With automakers throwing everything in the marketing arsenal at the product and brochure, here’s a run-down of key bits of jargon, and what they mean to your buying decision, so you don’t have to pretend you get it, when you’re out shopping.
Horsepower
It’s not just about how fast a car goes; it’s also about the engine as well as its size. You can have a small engine making a lot of horsepower, and vice-versa. It is also expressed these days in kilowatts (kw) and PS (metric), which is usually very close to mechanical (hp). It’s an indicative number that may help you compare cars.
Look for something in the 70-100 hp range for small and medium cars. You can’t really “feel” horsepower; torque, you can.
Torque
Torque is rotational force, and since an engine relies on a rotating crank to do its work, torque is the force the engine is able to generate. Modern engines generate different levels of torque at different engine speeds (RPMs, or revolutions per minute that the engine is turning through). It’s expressed in Newton-Metres (Nm), and this is what you actually feel when you’re pushed back into your seat on acceleration. A car brochure will indicate the maximum torque the engine is able to generate, and the specific RPM at which it is generated.
For instance, the Maruti Dzire generates 113Nm at 4200RPM (petrol) and 190Nm at 2000RPM (diesel). This means the petrol engine produces less torque at a much higher engine speed than the diesel motor, which produces more at a quite low engine speed. The feeling of “pickup” will be more pronounced in the diesel motor, which will feel stronger in carrying the load of the vehicle. However, the petrol motor has a little more horsepower (81 vs 73) and will eventually be able to go faster. The bottomline: Look for a good torque (over 110Nm) with a low RPM (4,000 or so).
Wheelbase
The wheelbase is the distance between the front wheel axle (the centre of the wheel) and the rear wheel axle (in millimetres — mm). The wheelbase of a vehicle impacts the amount of space available inside, as well as some handling characteristics. The more wheelbase you have, the more space you are likely to experience inside (though design has a lot to do with this). Wheelbase also impacts handling. A long-wheelbase vehicle will be stable at higher speeds, but less agile in corners or high-speed turns. It will also have a larger turning radius — how tightly it can turn in place. Conversely, a short-wheelbase vehicle may feel sprightly on turns, but less planted and secure at high speeds.
HVAC/Climate control
Not all air-conditioning units are made equal. Automatic climate control is a term used for a more intelligent air-conditioning system. Traditional heating-ventillation-ACs will have a fan speed knob and a temperature knob, which you adjust to occupant comfort. With automatic climate control, you usually set the temperature you want to maintain inside the cabin, and the system modulates the intensity of the cooling and speed of the fan accordingly. Some cars will have AC vents for rear passengers as well. On more expensive cars, you may even have multiple “zones” so the driver and co-passenger can set their own individual temperatures. On luxury vehicles, even the rear passengers may have their own “zone”.
Headlamps, DRLs
Headlamps come in a variety of configurations. You will often see “projector-type” in the feature list. This means that the actual bulb of the headlamp is housed in a concave lens structure, which allows for a focused beam that travels a long way at high intensity. The bulb itself may be a traditional halogen, xenon or LED unit. In general, projector lamps are a good thing, though you may only find them in more expensive cars, or higher-model variants. A set of ‘Daytime Running Lights’ or DRLs that switch on with the car and improve visibility for oncoming traffic and pedestrians will typically comprise a strip of LEDs in varying patterns, and is considered upmarket.
ABS/EBD/Brake assist
ABS, or Anti-lock Braking System, is a mechanism to prevent wheel lock-up (that typical screeching sound) when braking hard. An experienced driver will modulate braking pressure, and time it such that the car stops without drama. ABS does this automatically by activating and deactivating the brakes rapidly, constantly checking whether the wheel is locked or free. In this way, the car is able to brake more effectively in an emergency and retain control. It will come to a halt in a shorter distance.
There’s also ‘Electronic Brakeforce Distribution’, which ensures that all four tyres have the correct amount of brake pressure to ensure balanced and safe braking. ‘Brake Assist’ is another system (usually electronic these days) that detects an emergency situation and boosts the efficacy of the brakes.
All good things. ABS will be mandatory for all cars sold in India after April 2019!
ISOFIX
ISOFIX mounting points to attach child seats. These are basically two metal loops or latch points housed in one of the rear seats and if you have a growing family, it’s worth having them.
Turning radius
An important factor for city-drive vehicles is turning radius, denoted in brochures in metres (m). This is the radius of the arc that the vehicle will circumscribe when you try to turn with the steering wheel fully locked to one side. In this case, less is better. The smaller the radius, the less back-and-forth you’ll have to do when making a U-turn.
