100+ most common English car vocabulary

Car vocabulary and pronunciation	Image	Meaning	Example
Truck (n) /trʌk/		a large road vehicle that is used for transporting large amounts of goods	The truck is a sturdy and robust vehicle designed for carrying heavy loads.
Convertible (n) /kənˈvɜːrtəbl		a car with a soft roof that can be folded back	He loves driving his convertible on sunny days.
Supercar (n) /ˈsuːpərˌkɑːr/		a very fast car, usually one that is an unusual or rare type	A supercar is an ultra-high-performance automobile that boasts exceptional speed, cutting-edge technology, and exquisite design.
Luxury car (n) /ˈlʌkʃəri kɑːr/		Car offers superior levels of comfort, performance, technology, design, and prestige compared to regular cars	The luxury car is a high-end vehicle that boasts elegant design, plush interiors, and cutting-edge technology.
Grand tourer (n) /ɡrænd tʊərər/		Luxury cars, often used for long-distance travel	A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving, due to a combination of performance and luxury attributes.
Full-size car (n) /fʊl-saɪz kɑːr/		Cars of the largest size	The full-size car offers ample legroom for all passengers.
Minivan (n) /ˈmɪnɪˌvæn/		Large car (including 5-7 seats)	Minivan is perfect for family outings and vacations, comfortably accommodating parents, children, and all their belongings.
Mid-size car (n) /mɪd-saɪz kɑːr/		Cars of medium size	The mid-size car offers a good balance.
Compact car (n) /ˈkɒmˌpækt kɑːr/		Cars of small size	The compact car is a small and fuel-efficient vehicle, ideal for navigating through city traffic.
Subcompact car (n) /sʌbˈkɒmˌpækt kɑːr/		Super small car	The subcompact car is perfect for zipping around busy city streets and saving on fuel costs.
Microcar (n) /ˈmaɪkroʊˌkɑːr/		Super small car, weighing less than 500kg	The microcar is an ultra-compact and lightweight vehicle, designed for short city commutes.
Roadster (n) /ˈroʊdstər/		a car without a roof and with only two seats	The roadster is a two-seater, open-top sports car.
Four-wheel drive (n) /fɔːr-wiːl draɪv/		The vehicle has a four-wheel drive system	The four-wheel drive system allows the car to tackle rough terrain.
Sedan (n) /sɪˈdæn/		a car with seats for four or five people, two or four doors	The sedan provides a comfortable ride for daily commuting.
Couple (n) /ˈkʌp.əl		Cars that have 2 doors	The coupe is a stylish and sleek two-door car, offering a perfect blend of performance and elegance.
Light truck (n) /laɪt trʌk/		Trucks that carry lower gross	The light truck is perfect for deliveries.
Pickup truck (n) /ˈpɪkʌp trʌk/		a small vehicle with an open part at the back in which goods can be carried	The pickup truck is a rugged and versatile vehicle, designed for hauling heavy loads.
Limousine (n) /ˈlɪməziːn/		a large, expensive car, often driven by a chauffeur	The limousine is a luxurious and elongated car, known for its spacious and lavish interior.
A-segment (n) /eɪ ˈsiːɡmənt/		the smallest and most compact category of cars	The A-segment refers to the smallest category of cars, perfect for city commuting and short trips.
B-segment (n) /ˈbiːˈsiːɡmənt/		subcompact or supermini category	Many people prefer B-segment cars for their compact size and easy maneuverability.
C-segment (n) /siːˈsiːɡmənt/		compact car	The C-segment car offers great fuel efficiency and modern features.
D-segment (n) diː ˈsiːɡmənt		Cars that are larger than compact cars but smaller than executive or full-size cars	Although the D-segment blend offers comfort, space, and performance, it may not be suitable for those who prioritize fuel efficiency.
Off-road vehicle (n) /ɒf-roʊd ˈviːɪkl/		Terrain vehicle	The off-road vehicle can handle rugged terrains with ease.
SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) (n) /ˌɛsˌjuːˈviː/		a large powerful car with an engine that supplies power to all four wheels	The SUV is a versatile and rugged vehicle, combining the features of a car and a truck.
