List of Car Weights

Searching for a list of car weights and getting nowhere? It may be because you are confusing gross vehicle weight with gross vehicle weight ratings, or the gross combined weight.

Who Invented the Car?

The gross vehicle weight of a vehicle and the gross vehicle weight rating are two different things. The gross vehicle weight or GVW is what any vehicle, car, truck, minivan, or SUV weighs when it is sitting empty. The gross vehicle weight rating or GVWR is what the vehicle’s weight capacity is, or how much weight it can hold. A vehicle’s GVWR should always be higher than the GVW. The gross combined weight is the gross weight of the vehicle plus the contents of any trailer you are hauling.

Gross vehicle weights are different for every car, truck, minivan or SUV manufactured. Here’s an example of the ranges different classes of vehicle fall into:

If you’re wondering exactly what your vehicle weighs, How Stuff Works offers a search area where you can enter any auto manufacturer to get a list of gross vehicle weights.

Along with gross vehicle weights, there is a list of vehicle weights that you may not know about but should.

As stated before, vehicles can have a gross vehicle weight and a gross vehicle weight rating, but are there other weights used for cars? The answer to that question is yes, and here is the most commonly used list of car weights:

• Cargo Weight – Cargo weight include all your cargo, extra added equipment and passengers aboard.
• Base Curb Weight – This weight is the same as a vehicle's gross vehicle weight. Some motor vehicle divisions use this term, but it means the same thing.
• Payload – The payload is the weight including passengers, equipment, cargo, and anything being towed.
• Gross Combined Weight Rating – According to most motor vehicle departments, this is the maximum allowed weight of any vehicle when fully loaded.
• Gross Combined Weight – This weight includes the vehicle and a trailer, if you are pulling one. The gross combined weight should be determined while the trailer is attached to the vehicle.
• Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight – This amount is much like the gross combined weight, however, it includes a fully loaded trailer.
• Gross Axle Weight – This sounds just as it reads, the gross axle weight is the amount of weight that is supported by each axle, both front and rear.
• Gross Axle Weight Rating – The gross axle weight rating is the total weight each axle is capable of hauling.

It’s important to know as much as you can about your vehicle’s weight, especially if you plan to haul a lot of cargo or pull a trailer or moving van. For example, it you attach a small moving trailer and don’t know the weight of your vehicle, you can overload it, which affects safety. If the vehicle is overloaded it can cause harm to your brakes making it hard for you to stop or slow down and can damage your suspension.

Err on the side of caution whenever hauling large amounts of cargo. If you’re pulling a trailer, you should know how much the gross combined weight rating will be. If renting a moving trailer, ask how much the trailer weighs when empty and how much weight it can hold to help you determine total weight. You can find your gross vehicle weight (GVR) and your gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) in your owner’s manual as well as other ratings to ensure your safety on the road. It should also appear on your title and registration documents.

A list of car weights, what they stand for, and determining them are important before you take a trek on the highway, especially if you are carrying cargo or hauling anything.

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