How to Read Car Specs

Reading and understanding car specs boils down to truly knowing the meaning of the terms used most often. Many of the terms used throughout car spec sheets may seem foreign and difficult to understand. Specs are often based on specific measurements of the vehicle’s performance and reliability.

The "zero to 60" time for a vehicle measures how competitive each vehicle is to one another. A timer starts when the car launches off the line and stops when the car reaches 60 miles per hour. Comparisons of zero to 60 times allow speculation on which cars are fastest. "Top speed" catalogs the cars that still have power after 60 miles per hour. One car can beat other in zero to 60, but still lose in top speed tests.

A traditional marker of a vehicle’s speed remains the ¼ mile. Drag racers run the ¼ mile as a favorite pastime. Two cars pitted against each other dash down the straight towards the finish line. The ¼ mile speaks to the power of the car’s acceleration. The zero to 60 times often recorded at these events shows how fast the vehicle accelerates off the line.

"Gear ratio" can tell you a lot about a vehicle’s acceleration too. Higher numbers, such as 4.21:1, mean that the car will accelerate swiftly from a stop. Lower numbers, like 2.55:1, mean that the car will have a higher top speed, but suffers in acceleration numbers.

Horsepower and torque numbers represent a vehicle’s potential. However, while many exceptions exist, there is one good rule to always remember: more is better. High horsepower and torque numbers mean you are likely in for one fun ride. "Rpm" means rotations per minute and shows how many times your crankshaft rotates per minute.