It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Mid-size car. (Discuss)

A Ford Mondeo, a large family car.

A large family car is a European classification of cars which are larger than a small family car and smaller than an executive car. Examples of popular large family cars are the Ford Mondeo, Opel Vectra, Renault Laguna and Volkswagen Passat. Models designed by luxury car manufacturers are also called compact executive cars or simply compact executives, while a multi-purpose vehicle based on a large family car is called a large MPV. Equivalently sized cars in North America are usually called mid-size cars; the term "family car" is fairly often used to refer to a vehicle in this class. Examples include the Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and the Buick LaCrosse. Image File history File links Merge-arrows. ... A mid-size car, frequently referred to as an intermediate, is an automobile with a size between that of a compact and a full-size or standard-size car. ... Image File history File links Ford. ... Image File history File links Ford. ... The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... “Car” and “Cars” redirect here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Executive car is a British term used generally to describe an automobile larger than a large family car, but which is not a high-end or ultra luxury car, a multi-purpose vehicle or a sport utility vehicle. ... The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Renault Laguna is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault. ... The Volkswagen Passat is a family car built by Volkswagen AG (VW), produced in various forms since 1973. ... A luxury car is a relatively expensive car. ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... Alfa Romeo 159, a compact executive car mainly sold in Europe Infiniti G35, an entry-level luxury car for sale in North America and Japan Compact executive car (British English, Mittelklasse in German) or entry-level luxury car (American English) is a car classification which respectively describes large family cars... An MPV or multi-purpose vehicle is a passenger-carrying vehicle based on a car platform, and is generally a one box design—neither a distinct bonnet (US: hood) nor boot (US: trunk), but rather a maximised interior space. ... A modern minivan - 2004 Chrysler Town & Country Typical early minivan (a Dodge Caravan) A minivan, people carrier, multi utility vehicle (MUV),or multi purpose vehicle (MPV) is a type of vehicle which has a body that resembles a van, but which has rear side doors, rear side windows, and interior... A mid-size car, frequently referred to as an intermediate, is an automobile with a size between that of a compact and a full-size or standard-size car. ... The American Ford Fusion (code name CD338) is a mid-size car based on the Ford CD3 platform. ... The Chevrolet Malibu (named after Malibu, California) is a mid-size car produced in the United States by General Motors. ... The Buick LaCrosse is a Buick automobile model introduced in the United States for the 2005 model year. ...

Overview

Polish large family car Fiat 125p of 1972, with a chrome grill.

Current large family cars are between 4.60 m and 4.75 m in the case of models from mainstream automakers, and between 4.50 m and 4.60 m in the case of premium marques. The most popular body styles are sedan / saloon, station wagon / estate, liftback, coupé and convertible; hatchbacks are extremely rare. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (940x662, 97 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Polski Fiat 125p ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (940x662, 97 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Polski Fiat 125p ... This article is about the unit of length. ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... A notchback full-size luxury sedan. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... A fastback liftback - Ford Mondeo Despite its three-box silhouette, the Daihatsu Applause is a notchback liftback A liftback is a car body style in which the cargo space (trunk or boot) is accessed through a tailgate that extends up to the higher end of the C-pillar and includes... The Peugeot 406 Coupé, designed by Pininfarina 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC coupé, noted for its large, angular design 1997 Rover Vitesse Coupe, club coupé Rover P5 Coupe, a traditional four-door coupé Mercedes CLS, a modern four-door coupé Gala-Coupé of Leopold II, Brussels 1970s Sunbeam Alpine fastback coup... Saab 900 Convertible 1962 Rambler American 1981 AMC Eagle 4-WD convertible Convertible can also refer to a convertible security A convertible (sometimes called cabriolet in British English) is a car body style with a folding or retracting roof (aka soft top or top in USA, hood in UK). ... Renault Megane hatchback, a proper hatchback which has shown huge success in Europe Peugeot 306 hatchback, with the hatch lifted and the parcel shelf tilted for access Hatchback is a term designating an automobile design, containing a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind the vehicle by...

