Is Curb Weight the Same as Vehicle's Self-Weight?
2 Answers
Curb weight is not the same as a vehicle's self-weight; curb weight exceeds the actual weight of the vehicle. The curb weight of a car refers to its fully equipped mass, including the weight of all devices such as lubricants, fuel, onboard tools, spare tires, etc. By definition, it is the dry mass of the vehicle plus the total mass of coolant, fuel, spare wheel, and onboard accessories. The curb weight of a car is also an important parameter affecting fuel consumption, as there is a proportional relationship between fuel consumption and curb weight—meaning vehicles with greater curb weights consume more fuel. However, a smaller curb weight is not necessarily better, nor is a larger one necessarily worse. Larger curb weights have their advantages, such as providing better stability, especially during sharp turns and sudden braking, where the benefits are quite noticeable.
Curb weight is essentially the car's own weight, typically referring to the weight of a new car as it leaves the factory with all standard equipment, such as a full tank of fuel, water, coolant, etc., but excluding passengers or luggage. I always find this quite interesting because if you've driven different models, you'll notice that the heavier the curb weight, the more stable the car is at high speeds, making it less prone to drifting. However, the downside is that acceleration from a standstill is slower, and fuel consumption is higher, especially noticeable in city traffic jams. Some friends mistakenly think that the car's weight is just the pure metal body weight, but curb weight is more practical because it reflects the actual driving base weight. When sharing online, I always say that this data should be considered when choosing a car, especially since there's a big difference between SUVs and sedans; lighter cars are more fuel-efficient and agile, while heavier cars offer a stronger sense of security. This affects daily savings and comfort, so don't just be impulsive and go for the flashy looks.
