A notchback is a car design with the rear section distinct from the passenger compartment and where the back of the passenger compartment is at an angle to the top of what is typically the rear baggage compartment.[1] Notchback cars have "a trunk whose lid forms a distinct deck."[2] In profile view, the body has a step down from the roof with a downward inclined passenger compartment's rear window to meet an almost horizontal trunk lid extending to the rear of the car.[3]
The category may be characterized as having a three-box design where the trunk volume is less pronounced than the engine and passenger compartments.[4]
Many models of sedans, coupés, or hatchbacks could be classified as notchbacks. However, the category has limited salience outside American car manufacturers, who distinguish the three-box models from other body styles in the same model range. For example, the Chevrolet Vega range included both a notchback coupe and a fastback coupe.
- ^ "Notchback definition and meaning". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ "Definition of Notchback". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ Tudose, Sergiu (30 September 2023). "Fastback Revolution: Here's Why You'll Soon Be Saying Goodbye to All Four-Door Sedans". autoevolution. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ Hearst Autos Research. "What is a Sedan? Car Buying Tips". Retrieved 11 January 2024.