As it happened with executive cars in the late 1980s and early 1990s, mainstream large family cars are declining in sales, with many buyers preferring to downsize to high-spec versions of small family cars such as the Ford Focus or Vauxhall/Opel Astra, or to compact executive cars like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Ironically, the large number of people seeking cars with a better image is slowly worsening the image of premium brands as they become less exclusive. Downsizing refers to layoffs initiated by a company in order to cut labor costs by reducing the size of the company. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Ford Focus is the name of a series of compact/small family cars made by the Ford Motor Company and sold in most Ford markets worldwide. ... Opel Astra The Astra is a small family car of the General Motors Corporation, badged as an Opel in India, continental Europe and the Republic of Ireland; a Vauxhall in the United Kingdom, a Holden in Australasia, and a Chevrolet in Latin America. ... Alfa Romeo 159, a compact executive car mainly sold in Europe Infiniti G35, an entry-level luxury car for sale in North America and Japan Compact executive car (British English, Mittelklasse in German) or entry-level luxury car (American English) is a car classification which respectively describes large family cars... The Audi A4 is a compact executive car produced by the German automaker Audi since 1994. ... The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury car / compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. ... The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a luxury compact car produced by the Mercedes Car Group division of Daimler. ...

For their part, mainstream manufacturers as trying to push their image up market by removing liftback options, upping equipment and quality levels and boosting prices. Quite why a hatchback is seen as down market is not clear. One idea is that the less practical a car gets the more the owner can claim they do not need practicality as they can pay someone to garden, build, tidy and shop for them. The lack of estates in large luxury cars could be seen as evidence of this. A fastback liftback - Ford Mondeo Despite its three-box silhouette, the Daihatsu Applause is a notchback liftback A liftback is a car body style in which the cargo space (trunk or boot) is accessed through a tailgate that extends up to the higher end of the C-pillar and includes... A luxury car is a relatively expensive car. ...

List of large family cars

1970s

The Alfa Romeo Alfetta was a rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1984 by Alfa Romeo. ... The Austin Maxi was a medium sized 5-door hatchback car from British Leyland for the 1970s. ... The Simca 1307 was a mid-sized hatchback car, sold by Chrysler in Europe and Talbot between 1975 and 1986. ... It has been suggested that Fiat 124 Sport Spider be merged into this article or section. ... Fiat 131 Volumetrico Abarth Fiat 131 Abarth The Fiat 131 was a small/medium family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1974 to 1984. ... 1974 Sunbeam Rapier 1975 Humber Sceptre The Hillman Hunter was an automobile produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group (later Chrysler Europe) from 1966 to 1979. ... The Marina was a car manufactured by the Morris division of British Leyland throughout the 1970s, a period of great turbulence and difficulty for the British car industry. ... 1963 Datsun Bluebird. ... The Opel Ascona was a midsized car produced by Opel, the German subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Peugeot 504 is a large family car produced by French automaker Peugeot between 1968 and 1983 in Europe. ... The Renault 12 is a medium sized family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault between 1968 and 1980. ... The Renault 16 was a large family car with an at first unusual hatchback body, produced by French manufacturer Renault between 1965 and 1980 in Sandouville, Le Havre, France. ... The Renault 18 is a large family car produced by French manufacturer Renault between 1978 and 1993. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Toyota Carina The Toyota Carina was initially a Japanese compact car, launched in 1970. ... The Vauxhall Cavalier was a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors from 1976 to 1995. ... The Volkswagen Passat is a family car built by Volkswagen AG (VW), produced in various forms since 1973. ... VW K70 The Volkswagen K70 (pronounced as ka siebzig in German) is a sedan automobile produced by both NSU and Volkswagen from 1969 to 1974. ...

1980s

The Austin Montego is a British mid-size saloon car that was produced by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland (BL), and its successors, from 1984 until 1994. ... The Citroën BX was a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1982 and 1994. ... The Fiat Regata was the saloon version of the Fiat Ritmo small family car, produced by Italian automaker Fiat. ... The Ford Sierra was a large family car built by Ford Europe between 1982 and 1993, originally designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément, . Released on 21 September 1982, it replaced the Ford Cortina/Taunus, and was itself replaced by the Mondeo. ... The Honda Accord is an automobile manufactured by Honda since 1976, debuting as a compact hatchback and evolving into a intermediate vehicle. ... The Mazda 626 is an automobile produced by Mazda for the export market. ... The Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969. ... The Morris Ital was launched in June 1980. ... 1963 Datsun Bluebird. ... The Opel Ascona was a midsized car produced by Opel, the German subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Vauxhall Cavalier was a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors from 1976 to 1995. ... 1990 Peugeot 405 Mi16 1990 Peugeot 405 Mi16 1994 Peugeot 405 The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under license outside France. ... The Renault 21 was a midsize car built by the French manufacturer Renault between 1986 and 1994. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Toyota Carina The Toyota Carina was initially a Japanese compact car, launched in 1970. ... The Volkswagen Passat is a family car built by Volkswagen AG (VW), produced in various forms since 1973. ...

