The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations and It Still Runs define compact cars as a North American vehicle class that lands between mid-size and subcompact vehicles. What is a compact car? This class is the equivalent of the British small family car or a European C-Segment car.
Small, or compact, cars have between 100-109 cubic feet of combined passenger and cargo volume, and are between 161 and 187 inches long.
Guidelines for Compact Cars
Automobile classes are defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Regulations for 1977 and Later Model Year, dated July 1996. Compact cars have a combined passenger and cargo interior volume between 100 and 109 cubic feet. According to the EPA, a compact car should be able to comfortably seat up to four passengers.
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