Segment C

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The C-segment is the third smallest category of the European segments for passenger cars, described as "medium cars", and broadly corresponds to the compact car class used in the United States and Canada, the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and similar mid-sized categories used in other major markets such as China and Japan. C-segment cars are typically 4.2 to 4.6 m (13.8 to 15.1 ft) long and are most often sold as hatchbacks in Europe, though saloons/sedans predominate in North America and much of Asia. The segment's modern hatchback form dates to the 1974 Volkswagen Golf, whose front-wheel-drive layout was widely copied across Europe within a decade. Long dominated worldwide by models such as the Golf, the Ford Focus, the Toyota Corolla, and the Honda Civic, the segment has faced sustained pressure since the mid-2000s from compact crossover SUVs, and more recently from the global shift toward electrified and new energy vehicles. By 2024, SUVs accounted for a record 54% of new car registrations in Europe, while the C-segment's own European market share fell to 13.9%.