1990s

Note unusual notchback profile of Citroën Xantia Hatchback Station wagon version of Xantia 1. ... The Daewoo Nubira was a car made by Daewoo Motors. ... The Chevrolet Evanda (previously Daewoo Magnus) is a mid-sized sedan sold by GM Daewoo positioned to compete with the the Hyundai Sonata. ... The Fiat Tempra is a large family car produced by Italian automaker Fiat from 1990 to 1998. ... Fiat Marea The Fiat Marea is a sedan-type automobile, based on the Brava/Bravo hatchback platform. ... The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. ... The Honda Accord is an automobile manufactured by Honda since 1976, debuting as a compact hatchback and evolving into a intermediate vehicle. ... The Hyundai Sonata is a mid-size sedan built by the Hyundai Motor Company. ... 1999 Kia Clarus Kias first mass production large family sedan was the Clarus (Known as Credos in South Korea), based around the running gear of the pre-1997 Mazda 626, which went on sale across the world in the summer of 1999. ... The Mazda 626 is an automobile produced by Mazda for the export market. ... The Mitsubishi Carisma was an automobile built for the European midsize segment from 1995 to 2004. ... The Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969. ... The Nissan Primera is a large family saloon produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan for the domestic and European markets. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Peugeot 406 was a large family car from the French automaker Peugeot from 1995 to 2004. ... The Renault 21 was a midsize car built by the French manufacturer Renault between 1986 and 1994. ... The Renault Laguna is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault. ... The Rover 400/45 was a mid-size automobile introduced in the 1990s, and produced until 2005 under the name Rover 45. ... The Legacy is a mid-size car introduced by the Japanese manufacturer Subaru in February 1989 as a larger, upscale companion to the companys Leone/Loyale and currently serves as the flagship model in the Subaru range. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Toyota Carina The Toyota Carina was initially a Japanese compact car, launched in 1970. ... The Volkswagen Passat is a family car built by Volkswagen AG (VW), produced in various forms since 1973. ...

2000s

The Citroën C5 is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since early 2001. ... For pre-2006 models marketed as Chevrolet Epica, see Daewoo Magnus. ... The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. ... The Hyundai Sonata is a mid-size sedan built by the Hyundai Motor Company. ... Pre-facelift Acura TSX The Acura TSX is an automobile manufactured by Honda, introduced in April 2003, sold in North America to compete in the entry-level luxury car segment against the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Saab 9-3 and Lexus IS. Sold in North... Kia Magentis (also known as the Kia Optima in some markets) is a v6 luxury sedan that was launched in Australia in May 2001 and in Europe in 2002. ... 2005 Mazda6 wagon The Atenza or Mazda6 is a midsize car from the Japanese carmaker Mazda. ... The Nissan Primera is a large family saloon produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan for the domestic and European markets. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Peugeot 407 is a large family car produced by the French automaker Peugeot since 2004. ... The Proton Waja is a saloon car designed in-house by Malaysian automotive company, Proton, first released in August 2000. ... The Renault Laguna is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault. ... The Legacy is a mid-size car introduced by the Japanese manufacturer Subaru in February 1989 as a larger, upscale companion to the companys Leone/Loyale and currently serves as the flagship model in the Subaru range. ... The Škoda Superb is an executive car built by the Czech car manufacturer Škoda Auto. ... The Volkswagen Passat is a family car built by Volkswagen AG (VW), produced in various forms since 1973. ... The Toyota Camry is a mid-size sedan assembled by Toyota in Georgetown, Kentucky; Altona, Victoria, Guangzhou, China and the original factory in Toyota City, Japan. ...

Large family cars in the UK since 1970

1970s

Since the launch of the original model in 1962, the Ford Cortina had been firmly established as the most popular large family car in Britain. The 1966 MK2 model picked up where its successor left off, but the MK3 model - launched in October 1970 - just took the Cortina from strength to strength. Its was Britain's best selling car by 1972, and was still in pole position upon the launch of its successor in 1976. The MK4 was mildly updated in late 1979 to become the Cortina 80, and that year the Cortina completed eight successive years as Britain's most popular car. The Ford Cortina was a medium sized family car sold by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to 1982. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...

