Design & Safety Features
Most cars and vans have some driver assistance technologies to make every journey safer and more pleasant. Here are some that you might encounter while shopping for your next car or van:
What Does All The Car Jargon Mean?
TDI, ABS, PCP and AWD - cars and vans are full of acronyms and fancy phrases that can sometimes make vehicle shopping a bit confusing. At Motor Range, we pride ourselves on our straightforward, no-hassle approach to car and van buying, so the last thing we want to do is blind you with science.
To make buying your next vehicle even easier, we’ve compiled a list of motoring jargon that might help you to discover your perfect car or van quickly and painlessly. Swot up on your car jargon today!
ABS
Anti-lock Braking System
Controls skidding by rapidly and repeatedly applying the brakes.
ACC
Adaptive Cruise Control
Or Intelligent Cruise Control monitors traffic speed ahead and adjusts speed to keep traffic flowing.
AEB
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Detects a potential collision and automatically applies the brakes.
AUX-in
AUX-in / USB Connection
Devices for charging and connecting phones, computer accessories and music/media storage.
DRL
Daytime Running Lights
Increase visibility
during the day.
ESC
Electronic Stability Control
Or Electronic Stability Program automatically applies the brakes when steering is lost.
Hill-start Assist
Prevents roll-back when driving off from stopping on a slope.
HUD
Head-Up Display
Projects information onto the windscreen so that the driver doesn’t have to take their eyes off the road.
Infotainment
Multimedia System
Combining sat nav, radio and car reporting data, often displayed on a touchscreen.
ISOFIX
Fitting system for
child safety seats.
Lane-departure Warning
Alerts the driver if the vehicle strays outside of a motorway lane without indicating.
LED
Light Emitting Diode
Is a low-power bulb
used in headlights.
Engine Terms
TFSi, S/S, SE… might look like gibberish to some. These are engine and model variations of a vehicle which can mean subtle or major differences in the way they look or perform. Each manufacturer uses slightly different terminology*, but generally the letters can be explained as follows:
D
Diesel Fuel
Often generates higher torque and uses less fuel than petrol.
I
Injection System
Allowing fuel to burn more efficiently.
GT
Grand Touring
High performance car designed for long distance driving.
LX / LE
Luxury / Luxury Edition
Premium comfort with high-end optional extras.
Nav
Sat Nav
Included as a built-in feature.
SL
Standard Level
Often the most basic model in the range.
SE
Special Equipment / Sport Edition
Features such as sports seats, larger wheels, etc.
S/s
Stop/Start Facility
Stop/Start facility to save fuel and pollution.
T
Turbocharge
Increases an engine's efficiency and power output.
TDI
Turbo Direct Injection
A turbocharged diesel engine.
TFSI
Turbo Fuel Stratified Injection
A turbocharged petrol engine.
X
Extra
Includes additional features to the trim level.
performance phrases
How can you tell whether the car you’ve found will live up to the job? Aside from the number of doors, size of boot, etc., you might also need an economical car or one that has a bit of oomph. Here's some of the technospeak you might need to look out for:
0-62mph
Acceleration
Time it takes to get to 62 mph (100km/h) from a standing start.
AWD
All-Wheel Drive
Four-Wheel-Drive or 4x4 when power is distributed to all wheels.
BHP/HP/PS
Brake Horsepower
Horsepower / Pferdestärke (German for horse strength) are measures of engine power.
EV
Electric Vehicle
FWD
Front Wheel Drive
When power is distributed to the front wheels only.
ICE
Internal Combustion Engine
Vehicle powered by diesel or petrol.
MPG
Miles Per Gallon
Measures the economy/fuel efficiency of a car or van.
PHEV
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Powered by an electric motor and combustion engine.
Range
Distance an EV or PHEV can travel on electric power before the battery needs charging.
RWD
Rear Wheel Drive
When power is distributed to the rear wheels only.
Torque
Force generated by the motor in Nm or lb/ft .
Transmission
Type of gearbox - automatic or manual.
Finally, when you’ve found the right car, we offer several different financing options, including:
We hope that this list helps you on the search for your ideal car. Don’t forget that if you have any questions, just pop in to Motor Range and ask ... we’re always here for some straight-talking help.
01515277010
