A mid-size car (occasionally referred to as an intermediate) is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size greater than that of a compact (C-segment) but smaller than a full-size car (F-segment) . In Europe mid-size vehicles are referred to as D-segment or large family cars. The automobile that defined this size in the United States was the Rambler Six that was introduced in 1956, although it was called "compact" car at that time.During the 1970s, the intermediate class was generally defined as vehicles with wheelbases between 112 inches (2,845 mm) and 118 inches (2,997 mm). A turning point occurred in the late 1970s, when rising fuel costs and government fuel economy regulations caused all car classes to shrink, and in many cases to blur. Automakers moved previously "full-size" nameplates to smaller platforms. New "official" size designations in the U.S. were introduced by the EPA, which defined market segments by passenger and cargo space. Formerly mid-sized cars that were built on the same platform, like the AMC Matador sedan, had a combined passenger and cargo volume of 130 cubic feet (3.68 m3), and were now considered "full-size" automobiles.Mid-size cars are the most popular category of cars sold in the United States, with 27.4 percent in the first half of 2012, ahead of crossovers at 19 percent.
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