Mini MPV (n) /ˈmɪni ˈɛmˌpiːˈviː/		Small-sized sport car	The Mini MPV is a compact and versatile family car, designed to offer practicality and space for passengers and luggage.
Compact sport utility vehicle (n) /ˈkɒmˌpækt spɔːrt ˌjuːˈtɪlɪti ˈviːɪkl/		Small electric sports car	The compact sport utility vehicle is a smaller version of a traditional SUV, offering a sporty and dynamic driving experience.
Pony car (n) /ˈpoʊni kɑːr/		Small and medium sized sports cars	The pony car is a class of American muscle cars that are compact, stylish, and affordable.
Luxury SUV (sport utility vehicle) (n) /ˈlʌkʃəri ˈesˌjuːvi/		Luxury sports car	The luxury SUV comes with advanced technology.
Hybrid vehicle (n) /ˈhaɪbrɪd ˈviːɪkl/		Cars using 2 sources of energy	The hybrid vehicle runs on both electricity and gasoline.
Electric vehicle (n) ɪˈlɛktrɪk ˈviːɪkl		a type of vehicle that runs on electricity, usually one that does not use any other source of power	The electric vehicle (EV) is a car powered by electricity, utilizing batteries or electric motors to propel.
Commercial vehicle (n) /kəˈmɜːrʃəl ˈviːɪkl/		a vehicle used by a business to transport goods or people on public roads	The commercial vehicle refers to a broad category of automobiles designed and used primarily for business purposes.
Van (n) /væn/		a medium-sized road vehicle, used especially for carrying goods, that often has no windows in the sides at the back	The van offers ample interior space.
Station wagon (n) /ˈsteɪʃən ˈwæɡən/		a car with a lot of space behind the back seat and an extra door at the back for putting in large objects	The station wagon has plenty of cargo space.

Car vocabulary and pronunciation	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example
Interior part Interior car part
Boot (trunk) (n)	/buːt/	a covered space at the back of a car, for storing things in	He opened the boot of the car to put his luggage inside.
Steering wheel (n)	/ˈstɪrɪŋ wiːl/	a wheel in a vehicle that the driver turns in order to make the vehicle go in a particular direction	He gripped the steering wheel tightly as he navigated through the winding mountain roads.
Seat (n)	/siːt/	a piece of furniture or part of a train, plane, etc. that has been designed for someone to sit on	She adjusted the driver’s seat to find a comfortable driving position.
Seat-belt (n)	/siːt-bɛlt/	a belt that fastens around you when you are travelling in a vehicle or aircraft and holds you in your seat, in order to reduce the risk of being injured in an accident	Before starting the car, she always makes sure to fasten her seat-belt for safety
Airbag (n)	/ˈeə.bæɡ/	a bag in a vehicle that automatically fills with air if the vehicle is involved in an accident, in order to protect the driver or a passenger from injury	When the car collided with another vehicle, the airbag in the steering wheel quickly deployed.
Engine (n)	/ˈɛndʒɪn/	a machine that uses the energy from liquid fuel or steam to produce movement	The new sports car is equipped with a powerful engine.
Battery (n)	/ˈbætəri/	a device that produces electricity to provide power for electronic devices, cars, etc.	My car wouldn’t start this morning because the battery was dead.
Transmission(n)	/trænzˈmɪʃən/	the process of broadcasting or sending out something by radio or television, on the internet, etc., or something that is broadcast or sent out	The automatic transmission in this car provides smooth gear shifts.
Accelerator (n)	/ækˈsɛləˌreɪtər/	the pedal (= a part that you push with your foot) in a vehicle that makes it go faster	Press the accelerator gently to increase your speed while merging onto the highway.
Brakes (n)	/breɪks/	a device that makes a vehicle go slower or stop, or a pedal, bar, or handle that makes this device work	When driving, it is important to use the brakes gently to maintain a safe following distance with the vehicle ahead.
Clutch (n)	/klʌtʃ/	a device that allows turning movement to be sent from one part of a machine to another	To change gears smoothly in a manual transmission car, you need to press the clutch before shifting.
