Beyond noticing that pickup trucks, SUVs, minivans, and family sedans all look different, you may not even consider how each is built. There are two ways that automakers build new vehicles, and both of those ways play largely into what those vehicles can do, what they cannot do, how they perform, how they look, and even how much they could cost to repair.

The majority of passenger vehicles on the market today are built using a unibody design. That means that the vehicle’s frame consists of one single unit onto which body panels are then placed. Body-on-frame vehicles consist of a rolling chassis that is mated to a vehicle body and desired powertrain.

Most new cars and SUVs utilize a body-on-frame design because of the benefits they provide to the majority of vehicle buyers. However, unibody cars have their own downfalls compared to vehicles built with a body-on-frame design. In fact, the top-selling vehicle in the United States for several years running, the Ford F-150, is a body-on-frame vehicle.

To get a better understanding of the vehicle you drive and its construction, keep reading as we break down vehicle frame design and how it can benefit you.

### More About Body-on-Frame Construction

In broad terms, a vehicle that features body-on-frame construction features a rolling chassis onto which the vehicle’s body is then mounted and secured. There have been several types of body-on-frame chassis designs used in historicity like space frames, x-frames, and perimeter frames, but the ladder frame is the most widely used. It is named for its dual side beams and crossbars that connect them, roughly resembling a ladder.

Even though it pre-dates the unibody design, body-on-frame vehicles made today are those that are typically produced to hold up in tough conditions. Work trucks, off-roaders, and vehicles that are frequently used for towing and hauling are the prime candidates.

![2023-chevrolet-silverado-1500-ext](https://www.autolist.com/6tuem73u73an/2lqcT1HaaneNjsyufyOzvI/4d22ed01c51f1e50e6596b13bcf6c198/2023-chevrolet-silverado-1500-ext.jpg)

As such, the most popular pickup trucks on the market, including the Ford F150, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Toyota Tundra, and RAM 1500 all feature body-on-frame construction. Naturally, the heavy-duty versions of these trucks are built the same way, including the Ford F-250 and F-350, the Silverado 2500HD and 350HD, and the RAM 2500 and 3500.

Other pickup trucks that share this construction method include the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, and Ford Ranger. Additionally, SUVs like the Toyota Sequoia, Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, Nissan Armada, and Lexus LX feature body-on-frame construction.

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### More About Unibody Construction

Unibody design is used much more widely today than body-on-frame design. Unibody vehicles are prized for their rigidity, ease of safety feature integration, and improved driving dynamics over traditional body-on-frame vehicles.

There are fewer different types of unibody designs than there are body-on-frame designs, but the most notable type is called a monocoque, meaning “single shell” in French. A monocoque is a body-on-frame design in which the body panels of the car are also load-bearing, serving as a structurally integral component. Modern supercars and hypercars utilize this design for the additional rigidity it provides.

![2023-honda-civic-ext](https://www.autolist.com/6tuem73u73an/yt0oOu1XV2LMOhgC5iNWk/66193bc2d6202878cf3caa31f794e300/2023-honda-civic-ext.jpg)

Modern sedans, hatchbacks, station wagons, and minivans almost universally utilize unibody construction. Such vehicles include the Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, BMW 7-Series, Kia Carnival, Volvo S90, Tesla Model S, Audi A6, Volkswagen Jetta, Nissan Maxima, and many more.

There are even several unibody pickup trucks currently available on the market, including the Hyundai Santa Cruz, Ford Maverick, and Honda Ridgeline. The Honda Ridgeline in particular has been the target for those who believe its capability is limited compared to most other larger trucks because of its design. It does have slightly lower capacities than some of its competitors, but it is prized for its smooth ride and comfort.

Even though they are often confused with traditional SUVs, crossover SUVs are perhaps the most notable examples of unibody vehicles today since they are so popular. The Honda Pilot, Toyota RAV4, BMW X1, Subaru Outback, Nissan Rogue, Mazda CX-90, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Acadia, and Acura RDX, are all examples of crossover SUVs.

### Unibody Vs. Body-on-Frame Vehicles

In the battle between unibody and body-on-frame design, there are several areas that we can break down that will demonstrate each construction’s strengths and weaknesses.

#### Expense

Cost is always a top factor when purchasing a new or used car, but it might be a less obvious factor when considering how a vehicle is made. A single rolling chassis can be mated to several different vehicle bodies and powertrains, whereas a unibody design necessitates changes for each individual model being produced. This naturally adds expense as more parts need to be altered for the production of different models.

