practical examples include the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, and Lexus RC. More practical coupes include the Audi A5, BMW 4 Series, Dodge Challenger, and Honda Civic coupe. A two-row coupe is a good choice if you mostly drive solo or with one other person and only on rare occasions carry more people.

Accessing the backseat in a two-row coupe is often a challenge, sometimes requiring an awkward step in, ahead tuck, and a full-body twist, with a similarly awkward ballet required for exiting. Ease of entry and exit is something to keep in mind when thinking about your usual passengers. Even when it provides room for five, a two-door coupe is not an ideal family or carpooling vehicle but is better for a daily driver or weekend wanderings on winding roads.

Two-door body styles are not limited to cars, with an array of SUVs over the years sporting two doors, although the distinctive low-slung roof lines of a coupe are often lost in the translation. The most popular two-door SUV is the Jeep Wrangler, in continuous production since the 1940s. More recent entries include the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque hardtop and convertible and the short-lived Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet.

Over the last decade or so, marketers stretched the definition of a coupe to include low-slung four-door sedans such as the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, Mercedes-Benz CLS, and Audi A7. These four-door cars have long, low lines, and both the BMW and Audi cleverly hide a useful hatchback. But despite their sporty, low-slung profiles, purists insist these vehicles are sedans, not coupes, as long as the doors number four instead of two.

Muscular four-door SUVs, often with long descriptive names as if to clarify what the heck this vehicle is, are also part of this conversation. These SUV coupes started with the 2009 BMW X6 and now include many other examples like the Porsche Cayenne Coupe and Mercedes GLE Coupe. Toyota also ventured into this space with the C-HR, a compact crossover with funky door handles and a sharply sloping rear roofline.

There’s a wide range of coupe cars and SUVs in the market. When shopping for a two-door coupe, keep in mind ease of rear-seat access, headroom, and cargo space. And remember that 4-door coupes and coupe SUVs are also available for when you want to blend sporty styling with added practicality.

What is a Sedan?

The first sedan to hit the marketplace was from the Renault car company. This vehicle had two rows of seats and four doors but lacked a fully enclosed cabin space. It proved to be a popular style, and Cadillac produced and sold the first completely enclosed sedan in 1906. Other manufacturers quickly followed suit by producing enclosed passenger vehicles which precisely met the sedan definition. Beyond embracing modern styling and features, sedan designs have not changed much over the years.

Along with its two additional doors, the modern sedan has a longer wheelbase than most coupes. This extra length gives both front and rear passengers more room to stretch out. In most sedans, the rear bench seats can seat three adults comfortably with enough leg and headroom for all. There’s more cargo space too, which makes sedans like the Toyota Camry ideal for extended shopping excursions and road trips. To fully define sedan characteristics, these cars all have fixed roofs.

Sedans will appeal to a broader market than coupes; sales of sedans have slid a bit in the last decade as customers began to seek larger SUVs that can carry both passengers and more cargo.

What Is the Difference Between a Sedan and a Coupe?

Sedans are the most popular type of car body style, with a three-box side profile and four doors. Classic sedans include the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry. Sedans fit four to five people in two rows and usually have a decent-size trunk for luggage, ideal for smaller households. With good aerodynamics and lighter weight than an SUV, sedans appeal to those concerned with fuel economy and a lower price.

While four-door sedans reign supreme in popularity and practicality, the coupe is a sportier sibling, sometimes with just as much practical cargo room. A coupe has two doors with a trunk or a hatchback. The roof can be a hardtop or convertible. Some coupes seat only two people, but others have room for up to five. Coupe cars come in a wide range of sizes and price points, spanning the smallest vehicles like the Mazda MX-5 Miata to the grand Rolls-Royce Wraith Coupe, and numerous examples in between.

Coupe rooflines are often dramatic, with a pronounced slope to the profile, particularly in the back, lending itself to a tapered finish. The Interior headroom is sometimes compromised as a result, especially for passengers designated for the back seat. Coupes are best suited for buyers seeking a sporty look and feel, with minimal worry for back seat passengers.