Handbrake (n)	/ˈhændˌbreɪk/	a device operated by hand that locks into position and prevents a vehicle from moving	Before getting out of the car, make sure to engage the handbrake to prevent it from rolling down the hill.
Muffler (n)	/ˈmʌflər/	a part of a vehicle that reduces noise from the engine	The mechanic replaced the old muffler with a new one to reduce the noise coming from the car’s exhaust system.
Carpet (n)	/ˈkɑːrpɪt/	thick material used for covering floors	My car’s carpet needs cleaning because it’s full of dirt.
Seat covers (n)	/siːt ˈkʌvərz/	protective coverings that are placed over vehicle seats	I bought some seat covers to protect the original seats from stains and wear.
Headliners (n)	/ˈhɛdlʌɪnərz/	the material or fabric that lines the interior roof of a vehicle	I need to get headliners fixed.
Sun visors (n)	/sʌn ˈvaɪzərz/	a flat piece at the top of the front window of a vehicle that protects the driver's eyes from strong sun	When the sun is too bright, I can flip down the sun visors to shield my eyes.
Gear stick knobs (n)	/ɡɪr stɪk nɒbz/	the handles atop the gear stick or shifter in a manual or automatic transmission vehicle	The gear stick knob in my car became loose, and I need to replace it.
Dash mat (n)	/dæʃ mæt/	a protective accessory used in vehicles to cover the dashboard	I placed a dash mat on my car’s dashboard to protect it from the sun and reduce glare.
Seat mesh insulation (n)	/siːt mɛʃ ˌɪnsjʊˈleɪʃən/	a specific type of material or technology used in car seats to provide insulation or cooling properties	The seat mesh insulation provides comfort during long drives.
Speedometer (n)	/spiːˈdɒmɪtər/	a device in a vehicle that shows how fast the vehicle is moving	My speedometer is not working correctly, I need to get it fixed.
Horn (n)	/hɔːn/	a device on a vehicle that is used to make a loud noise as a warning or signal to other people	I honked the horn to alert the pedestrians.
Dashboard/dash (n)	/ˈdæʃbɔːrd/ or /dæʃ/	the part of a car that contains some of the controls used for driving and the devices for measuring speed and distance	The dashboard of my car has a digital display for various information.
Glove box (n)	/ɡlʌv bɒks/	a glove compartment	I keep important documents and items in the glove box for easy access.
Radio/stereo (n)	/ˈreɪdioʊ/ or /ˈster.i.əʊ	Soun system	I enjoy listening to music while driving using the car’s stereo system.
Gas pedal (n)	/ɡæs ˈpɛdl̩/	the pedal (= a part that you push with your foot) in a vehicle that makes it go faster	Press the gas pedal gently to accelerate smoothly.
Emergency brake (n)	/ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi breɪk/	a device operated by hand that locks into position and prevents a vehicle from moving	I pulled the emergency brake when the car started rolling backward on a hill.
Turning signal (n)	/ˈtɜːrnɪŋ ˈsɪɡnəl/	a feature in vehicles used to signal a driver's intention to change direction	You have to use your turning signals when you want to return.
Exterior part
Rearview mirror (n)	/ˈrɪrvjuː ˈmɪrər/	a mirror that allows a driver to see what is happening behind their car	Always check the rearview mirror before changing lanes to ensure there are no vehicles approaching from behind.
Side mirror (n)	/saɪd ˈmɪrər/	a mirror on the outside of a car door that allows the driver to see the vehicles that are behind or passing	She checked her side mirror before changing lanes to ensure it was safe to merge.
Windscreen wiper (windshield wiper) (n)	/ˈwɪndskriːn ˈwaɪpər/	one of two long metal and rubber parts that move against a windscreen to remove rain	During the heavy rainstorm, the windscreen wipers worked tirelessly to keep the front windshield clear and provide a better view for the driver.
Wheel (n)	/wil/	a circular object connected at the centre to a bar, used for making vehicles or parts of machines move	He tightened the bolts on the wheel after changing the flat tire.
