SUV stands for sport utility vehicle, a type of car that was originally a rugged machine, fitted with four-wheel drive and built for use off-road.  However, a growing trend for this type of vehicle – which is often thought to be safer, as the passenger compartment sits higher off the ground, giving the driver a better view of the road – means that SUVs are now available in a variety of sizes. And, as many of them are not required to go off-road, they tend not to be fitted with four-wheel drive.

Sport utility vehicle - or SUV - a type of car fitted with four-wheel drive, which was built for use off-road.

Sports Utility Vehicle

A crossover car is one that combines the design features from two (or even more) traditional types of car. A crossover tends to involve some element of an SUV. Often described as a mid-size or small SUV, it might look like a 4x4 car, but take up the same amount of room on the road as a family hatchback and not have four-wheel drive. Alternatively, it might be an estate car that has had its body raised so it can go off-road. 

A crossover car is one that combines the design features from two (or even more) traditional types of car and often involves some element of an SUV.

Crossover car

Kerb weight is the weight of a vehicle with everything it needs to run but without passengers or luggage.

This includes all the fluids needed to run the car, such as oil, coolant and a full tank of fuel (unless, like an electric car, it doesn't need liquid fuel or oil). 

It represents the vehicle's ready-to-drive condition, with only the essentials onboard.

Kerb weight is the weight of a vehicle with everything it needs to run (e.g. fuel and engine oil) but without passengers or luggage.

Kerb weight

An MPV is a multi-purpose vehicle, which offers more space than a saloon or hatchback. It is usually fitted with five or seven seats. MPVs have traditionally been popular with families, but more recently, Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) models have become the preferred choice.

An MPV is a multi-purpose vehicle, which offers more space than a saloon or hatchback and is usually fitted with five or seven seats.

Multi-Person Vehicle

An estate car has an extended boot area behind the rear seats. A large boot-lid at the back of the car is usually hinged at the top and opens up in the same way as a hatchback car. Most estate cars also have rear seats that fold down, creating an even larger load area for all your gear as well as a mucky Labrador or two.

An estate car has an extended boot area behind the rear seats with a boot-lid at the back of the car that opens in the same way as a hatchback car.

Estate car

A tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is an electronic system that constantly monitors the air pressure inside the tyres. Problems such as a puncture that results in the loss of air from a tyre are alerted to the driver by a warning light or diagram displayed in the instrument panel.

A tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is an electronic system that constantly monitors the air pressure inside the tyres.

Tyre pressure monitoring system

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. However, an OEM can also refer to the company that supplied the components that are fitted to a car when it is built. If you need to replace a part on your car, an OEM part is likely to be more expensive than one from another ‘aftermarket’ company, but the OEM part is the ‘official’ part that the car was engineered to use.

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer and can also refer to the company that supplied the components that are fitted to a car when it is built.

Original equipment manufacturer

A chassis is the structural framework of a vehicle that supports all of its components.

This includes the engine, transmission and body shell. 

It's the foundation for the vehicle's strength, stability, and overall performance. It integrates the suspension system, ensuring alignment and balance when tackling corners.

Chassis

Gross weight is the total weight of a vehicle plus anything onboard.

This weight takes fuel, passengers, luggage, and anything else in or on the car into consideration. 

It represents the maximum weight a vehicle can safely handle as specified by the manufacturer – each car will be different, so it's worth checking in the manual.

Gross weight is the total weight of a vehicle plus anything onboard, such as fuel and passengers.

Gross weight

What is gross weight?

Related Jargon