The high-performance database
for people who buy and sell cars.

Glossary

Below is a glossary of the terms used in our search results. The terms are ordered alphabetically.

Note: When an option is shown as a nought (0) this means it is zero-cost.

0-60 mph manual	Some manufacturers express their acceleration figures as seconds from zero to 60 miles per hour.
0-62 mph manual	Some manufacturers use the European measure which is zero to 100 kilometres per hour which is effectively 62 miles per hour.
Alarm	Factory or dealer-fit anti-theft alarm.
Body style	Saloon, Hatchback, Estate, Coupe, 4x4, People-carrier & Open car (convertibles and cabriolets).
Boot capacity litres max	Luggage capacity, expressed in litres, when all folding, removable or stowable seats are removed, folded or stowed. Caution - some car makers quote up to window level, some above. This is significant in estate or MPV type body styles
Boot capacity litres min	Luggage capacity, expressed in litres, when all seats are in place.
CD	Compact Disc player.
Combined mpg manual	Official fuel consumption figures are calculated using a specific series of tests prescribed by the EU. Car makers are not allowed to publish their own fuel consumption figures; they MUST only publish official government figures, of which this is one.
Comments column	This is where we explain items in the data which might otherwise be confusing and also things such as future on-sale-date or an unusual transmission description.
Cylinders	The number of engine cylinders, i.e. compartments within the engine inside which the pistons move up and down to produce the power. The volume of gas moved by the pistons within the cylinder is quoted in cc (cubic centimetres) and the total gives the commonly used engine capacity, i.e 1,600cc, 2,000cc or 1.6 litre and 2.0 litre. Generally speaking, for a given capacity an engine with more cylinders will produce more power and torque, but probably also be less fuel efficient.
Date of price list	The date on which the manufacturer issued the latest price list (may not be the same as the date the most recent information was made public).
Driven wheels	Front, Rear or Four wheel drive.
Emission class	CO2 rating which sets that car's road tax and company car tax (if applicable) level. The department of Transport link for further details is http://www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/Changes_to_cost_of_vehicle_tax.htm
ESP	Electronic Stability Programme; also known as DSP and other acronyms. A significant development to control a car's traction and road-holding under adverse conditions. It can't alter the laws of physics but it makes a car considerably safer in day-to-day use.
Engine size cc	The exact cubic capacity of the engine.
Euro NCAP	Claims that it has become a stimulus for encouraging significant safety improvements to new car design but some observers say that all it has done is to make manufacturers spend money on Research & Development to get high ratings in the tests, a cost which is then passed on to consumers. Car manufacturers spend billions on their own safety research and some claim privately that the Euro NCAP tests are both unrealistic and do not reflect actual accident experiences.
Euro NCAP rating out of 5	Euro NCAP provides motoring consumers with an assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe according to a limited series of crash tests. The organization was established in 1997 and it is backed by five European Governments, the European Commission and motoring and consumer organizations in every EU country.
Fuel type	Petrol (normal unleaded), Super unleaded, Diesel or Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). If the entry shows U/E this means unleaded petrol/electric (hybrid); if it shows U/B this means Bio-fuel.
Front seat-belt pre-tensioners	An electronic device which automatically tightens the seatbelt if the car is involved in a collision. This helps restrain the occupants more effectively and can help reduce injury.
Height mm	The total height of the car including any standard fitted roof rails but excluding any fitted after the car is bought. Also excludes any roof rack system.
Insurance group	As specified by the Association of British Insurers and the basis on which your premium is calculated.
Immobiliser	Factory-fit engine immobiliser which prevents the engine from starting unless the correct key is used.
Kerb weight kg	The total weight of the car, with a full tank of fuel but no passengers or luggage.
Last updated	The date on which our data for this particular car was changed.
Length mm	The overall length of the car taking into account all protrusions.
Make	Car manufacturer (e.g Ford, Nissan etc.).
Model	Specific model (e.g. Focus, Micra etc.).
Power bhp	Power output of the engine expressed as bhp. Brake horsepower (bhp) is the measure of an engine's power without the loss in power caused by the gearbox, generator, differential, water pump and other auxiliaries. The actual horsepower delivered to the driving wheels is less. The term "brake" refers to the use of a band brake to measure torque during the test (which is multiplied by the engine speed in revolutions per second and the circumference of the band to give the power).
Power ps	Power output of the engine expressed as 'PS'. This unit (it comes from the German: Pferdestärke = horse strength) is still commonly used in Europe and Japan, especially by the automotive and motorcycle industries.
RDS	Radio fitted with RDS (Radio Data System) which allows automatic access to local radio traffic reports.
Rear parking sensor	A series of sensors at the rear of the car which alert the driver, usually by beeping, when he or she is close to another car or other object.
Satellite navigation	Global Positioning Satellite navigation system.
Torque lb ft	The torque of the engine expressed in pounds per foot. Torque is the vital measure of a car's ability to accelerate. The power output of an engine is expressed as its torque multiplied by its rotational speed. Internal-combustion engines produce useful torque only over a limited range of rotational speeds (typically from around 1,000-6,000 rpm for a car). The varying torque output over that range can be measured with a dynamometer, and is shown as a torque curve. The peak of that torque curve usually occurs somewhat below the overall power peak. The torque peak cannot, by definition, appear at higher rpm than the power peak. Understanding the relationship between torque, power and engine speed is vital in automotive engineering, concerned as it is with transmitting power from the engine through the drive train to the wheels. Typically power is a function of torque and engine speed. The gearing of the drive train must be chosen appropriately to make the most of the motor's torque characteristics.
Towing limit kg	The heaviest weight the car is legally allowed to tow.
Version	Manufacturers designation e.g GL or 2.0S etc.
Warranty time years	Time limit of manufacturer's warranty.
Warranty time miles	Total mileage limit of manufacturer's warranty.
Wheelbase mm	The distance between the centre of the front wheel to the centre of the rear wheel.
Width mm	The total width of the car excluding wing mirrors. Some entries in the data include the letters 'wm' and in this case the figure includes wing mirrors.

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