Glossary
Family Cars – Usually a hatchback, and smaller than an executive car, family cars include the Ford Focus, Peugeot 307 and Mazda 3.
Finance – Hire purchase, bank loans, and leasing are all ways of financing a vehicle.
Fleet Cars – Companies can buy or lease a number of cars, known as a fleet, at a better rate than if they bought or leased the cars individually.
Front Wheel Drive – The engine drives the front wheels. This is the most popular engine and gearbox layout. Popularised by the Mini, front wheel drive is used in the majority of cars. Improved interior space and fuel economy are two advantages over using rear wheel drive. The Renault Megane is a popular front wheel drive car.
Hatchback – Small and family cars are usually hatchbacks. The rear window forms part of the boot, and the boot is part of the passenger area, unlike a saloon. The VW Golf and Ford Fiesta are examples of popular hatchbacks.
Hire Purchase – A finance agreement taken out in order to purchase a vehicle. The vehicle is paid for in monthly instalments, and the finance company owns the vehicle until it is paid for.
Hot Hatch – Small sporty cars are known as hot hatches. These can be high performance versions produced by the manufacturer, or modified with aftermarket components and accessories by the owner. The VW Golf GTI was the original hot hatch, and the Citroen C4 VT and Peugeot 207 Sport are popular models today.
Hybrid Vehicles – By combining a traditional petrol or diesel engine with an alternative energy source such as an electric motor, hybrid cars are becoming a popular choice. As well as improved fuel economy, and reduced emissions, hybrid vehicles are in a low tax band.
Insurance – All vehicles need to be insured by law. The cost of the insurance will vary depending factors such as the type of vehicle, the driver’s age and address, and driving history. A young driver insuring a new sports car is likely to pay more than an older driver, insuring an older smaller car.
Insurance Groups – Vehicles are categorised into insurance groups from 1 to 20. The lower the insurance group, the lower the insurance will be for a given person. Small, low performance cars such as the Citroen C2 are group 1, and high performance cars such as a Jaguar, BMW or Mercedes could be up to group 20.
Glossary Pages