British Leyland were the only carmaker to come anywhere near the Cortina's success in the UK. Its 1971 Marina was regularly Britain's third or fourth most popular new car throughout the decade in spite of critics who slated the car for its suspect quality, relatively old-fashioned design and lack of technical flair - its suspension dated back to the 1948 Morris Minor! BL's Austin Maxi received a more favourable public image - boosted by its spacious interior and practical hatchback bodystyle - but was always quite some way behind the Cortina in the sales charts. The similarly-sized Triumph Dolomite was a sporty and stylish alternative to these more mundane offerings, but was produced in relatively limited numbers and never aimed at taking too many sales off potential Cortina buyers. The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... The Marina was a car manufactured by the Morris division of British Leyland throughout the 1970s, a period of great turbulence and difficulty for the British car industry. ... Later Morris Minor Van with aftermarket rear side windows Morris Minor Traveller (estate) Morris Minor Rally The revolutionary Morris Minor (the prototype was called Mosquito) was launched at the Earls Court Motor Show on 20 September, 1948. ... The Austin Maxi was a medium sized 5-door hatchback car from British Leyland for the 1970s. ... The Triumph Dolomite was a popular small–medium-sized four-door saloon car, made by Triumph under the British Leyland organisation. ...

The Rootes Group became Chrysler UK in 1970 to reflect its takeover by the American carmaker several years earlier, but the ultra-conventional Hunter remained on sale throughout the decade - surviving the Chrysler rebranding of the range and the launch of the far more modern Chrysler Alpine in 1975. It lingered until 1979, the year that financially-troubled Chrysler sold its European operations to Peugeot of France and rebadged the entire Chrysler/Simca range as Talbots. The front-wheel drive Alpine hatchback was arguably the most modern looking large family car on sale at the time of its launch and for some years afterwards, but it never quite managed to achieve the sales success that its makers had hoped for. The Rootes Group is a now-defunct British automobile manufacturer. ... Chrysler UK was the British division of the American carmaker Chrysler. ... For other uses, including the Chrysler Brand, see Chrysler (disambiguation). ... 1974 Sunbeam Rapier 1975 Humber Sceptre The Hillman Hunter was an automobile produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group (later Chrysler Europe) from 1966 to 1979. ... The Simca 1307 was a mid-sized hatchback car, sold by Chrysler in Europe and Talbot between 1975 and 1986. ... Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën. ... Talbot is an automobile brand, whose history is one of the industrys most complex. ...

Vauxhall's Victor range was fading fast come 1974 in the face of soaring Cortina sales]]. The solution to this problem came in October 1975 when its Cavalier - a restyled and rebadged version of the German Opel Ascona - went on sale and proved to be an instant success with the fleet market in particular. Vauxhall is an inner city area of south London in the London Borough of Lambeth. ... The Vauxhall Victor was a medium/large model of automobile produced by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors from 1957 to 1976. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... The Ford Cortina was a medium sized family car sold by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to 1982. ... The Vauxhall Cavalier was a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors from 1976 to 1995. ... The Opel Ascona was a midsized car produced by Opel, the German subsidiary of General Motors. ...

By the end of the decade, foreign cars in this sector were still a comparative rarity, though a few overseas models were starting to gain popularity. These included the Volkswagen Passat, Renault 18 and Datsun Bluebird. The Volkswagen Passat is a family car built by Volkswagen AG (VW), produced in various forms since 1973. ... The Renault 18 is a large family car produced by French manufacturer Renault between 1978 and 1993. ... 1963 Datsun Bluebird. ...

In 1979, the large family car sector was still the most popular in the UK, with the Cortina, Cavalier, Maxi, Marina and Alpine all selling in high quantities.

1980s

1982 saw the Ford Cortina finish production after 20 years and five incarnations. The final two incarnations had recorded an amazing 1,000,000+ sales in the space of six years in the UK alone. But its conventional three-box saloon bodystyle was starting to look a little dated in the face of one or two newer rivals, and Ford took a radical approach with its successor - the Sierra, which maintained the Cortina's rear-drive layout but used a hatchback body rather than a saloon one, and had aerodynamic styling which was a world away from the Cortina's boxy looks. Initial sales were mixed, but popularity soon soared and the Sierra was one of the most popular cars in Britain during the 1980s, with mild makeovers in 1987 and 1989 making it more appealing. The Ford Cortina was a medium sized family car sold by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to 1982. ... The Ford Sierra was a large family car built by Ford Europe between 1982 and 1993, originally designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément, . Released on 21 September 1982, it replaced the Ford Cortina/Taunus, and was itself replaced by the Mondeo. ...

