Does the width of a car include the side mirrors?

[MacJeremiah]

No, it does not. The vehicle width is defined as the distance between the two endpoints in the width direction of the vehicle, that is, the distance between the most protruding positions on the left and right sides of the body. Here is additional information: Vehicle width: The width mainly affects seating space and flexibility. A wider body benefits rear passengers by preventing crowding and significantly improving ride comfort. However, an overly wide body reduces convenience for urban driving and parking. The generally accepted upper limit for vehicle width is 2 meters. The width of the car should not be too narrow, as it can make both front and rear passengers feel cramped, and prolonged driving may lead to fatigue. Vehicle length is defined as the distance between the two extreme points in the length direction of the car, that is, the distance measured from the most protruding position of the front bumper to the most protruding position of the rear bumper. Vehicle height is defined as the distance from the ground to the highest point of the car.

[AnaLee]

Last time when helping a friend measure their garage dimensions, I encountered this issue. According to international standards, the 'width' in automotive technical specifications excludes side mirrors, referring to the maximum horizontal distance between fixed metal components on either side of the vehicle body. Side mirrors are considered foldable components and are legally permitted to be excluded from the overall width. However, when actually parking or navigating narrow roads, what requires the most attention isn't the vehicle body itself but rather the side mirrors. Especially for larger vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks, the unfolded side mirrors can increase the total vehicle width by at least 15 centimeters or more. If your residential area has mechanical multi-level parking spaces, it's crucial to confirm in advance whether the maximum allowable width includes the side mirrors. My neighbor's Lexus once had its side mirror snapped off in such a situation.

[Judith]

I often encounter customers asking about this during car repairs. Looking at the 'vehicle width' column in the specifications sheet, it's clearly stated that it doesn't include the side mirrors, but in practice, the mirrors are the high-risk areas for scraping walls. According to the national standard GB1589, the exterior dimensions for vehicle registration indeed don't measure the width including the mirrors. However, have you noticed? Some German car manuals specifically note the 'folded width including the exterior mirrors.' For example, an Audi Q7 I worked on had a standard width of 2 meters, but with the mirrors unfolded, it directly became 2.34 meters. I recommend developing the habit of checking the mirror positions when parking, starting to pay attention about 20 centimeters in advance.

[JocelynAnn]

I once discussed this at a car club gathering. Nowadays, mainstream automakers follow ISO standards, where width measurements exclude side mirrors. But buyers of Japanese models should be cautious - vehicles like the Toyota Alphard, despite being listed as 1850mm wide, can actually exceed 2 meters when including mirrors. Especially for models with retrofitted power-folding mirrors, it's best to manually retract them when passing through width-restricted barriers. Mirror materials also matter: plastic housings typically protrude 10-12cm, while carbon fiber ones can be 2-3cm thinner. For frequent narrow-road driving, consider upgrading to ultra-thin mirror housings.