What Does a Car Weight? (By Car Type, Average Weight)

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. You can make informed decisions regarding modifications or other improvements by weighing your car.

What is your car's actual weight? 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.

How heavy does a car weigh

According to The Car Weight Survey, the average car is 4,094 lbs. U.S. Environmental Environmental Protection Agency. A small car, such as the Nissan Micra, weighs in at 2600 pounds. A large car, like the Audi A8, weighs in at 4400 pounds.

While older cars are generally lighter, the average car weigh has dropped over time. The reason cars now weigh less than 20 years ago is because newer cars have been designed to be lighter.

A car with a lighter weight will require less force to stop or start. This improves safety and handling. It also means that a car’s engine does not have to work as hard to move, which will reduce fuel consumption.

The Car Type and Weights

You can find a variety of car shapes and sizes. Although automobiles are made with various materials and techniques, the average car is the same weight for the type of material.

Here’re some of the average weights by the most common car types out there on the market:

The Car Model and Weights

This table lists the average car weights of some well-known car models.

These car models can be heavier or lighter depending on their year of manufacture, the engine type and any accessories that are installed.

Different 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? Let’s take a closer look!

Below are the main types of weight, along with brief explanations.

• Curb Weight Without the driver or passengers and any other cargo.
• Net Weight A car with maximum cargo and its driver, plus all other passengers, is the vehicle's weight.
• Total Gross Weight You should think about this unit if your trailer is attached. Both the trailer and your car should weigh equally.
• Payload: The car’s weight, cargo, passengers (gross weight), + anything you tow behind the car.
• Rating for Gross Weight Maximum weight that your vehicle can carry with you, the passenger, and cargo.
• Gross Axle Weight Each axle's weight.
• Maximum Load Trailer Weight: Similar to the gross combined rate. However, this includes the full-loaded trailer.
• Rated Gross Axle Weight: This is the maximum weight that any one of your cars can carry.

RELATED: Average Car Length – List of Car Lengths

How can I determine the weight of my vehicle?

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.

1. VIN decoder

The easiest and fastest way to find your car’s weight is probably by using a VIN decoder or lookup. VIN decoders are available in both paid and free editions. Mechanicbase offers a VIN decoder for free. All you have to do is enter your VIN.

There are many locations where you can locate the VIN number on your car. The most common places are outside the windshield on the underside, on the driver’s side. It can also sometimes be on the driver’s side door pillar. VIN is found on many cars. It is usually located around where the doors lock. It is possible to find the VIN label on many car models. This can be found in the engine compartment.

2. Refer to the owner's manual

The owner’s manual you received when you bought the car is another good place to find the weight of your car. If you have an instruction manual, keep it in the glovebox. You will find out the car's weight.

3. Wikipedia

Finding your car’s weight on Wikipedia is also an easy option as they have the most car models listed there with the specifications. However, this approach has the downside that you will not be able to find the correct results because there are many car types available with various engines and different accessories. It can still be useful if you don't need to know the exact weight of your car, but only want an estimate.

4. Driver side door

VIN, as well as other specifications like tire pressure, tire size, and weight are all found on nearly every car model. This sticker can often be found on the body of your car behind the driver’s door. Open the driver’s door and check for a label near the central locking bracket.

5. Get in touch with your manufacturer

You can contact your dealer with your VIN or registration number to find out if there are any specific specifications that your car has. While this may not be an easy or fastest way to find accurate information, it will provide you with the most reliable results.

6. Car scale

Of course, the best way to get your car’s exact weight is to weigh it on a scale. However, it is often difficult to find the right scale for weighing a car. These scales can be found at many car salvage yards or car inspection sites if you are really looking to weigh your car.

You may need to weigh your car on an electronic scale if your car has heavy accessories, like a sound system or dog cages.

FAQ: Car weight