I am getting the car tinted tomorrow. I wanted to get it tinted 35% front windows (legal tint) and 20% rear windows and rear glass. In order for me to do this, the vehicle should be an MPV/SUV.

I noticed today that the car badge when you open the drivers door indicate "passenger car"... I have always been informed that its category is under SUV..

Please help.

 

I don't know myself but you could check with your local DMV, as they should know the official answer.

 

According to the official US Environmental Protection Agency web site, thttp://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm the Countryman is classified as a compact car and not an SUV

 

That probably makes sense.

 

Yea I don't think they know what they are talking about they list my Audi allroad as an SUV, even though its basically a dressed up A6 avant.

So they basically think my wagon is and SUV, and my SUV is a compact car.

 

Subaru wanted to reclass some of its vehicles to be SUV's some years back. Why? Not very laudable--as a light truck the average fuel economy can be lower, and various other things like inferior roll over standards for that matter. Some equipment variances permitted too, like the dark tinting on rear windows and hatches you see from the factory on obvious SUV's and minivans (also often stuffed in the light truck category). Right height is different too--I think Subaru got there basically by jacking up its station wagon.

In general, car classification is better as far as safety. Hard to know what BMW is balancing, since they should be able to blend across the Bimmer's and Mini's; don't know the details of how they would blend into the SUV side of BMW, if they have a target mix or anything. Other co's like VW Audi (and maybe Porsche and Lambo and Bentley now) blend too, Toyota and Lexus ... in general to get the benefit of small car sales with higher ave. economy. Playing games with the SUV category like Subaru did allows more "creative math" though typically.

 

Had the car tinted 35% all around. The countryman is classified as a passenger car and not a MPV/SUV...

 

Consumer Reports list it as a SUV in its test, I think this is all going to come down to who you ask.