Car jargon explained

There are a lot of terms used in the car industry that can be confusing. Whether it's a new piece of car safety or entertainment technology, or how a car works, our experts are here to explain it all.

Guide 1 month ago

What is car wrapping?

Fancy changing the look of your car, but don’t want a full paint respray? Car wrapping is a great way to refresh your car’s appearance.

Feature 2 months ago

Self-Driving Cars

The complete guide to self-driving and driverless cars in the UK, including self-driving cars on sale now.

Guide 3 months ago

What is tyre speed rating?

A tyre speed rating shows the maximum speed a tyre is legally approved for. Learn where to find it, how to test it and more in Auto Trader’s comprehensive guide.

Advice 3 months ago

What are LED and xenon car lights?

Many modern cars come with xenon or LED lights, and, in some cases, both. But what are they and how do car headlights work?

Advice 4 months ago

Cars with Apple CarPlay

If you’re looking to buy your next car, you might want to know if it has Apple CarPlay connectivity available. Many cars across all budgets now come with Apple CarPlay.

Advice 6 months ago

Company cars: everything you need to know

Whether you've already had several company cars, or are looking to get your first one, we answer all the questions you might have, including what a company car is, and how you can minimise your company car tax bill.

Advice 7 months ago

What’s a Category S or Category N car?

Category S (Cat S) and Category N (Cat N) are a type of insurance category given to a vehicle if it has been written off by an insurance company because it’s uneconomical to repair. However, just because a car has been 'written off', it doesn't necessarily mean you should reject buying it.

Advice 9 months ago

What is a crossover car?

You may have heard how well SUVs and crossover cars are selling, but wondered what they are. Let us help...

Feature 10 months ago

The range explained... Kia

Don't know your Stonic from your Sportage, or your Venga from your Carens? Then let our handy guide inform you about everything from Korean carmaker Kia.

Advice 10 months ago

What is AdBlue?

Whatever car you drive, you might have seen AdBlue at a fuel station and wondered what on earth it is, and whether you need it… here’s all you need to know.

Feature 1 year ago

The range explained… DS Automobiles

What's the difference between a DS 3 and DS 5? What's a Crossback? Find out all about cars from DS Automobiles in our handy guide.

Advice 2 years ago

What is DAB digital radio in your car?

More than 80% of new cars in the UK now come with DAB as standard, and this figure is only set to increase.

Advice 2 years ago

What is Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink?

We explain the most common systems for linking your smartphone to your car.

Advice 2 years ago

What is Isofix in a car?

Isofix is an international standard for fixing child car seats in place using a pair of metal mounts attached directly to the car’s chassis. How does it work?

Advice 2 years ago

What are horsepower and torque, and why does it matter?

Horsepower and torque are two terms that you’ll see discussed a lot in our car reviews, but you may be wondering what they are.

Advice 2 years ago

What are ESP and traction control in my car?

They’re terms you’ll see bandied about a lot when looking at the specification of a car, but what are they?

Advice 2 years ago

What is Bluetooth in a car?

Most new cars with an infotainment system will have Bluetooth connection capability. Let us explain how it works...

Advice 2 years ago

What is a wireless phone charger in my car?

Quite simply, a wireless phone charger is a way of charging your smartphone in the car, wirelessly.

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Car jargon explained

There are a lot of terms used in the car industry that can be confusing. Whether it's a new piece of car safety or entertainment technology, or how a car works, our experts are here to explain it all.