Tire (tyre) (n)	/ˈtaɪər/	a thick rubber ring, often filled with air, that is fitted around the outer edge of the wheel of a vehicle, allowing the vehicle to stick to the road surface and to travel over the ground more easily	The car had a flat tire, so they had to pull over to the side of the road to change it.
Headlights (n)	/ˈhɛdˌlaɪts/	a large, powerful light at the front of a vehicle, usually one of two	When driving at night, it’s essential to turn on your headlights to improve visibility.
Tail light (n)	/teɪl laɪt/	a red light on the back of a road vehicle that makes it possible for the vehicle to be seen in the dark	The driver noticed that one of the tail lights was not working, so he replaced the bulb to ensure visibility from the rear of the car.
Number plate License plate (n)	/ˈnʌmbər pleɪt/ /ˈlaɪsns pleɪt/	a sign on a road vehicle that shows its registration number	The police officer checked the number plate to identify the owner of the vehicle.
Bumper (n)	/ˈbʌmpər/	a horizontal bar along the lower front and lower back part of a motor vehicle to help protect it if there is an accident	My car’s bumper got scratched in a minor accident.
Aerial Antenna (n)	/ˈeəriəl/ /ænˈtenə/	a structure made of metal rods or wires that receives or sends out radio or television signals	The antenna on top of the car helps pick up radio signals.

Car vocabulary and pronunciation	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example
to start a car (collocation)	/tuː stɑːrt ə kɑːr/		She inserted the key into the ignition and turned it to start the car’s engine.
to fasten the seat belt (collocation)	/tuː ˈfæsn̩ ðə sit bɛlt/		Before driving, it is important to fasten the seat belt for both the drivers and the passengers.
to shift (v)	/tuː ʃɪft/	to move the gears of a vehicle into different positions in order to make it go faster or slower	He needs to shift to a lower gear to climb up the steep hill.
to speed up (v) (phrasal verb)	/tuː spiːd ʌp/	accelerate	If you want to overtake the car in front, you need to speed up.
to slow down (phrasal verb)	/tuː sloʊ daʊn/	move slower	The driver had to slow down when approaching the sharp curve.
to park a car (Collocation)	/tuː pɑːrk ə kɑːr/		He parked his car in the designated parking space near the entrance.
to back up (phrasal verb)	/tuː bæk ʌp/	to drive backwards	She had to back up the car to get out of the tight parking spot.
to stop a car (collocation)	/tuː stɑːp ə kɑːr/		The traffic light turned red, so all the cars stopped at the intersection.
to run out of petrol/gas (collocation)	/tuː rʌn aʊt ʌv ˈpɛtrəl/	No petrol left	We were driving when suddenly the car ran out of petrol.
to fill up (phrasal verb)	/tuː fɪl ʌp/	Refuel (fill fuel tank)	The gas station attendant asked, “How much would you like to fill up the tank?”

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example
Driver license (n)	/ˈdraɪvər ˈlaɪsns/	an official document that shows that you are qualified to drive	You should have a driver’s license before driving a car.
Car park (parking lot) (n)	/kɑːr pɑːrk/	an area or a building where people can leave their cars	The shopping mall has a large car park.
Garage (n)	/ˈɡærɑːʒ/	a building for keeping one or more cars or other vehicles in	He keeps his car in the garage to protect it from the weather.
Filling station (gas station) (n)	/ˈfɪlɪŋ ˈsteɪʃən/	a place at the side of a road where you take your car to buy petrol, oil, etc.	The car was running low on fuel, so they stopped at the nearest filling station to refuel.
Repair shop (n)	/rɪˈper ʃɑːp/	Vehicle repair workshop	The car had a flat tire, so they took it to the repair shop to get it fixed.
Skid (v)	/skɪd/	slide along a surface so that you have no control	The wet road caused the car to skid, making it difficult to control.

Course	Main content
Basic vocabulary	The course consists of 10 lessons, 4 mini tests and 1 final test. The lessons cover vocabulary related to family, furniture, health, and more.
Intermediate vocabulary	17 lessons cover vocabulary related to appearance, personality and social relationships, events, celebrations, housing and more.
Advanced vocabulary	18 lessons include instruction on effective vocabulary learning methods as well as main topics like social media, education, the environment, and more.