E-segment

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Car size classification in Europe

title: "E-segment" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["euro-car-segments"] description: "Car size classification in Europe" topic_path: "general/euro-car-segments" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-segment" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Car size classification in Europe ::

| align = right | direction = vertical | header = 2024 best-selling E-segment cars | image1 = Mercedes-Benz W214 1X7A1841.jpg | caption1 = Mercedes-Benz E-Class 6th generation (2023-present) | image2 = BMW G60 520i 1X7A2443.jpg | caption2 = BMW 5 Series 8th generation (2024-present) | image3 = 2018 Audi A6 TDi Quattro Front.jpg | caption3 = Audi A6 5th generation (2018–present) | image4 = 2018 Volvo S90 R-Design D4 Automatic 2.0 Front.jpg | caption4 = Volvo S90 1st generation (2016-present) | image5 = | caption5 =

The E-segment is the 5th category of the European segments for passenger cars, synonymous with the term executive car.

E-Segment is a niche in Europe (2-3% penetration in 2010s). In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, E-segment sales accounted for 2.7%, 2.7%, 2.3% and 2.1% market share in Europe, respectively.

Characteristics

Most E-segment cars are sedans/saloons, however several models are also produced in other body styles such as wagons/estates. As of 2021, E-segment cars typically have a length of about 4.8 to 5 m.

European vs. American classification

The terms E-segment or executive car do not have a one-to-one equivalent in the American car classification. However, if a modern E-segment sedan by a European brand is sold in the U.S., it falls into the category of both mid-size and full-size sedan, usually a mid-size luxury sedan.

The American mid-size sedan classificationAlso, the American full-size sedan classification does not have any equivalent in the European classification with the exception of full-size luxury cars which belong to the F-segment. As European segments denote both size and equipment level, American full-size cars that are not luxury cars simply do not belong to any of the European segments. Considering length only, they would always fall into the F-segment or even exceed its dimensions - with a possible exception of the Toyota Avalon and Nissan Maxima which may or may not be short enough to be considered E-segment (this is as of 2021). spans both the D-segment and the E-segment. With size brackets of European car segments increasing, the Toyota Camry fell from the E-segment into the D-segment while remaining a mid-size car.

Current models

In 2020, the highest selling E-segment cars in Europe were the Mercedes-Benz E-class, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6, Volvo V90/S90 and Porsche Taycan.

50,000 - 100,000 sales (Best-Selling)

File:Mercedes-Benz W214 1X7A1841.jpg|Mercedes-Benz E-Class 6th generation (2024–present) File:BMW G60 520i 1X7A2443.jpg|BMW 5 Series 8th generation (2024–present) File:2018 Audi A6 TDi Quattro Front.jpg|Audi A6 5th generation (2018–present)

10,000 - 50,000 sales

File:2018 Volvo S90 R-Design D4 Automatic 2.0 Front.jpg|Volvo S90 1st generation (2016-present) File:2020 Porsche Taycan 4S 79kWh Front.jpg|Porsche Taycan 1st generation (2019-present)

Fewer than 10,000 sales File:Audi A7 C8 IMG 0761 (cropped).jpg|Audi A7 2nd generation (2018-present) File:Tesla Model S in Limburg (2).jpg|Tesla Model S 1st generation (2012-present) File:Lexus ES 300h (AXZH10) IMG 3881.jpg|Lexus ES 7th generation (2018-present) File:2022 Audi E-tron GT Quattro 1.jpg|Audi e-tron GT 1st generation (2020–present)

Moved to F-segment File:Porsche 972 IMG 9526.jpg|Porsche Panamera 3rd generation (2024-present) File:BMW G16 IMG 5712.jpg|BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé 2nd generation (2018-present)

Sales figures in Europe

::data[format=table]

2020rankBrandModel20132014201520162017201820192020% change(2019–2020)12345678910111213141516Segment total402,673394,931389,184366,603422,525415,757363,131246,181-32%Source
Mercedes-BenzE-Class106,55999,56584,77199,494127,638117,906107,45370,171-35%
BMW5 Series107,30798,70188,89881,599109,953108,65389,32659,814-33%
AudiA6 / S6 / RS6 / A6 allroad quattro82,88384,28395,32993,47978,94471,25883,01255,737-33%
VolvoS90 / V90---10,83455,19356,19240,31523,578-42%
PorscheTaycan------74612,332+1553%
AudiAudi A7 / S7 / RS78,9868,47310,1969,1206,1118,9358,1855,807-29%
TeslaModel S3,9118,84115,16911,56416,02617,3868,6355,562-36%
Mercedes-BenzCLS-Class15,13910,28912,6007,8035,1169,1138,4283,895-54%
LexusES-----2173,8183,699-3%
JaguarXF20,41420,60916,41616,02412,50110,3755,9352,450-59%
BMW6 Series8,5497,8807,3705,7325,61010,7035,3622,060-62%
MaseratiGhibli3394,2384,6444,1242,9812,5341,7231,006-42%
PolestarPolestar 1------065New
InfinitiQ7033914556048436264214-81%
LexusGS1,9222,0321,3732,0231,5081,0661631-99%
GenesisG80-163228131493090-100%
BMW8 Series-----1,299(moved to F-Segment)
VolvoV70 / XC7040,26046,34849,26330,43651121(replaced by V90 Series)
Chrysler/Lancia300C/Thema2,23639228191612
::

Notes:

  1. The table includes not only E-segment cars, but also a car fitting the F-segment in terms of size (the 2011 Chrysler 300).

  2. Our source of information initial include BMW 8 Series in E-segment, but latter moved to F-segment.

Market share in Europe

2019 - Sales of large cars in Europe were down 13% in 2019 to 362,300 units, a new record low annual volume for this class, which now accounts for 2.3% of the total European car market, down from 2.7% in 2018.

2020 - The large cars segment in Europe is down 32% in 2020, to just over 246,000 deliveries. This means the segment loses ground on the overall market again and now accounts for just 2.1% of the total European car market, down from 2.3% in 2019. With the exception of a newcomer, the entire top-8, which accounts for nearly 91% of the segment's sales, drops by 29% or more and thus falls behind the overall market. Only one single model in the class manages to keep its decline limited to single digits.

Notes

References

References

  1. "Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 - Merger Procedure".
  2. "Impact on the Competitiveness of the European Automotive Industry of Potential FTA with India and ASEAN".
  3. "Latest Safety Ratings".
  4. (March 2021). "European sales 2017 Premium Large segment".
  5. (March 2021). "European sales 2018 Premium Large segment".
  6. (March 2021). "European sales 2019 Large cars".
  7. (March 2021). "European sales 2020 Large cars".
  8. (14 November 1991). "Newcomer in der oberen Mittelklasse: Toyota Camry".
  9. (March 2021). "European sales 2020 Large cars".
  10. (March 2021). "European sales 2013 Premium large car segment".
  11. (March 2021). "European sales 2014 Premium Large segment".
  12. (March 2021). "European sales 2015 Premium Large segment".
  13. (March 2021). "European sales 2016 Premium Large segment".
  14. (March 2021). "European sales 2017 Premium Large segment".
  15. (March 2021). "European sales 2018 Premium Large segment".
  16. (March 2021). "European sales 2019 Large cars".
  17. (March 2021). "European sales 2020 Large cars".
  18. (March 2021). "European sales 2019 Large cars".
  19. (March 2021). "European sales 2020 Large cars".

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