Additionally, repairing a unibody vehicle can be much more expensive than repairing a body-on-frame vehicle. This may not be universally true all the time, especially if the vehicle’s frame and body are both damaged in an accident. If, however, there is only frame or only body damage on a body-on-frame vehicle, repair costs for one part of the vehicle as opposed to two would be lower.

#### Safety

Generally speaking, unibody vehicles tend to be safer than body-on-frame vehicles, simply because advanced safety systems and crumple zones are inherently more easily able to be integrated within their designs. Their center of gravity is also more easily lowered, preventing the potential for rollover accidents.

That does not mean that body-on-frame vehicles are unsafe. In fact, the 2023 Toyota Tundra is a good example. It is a body-on-frame pickup truck that has earned a Top Safety Pick+ award. There is a higher comparative number of crossovers, sedans, and minivans that earn better safety ratings than pickup trucks and traditional SUVs overall, though.

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#### Capability

When it comes to being able to do more things, body-on-frame vehicles are the clear winners. The largest reason that many pickup trucks still use a body-on-frame design today is because it allows for a higher payload and towing capacity ceiling compared to what a unibody truck could offer.

The unibody Honda Ridgeline, for example, can tow 5,000 pounds and has a maximum payload of about 1,500 pounds. For comparison, the body-on-frame Toyota Tacoma can tow up to 6,800 pounds and has a maximum payload of over 1,600 pounds. 

For most normal buyers, those capacities may be close enough to be non-factors in the purchase of a pickup truck. Consider, however, that larger pickup trucks like the Super Duty Ford F-Series and the Chevy Silverado HD models can tow over 30,000 pounds when properly equipped, none of which use a unibody design.

Ground clearance can also play a role when it comes to vehicle frame design and its capability. A unibody vehicle’s inherent ability to have a lower center of gravity is great for normal road vehicles and higher-performance sports cars, but the higher ground clearance typical with body-on-frame vehicles can increase their off-road performance and overall capability. 

#### Durability

The nod to durability also goes to the body-on-frame design. It might be counterintuitive to think that a body-on-frame’s inherent flexibility compared to a unibody’s rigid design would be better for its durability, but that is not generally the case.

It is because of its greater flexibility that a body-on-frame vehicle is usually more desirable in hard working conditions or when traveling across uneven terrain. That flexibility allows its body to work with those conditions rather than against them, ultimately preventing small contortions from really affecting its skeleton.

The stiffness that unibody designs have can work against them in off-road and hard work settings. As the vehicle’s body contorts on uneven terrain, the twisting forces exerted on the body can make it bend and lose its shape over time. This does not only occur over uneven terrain though. Consistently driving on uneven pavement and bumps will eventually misshape a unibody vehicle’s frame over years of use.

This is why body-on-frame SUVs like the Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler, and Ford Bronco are prized for their off-road capability, even compared to some “off-road focused” crossover SUVs like the Honda Passport, Subaru Forester Wilderness, and even the newest Jeep Cherokee models. 

#### Fuel Economy

One of the largest reasons that crossover SUVs are so popular today is because of their increased fuel efficiency compared to most body-on-frame vehicles of the same size. This is largely due to the weight savings that come from having a single piece of material used to construct a vehicle compared to two. The weight of the material can also be a factor, considering that body-on-frame vehicles are often built to be tougher and heavier by default.

The greater flexibility to use various powertrain and drivetrain configurations within a unibody vehicle also contributes to better fuel economy. Front-wheel drive is a particularly common drivetrain type among unibody vehicles, even being the widespread standard drivetrain for crossover SUVs. Most body-on-frame vehicles come standard with rear-wheel-drive and come with optional or standard four-wheel drive.

#### Driving Dynamics

Unibody vehicles take the lead again with their overall driving dynamics. While it is true that body-on-frame vehicles can be comfortable on-road cruisers, their on-road manners tend to be worse than vehicles with a unibody design. That rigidity comes in handy on the pavement, and their lower centers of gravity begin to come into play again, especially in performance applications.

Vehicles with a body-on-frame design can tackle a wider range of environments than unibody vehicles can, but most buyers do not need to travel across a wide range of environments. The tradeoff for being able to travel a rocky dirt road or “riding like a truck” is not worth the added comfort a unibody vehicle can bring to the table when daily commuting and everyday travel.

In a unibody vs. body-on-frame vehicle comparison, the frame and body of the former are one single piece while the latter features a body placed around a frame.

Unibody vs Body-on-Frame: What's the Difference?

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