First, is there any way to get your target's type and range to appear in the little target display box? I don't like having to turn my ship (Or hit F8) to find out what I'm up against and how far away it is.
If it is a vehicle, you can tell from the silhouette on the bottom right. All the ships have their own distinguishing shapes, lines and bumps, and once you learn to recognize them, its easy to tell at a glance what the target is.