Back in 1977, General Motors had set about designing a class-leading and innovative new car for European buyers to take on the might of the Ford Cortina and other similar products. The original Cavalier had been a huge success in the UK, but its successor - launched in 1981 - was even more successful. It featured front-wheel drive as well as the option of a hatchback bodystyle, as well as class-leading levels of fuel economy and performance. Prices were also competitive, and for much of its production life it was the most popular large family car in the UK. By the time its successor was launched in 1988, the MK2 Cavalier had sold more than 800,000 examples in the space of seven years! The MK3 Cavalier was also an instant hit with buyers thanks to its sleek styling, good handling, refined engines and generous equipment levels. General Motors Corporation, also known as GM or The General, an American multinational conglomerate corporation, is the worlds largest auto company by annual production volume for 2006, and the second largest by sales volume as of the first half of 2007, behind Toyota Motor Corporation. ... The Ford Cortina was a medium sized family car sold by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to 1982. ...

With the Morris Marina looking more and more dated, British Leyland employed Giugiaro's ItalDesign studio to update it. The result - completed over the summer of 1980 - was the Morris Ital. It looked quite different to the Marina, but was still dated in comparison to many other similarly-sized cars at the time and there were no initial modifications to its ageing mechanical layout. Improvements in 1982 saw the introduction of an impressive new 2.0 engine from the Rover SD1, but the Ital was looking way behind the best of its competitors when it was replaced by the Austin Montego in 1984. The front-drive Montego was a considerably better car than the Marina and Ital, but it was never able to match the huge success of the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall Cavalier. The Rover 400 was shown in 1989 and scheduled to start production at the beginning of 1990, marking the beginning of the end of Montego production. The Marina was a car manufactured by the Morris division of British Leyland throughout the 1970s, a period of great turbulence and difficulty for the British car industry. ... The British Leyland Motor Corporation (often abbreviated to simply BL), was a Britain in 1968. ... Giorgetto Giugiaro (b. ... Italdesign-Giugiaro S.p. ... The Morris Ital was launched in June 1980. ... Rover SD1 is the code name given to a series of large executive cars made by British Leyland and Austin Rover Group from 1976 to 1987. ... The Austin Montego is a British mid-size saloon car that was produced by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland (BL), and its successors, from 1984 until 1994. ... The Rover 400/45 was a mid-size automobile introduced in the 1990s, and produced until 2005 under the name Rover 45. ...

The Talbot Alpine was still a fairly popular car in 1980, when the range expanded to include the Solara saloon. But sales began to fall over the next couple of years with the advent of the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall Cavalier, and it couldn't even hope to compete with the Morris Ital in terms of sales success. So production was pruned back after 1984 when the range was re-badged as the Minx and Rapier - with these Rootes era names being assigned to the models in accordance with trim level rather than bodystyle. Production ceased in 1986 when Peugeot decided to shelve the Talbot marque on passenger cars (reserving it for commercial vehicles) and use the Ryton plant for its own models. The first large Peugeot to roll off the Ryton production line was the Peugeot 405, which was launched at the end of 1987 and wowed the press and motoring public alike with its splendid Pininfarina-penned body and ultra-stiff chassis which gave class-leading ride and handling. It attracted high sales almost from the very first day and gave the chart-topping Sierra and Cavalier its first serious French competitor on the UK market. Another key factor in the 405's success was its impressive specification, which included the availability of four-wheel drive, fuel injection and 16-valve engines on more expensive variants. The diesel units were also impressive in terms of sturdiness and refinement. The Simca 1307 was a mid-sized hatchback car, sold by Chrysler in Europe and Talbot between 1975 and 1985. ... The Rootes Group is a now-defunct British automobile manufacturer. ... Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën. ... Ryton-on-Dunsmore is a village and civil parish in the Rugby district of Warwickshire, located just to the South East of Coventry, England. ... 1990 Peugeot 405 Mi16 1990 Peugeot 405 Mi16 1994 Peugeot 405 The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under license outside France. ... Pininfarina logo. ...

