Method for classifying an object in an area surrounding a motor vehicle, comprising the steps: a) emitting radar signals into the surrounding area from at least one motor-vehicle-side radar sensor and receiving radar signals reflected at the object, b) making available the information obtained by means of the radar signals (5, 6) as radar data, c) generating a power spectrum as a function of at least one distance value, speed value and intensity value which are contained as information in the radar data, d) comparing at least one spectrum range, contained in the power spectrum, with an intensity threshold value, and selecting the spectrum range as a potential object if its intensity is higher than the intensity threshold value, e) carrying out a further cycle comprising the steps a) to d), f) detecting the potential object as an actual object as a function of whether the potential object has been selected both in a first cycle according to steps a) to d) and at least in the second cycle according to step e), g) comparing at least one feature A abs, σ 2 V, σ 2 A, y, RC) of the detected object with reference features (V abs, A abs, σ 2 V, σ 2 A, y, RC) of a reference object, h) assigning the object to a specific class (23, 24, 25) of a plurality of different classes (23, 24, 25) as a function of the comparison according to step g) characterized in that an intensity range of the object of the power spectrum is taken into account as the at least one feature of the detected object, wherein the intensity range of the object in the power spectrum comprises a plurality of spectrum ranges, and wherein the intensity range of the object of the power spectrum is taken into account as a function of a rectangular excerpt of the power spectrum, wherein the reflected radar signals (5, 6) of the object are distributed among a plurality of spectrum ranges of the power spectrum and extend over a plurality of spectrum ranges in the direction of an axis of the distance value and over a plurality of spectrum ranges in the direction of an axis of the speed value. a) emitting radar signals into the surrounding area from at least one motor-vehicle-side radar sensor and receiving radar signals reflected at the object, b) making available the information obtained by means of the radar signals (5, 6) as radar data, c) generating a power spectrum as a function of at least one distance value, speed value and intensity value which are contained as information in the radar data, d) comparing at least one spectrum range, contained in the power spectrum, with an intensity threshold value, and selecting the spectrum range as a potential object if its intensity is higher than the intensity threshold value, e) carrying out a further cycle comprising the steps a) to d), f) detecting the potential object as an actual object as a function of whether the potential object has been selected both in a first cycle according to steps a) to d) and at least in the second cycle according to step e), g) comparing at least one feature A abs, σ 2 V, σ 2 A, y, RC) of the detected object with reference features (V abs, A abs, σ 2 V, σ 2 A, y, RC) of a reference object, h) assigning the object to a specific class (23, 24, 25) of a plurality of different classes (23, 24, 25) as a function of the comparison according to step g)