Key Differences Between Sedans and Coupes

Knowing the key differences between sedans and coupes can save you time as you research all the various body styles on the market today. Do you know the differences?

Performance

The coupe’s shorter wheelbase and lighter curb weight naturally boost this car’s overall performance. Acceleration and braking performance, for example, are noticeably enhanced when a vehicle weighs several hundred pounds less.

Sedans tend to be heavier, but they compensate for the extra weight with optional engine upgrades as you’ll find on the Nissan Altima. If you’re looking for additional power, it’s possible to choose a larger V6 over a four-cylinder model. These larger, heavier cars often have suspension upgrades that improve their performance and handling.

Exterior style cues

Removing two doors to create a coupe can dramatically change a car’s exterior styling, and gives it a sportier look. The body’s window frames (known as the B and C pillars) adjust slightly to account for changes to the overall length. The result is longer doors and rear windows. The longer doors look great but can be challenging when you’re parking in smaller lots.

Many sedans, except four-door sports cars, of course, drop the sporty vibe in favor of a luxurious look and feel. The shorter doors make entering and exiting the vehicle much easier for all passengers, and the window and door pillar changes help create a more balanced side-profile appearance.

Interior comfort

The amount of space available in the backseat area of coupes varies considerably from model to model. With some cars, like the Hyundai Genesis, the smaller backseat is tailored to the comfort of the rear passengers despite a bit less legroom. The molded seats and integrated cup holders make riding in the back seat a comfortable experience. Like many other two-door cars, this model has no middle seat, effectively limiting passenger space to just four occupants.

Sedans, like the Honda Accord, don’t compromise on passenger comfort in the front or back seats. Head and legroom are a priority. Furthermore, sedans typically have room for five passengers, thanks to a broader, bench-style seat with three seat belts.

Cargo space

Since sedans are longer cars, they naturally give you more cargo space in the trunk. The Hyundai Sonata, for example, has over 16 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk, making it great for getting groceries or taking on road trips. Coupes may have less cargo space, but it’s possible, on some models, to fold down the seats and expand the trunk area. Since each model varies in build type and quality, it’s important to look at both the specified cargo space and the interior’s flexibility to determine which vehicle has the most room for your belongings. One exception: the Dodge Challenger, a performance coupe that gives drivers more than 16 cubic feet of cargo space (about the same as a Hyundai Sonata).

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE YOU BUY

When automakers offer a particular model as both a sedan and coupe, in many cases both body style options will come with the same standard features. Optional features are generally available across both body styles as well, though there may be some limitations due to the build variances of sedan vs. coupe configurations. One difference: the Hyundai Genesis Coupe comes standard with cloth seats; the sedan gives you leather as an option.

The same performance feature specs tend to be available in both body styles within the same model line. However, drivetrain options can sometimes vary between body styles. Take the 2015 Hyundai Genesis for example; the coupe is only available with a 3.8L engine, plus your choice of an automatic or six-speed manual transmission, and is two-wheel drive only. The sedan version gives you the choice of a 3.8L or bigger 5.0L engine, and two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (and only an automatic transmission — no stickshift).

Each body style in a model line typically has the same basic engine, transmission, and braking components. Suspension components, however, may receive an upgrade in sedans to accommodate the extra weight and length of this body style. Furthermore, if a coupe is marketed as a sporty variant of the sedan, the manufacturer may offer additional performance upgrades.

Coupe vs. Sedan: choosing your ideal vehicle type

In the end, it comes down to the way the vehicle looks, feels, and drives as you make your decision between these two popular body styles. Be sure to look online to compare features and check out descriptive photographs, and then pick three to five sedans or coupes that meet your unique expectations. When you take a test drive, bring down the whole family to determine how well everyone fits inside. Narrowing down your choices in this fashion will help ensure that the vehicle you choose serves you well.