Japanese carmaker Nissan built a factory at Sunderland in 1986 and it initially produced only one type of car - the Bluebird, a solid and reliable alternative to the Sierra and Cavalier. The Bluebird's sales were strong, and by the end of the decade it had been confirmed that the Bluebird's successor would also be rolling off the line at Sunderland, with more of the marque's products to join it at a later date. Nissan Motor Co. ... For other uses, see Sunderland (disambiguation). ... 1963 Datsun Bluebird. ...

By the end of the 1980s, Ford, Vauxhall, Rover and Peugeot were the established and most favoured brands in the large family car sector, but this didn't stop many other carmakers from giving them a run for their money with overseas imports. These included the Renault 21, Citroen BX, Volvo 440/460, Toyota Carina, Honda Accord and Volkswagen Passat. The Renault 21 was a midsize car built by the French manufacturer Renault between 1986 and 1994. ... The Citro n BX was introduced in 1982 and was a somewhat radical car compared to many of its contemporaries. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Toyota Carina The Toyota Carina was initially a Japanese compact car, launched in 1970. ... The Honda Accord is an automobile manufactured by Honda since 1976, debuting as a compact hatchback and evolving into a intermediate vehicle. ... The Volkswagen Passat is a family car built by Volkswagen AG (VW), produced in various forms since 1973. ...

The 1980s also saw the large family car sector endure a slight decline in popularity among British buyers, as more and more of them were aspiring towards better-equipped small family cars including the Ford Escort, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Golf and Rover 200. The Ford Escort was a compact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 1967 through 2003. ... Vauxhall Astra is a model-name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors (GM), on their small family car ranges since 1979. ... The Volkswagen Golf (Mark 1 and Mark 5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Caribe in Mexico) is a compact car / small family car that Volkswagen manufactures. ... The Rover 200-series / 25 is an automobile produced by the Austin Rover Group, and latterly the Rover Group and MG Rover. ...

1990s

1990 was a successful year for Vauxhall. Its Cavalier sold 138,000 units in the UK and outsold the Ford Sierra. In fact, only two other cars - the Ford Fiesta and Ford Escort - managed to outsell the Cavalier at all that year. Its success continued and it remained top of the large family car sales charts for four years. In its final year, 1995, the Cavalier was still Britain's fifth most popular car. The Vectra that replaced it managed to enjoy a similar level of success in spite of some heavy criticism over reliability issues and the lack of driving and design flair, which were remedied with a mild facelift in early 1999 with oversaw a famously advertised 2,500 improvements. For information about the football team see Vauxhall Motors F.C. Vauxhall Motors is a UK car company. ... The Vauxhall Cavalier was a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors from 1976 to 1995. ... The Ford Sierra was a large family car built by Ford Europe between 1982 and 1993, originally designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément, . Released on 21 September 1982, it replaced the Ford Cortina/Taunus, and was itself replaced by the Mondeo. ... The Ford Fiesta is a mid-class supermini car designed and built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe, and also manufactured in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa. ... The Ford Escort was a compact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 1967 through 2003. ... 1992 Opel Vectra 2. ...

Ford's Sierra moved into the 1990s still looking fairly modern even though its tenth anniversary was approaching, thanks largely to a series of mild updates which smartened up its appearance and bolstered specification levels. Its successor finally came in February 1993 when the all-new Mondeo went on sale and carried on where its predecessor left off, establishing itself as Britain's best selling large family car for most of the rest of the 1990s. “Ford” redirects here. ... The Ford Sierra was a large family car built by Ford Europe between 1982 and 1993, originally designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément, . Released on 21 September 1982, it replaced the Ford Cortina/Taunus, and was itself replaced by the Mondeo. ... The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. ...

Rover's new 400 Series, launched at the beginning of 1990, gave buyers a classy and smooth-riding alternative to the ageing Montego, which lingered on in limited figures until the end of 1994. The 400 failed to sell as well as the Montego, but this was partly explained by the fact that it was marketed as a saloon version of the slightly smaller 200 Series - even though it was nearer in size to cars in the upper sector. Rover simplified its range in 1995 when the new 400 Series was launched in a format entirely different to that of the new 200 Series, although its relatively compact dimensions and high equipment levels meant that it was competing a size above its weight. This confusion was simplified in 1999 when the 400 Series was facelifted to become the Rover 45. Rover Group plc was the name that was given by the British government, in 1986, to the state-owned vehicle manufacturer British Leyland or BL. After divesting of its commercial vehicle and bus manufacturing divisions the company by then consisting of the car manufacturing arm Austin Rover Group and the... The Rover 400/45 was a mid-size automobile introduced in the 1990s, and produced until 2005 under the name Rover 45. ... The Austin Montego is a British mid-size saloon car that was produced by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland (BL), and its successors, from 1984 until 1994. ... The Rover 200-series / 25 is an automobile produced by the Austin Rover Group, and latterly the Rover Group and MG Rover. ... In the autumn of 1999, Rover gave the 400 Series a facelift and a new name - Rover 45. ...

The Peugeot 405 continued to sell in huge numbers and was one of Britain's most popular large family cars right up to the launch of its successor - the 406 - in late 1995. The 406 didn't sell in volumes quite as high as the 405, but it was still one of the most popular choices in its sector thanks to sleek looks, a comfortable interior and outstanding ride and handling. 1990 Peugeot 405 Mi16 1990 Peugeot 405 Mi16 1994 Peugeot 405 The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under license outside France. ... The Peugeot 406 was a large family car from the French automaker Peugeot from 1995 to 2004. ...

By the end of the 1990s, the large family car sector's share of the large family car sector had dipped slightly, even though Ford and Vauxhall offerings were still featuring near the top of the sales charts. The creation and success of the Compact MPV sector - spearheaded by the 1996 Renault Scenic - was partly to blame for this. Renault Mégane Scénic, the first car to be marketed as a compact MPV Opel Zafira, a seven-seater compact MPV A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars (sometimes also referred to as compact cars), fitting... The Renault Mégane Scénic was the first European car of its kind: a five-seater based on the chassis of a compact hatchback (in this case the Mégane which had been launched a year earlier) but with a high roof to give it the appearance and practicality...

2000s

The second generation Ford Mondeo was launched in late 2000 and was Britain's most popular choice in this sector right up to its replacement by the third generation Mondeo in the spring of 2007. The MK2 Mondeo was streets ahead of its predecessor in terms of visual appeal, refinement, build quality, value for money and equipment, but its market share started to decline throughout its production life. In 2001 it was the sixth most popular car in the UK, but had slumped to tenth place in 2003 and over the next three years came ninth. The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. ...

Vauxhall's Vectra entered its second incarnation in April 2002 and was an improvement over its predecessor in terms of quality, refinement, equipment and comfort, but wasn't as good to drive as some people might have expected. As of 2006, it had yet to feature in the country's top 10 selling cars for any of the five years it had been on sale. For information about the football team see Vauxhall Motors F.C. Vauxhall Motors is a UK car company. ... 1992 Opel Vectra 2. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Other popular choices in the large family car sector this decade include the Renault Laguna, Toyota Avensis, Peugeot 407 and Mazda 6. The sector has taken another slight decline over the last few years, with more buyers opting for upmarket small family cars, Crossover SUV's and Compact MPV's. The launch of Ford's impressive-looking new Mondeo in 2007 is seen by many as the car to revive the declining fortuns of this sector in the UK, as does the recently-released pre-production Vectra replacement due for a 2008 launch. The Renault Laguna is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault. ... Toyota Avensis, second generation. ... The Peugeot 407 is a large family car produced by the French automaker Peugeot since 2004. ... The Mazda 6 or Mazda Atenza is a mid-size car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Mazda since 2003. ... A crossover SUV (also called CUV for Crossover Utility Vehicle) or XUV (not to be confused with GMCs Envoy XUV) is an automobile with a sport utility vehicle appearance but is built upon a more economical and fuel-efficient unibody construction. ... Renault Mégane Scénic, the first car to be marketed as a compact MPV Opel Zafira, a seven-seater compact MPV A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars (sometimes also referred to as compact cars), fitting... 1992 Opel Vectra 2. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sales of the Nissan Primera ,launched at the end of 2001 had slumped so badly by November 2006 that Nissan's British operations withdrew it from the British market, though production is set to continue for export markets until 2008. Nissan bosses confirmed that a successor will be launched in due course, but have yet to confirm whether it will be sold in the UK. The Nissan Primera is a large family saloon produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan for the domestic and European markets. ... Nissan Motor Co. ...

See also

• List of current large family cars
• Compact executive car
• Executive car
• Large MPV
• Mid-size car
• Small family car