- Hybrid
- Uses a gas engine and an electric motor. A regular hybrid doesn’t need to be plugged in.
- Plug-in hybrid
- Can drive on electricity for a limited distance when charged, then uses its gas engine. Regular charging makes a difference.
- Electric
- Runs on battery power and needs charging. Published range can drop in cold weather.
- AWD / 4WD
- Both can send power to all four wheels. How they work differs by vehicle. Tires still matter for braking and cornering in snow and rain.
- FWD / RWD
- Front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive: the engine powers the front or rear wheels.
- Trim & MSRP
- A trim is an equipment version, such as an LE or Touring. MSRP is the manufacturer’s suggested vehicle price, before freight, fees and taxes.
- L/100 km
- Litres of gas used to travel 100 kilometres. A lower number means less gas used in the published test.
- Le/100 km
- An energy-equivalent rating used to compare different energy sources. It is not the amount of gasoline an electric car uses.
- Engine size, power & torque
- Engine litres describe the size of the combustion engine, not the fuel tank. Horsepower (hp) describes power output; torque describes turning force. Neither number alone predicts handling or acceleration. Metric horsepower (PS) is a different unit from hp.
- Battery kWh & charging kW
- kWh describes battery energy capacity. kW describes a rate of power, such as charging or motor output. Usable battery capacity can be smaller than total capacity. Peak charging speed is not sustained for the entire charging session.
- Model-range specifications
- A manufacturer may publish several engines, wheel sizes or equipment versions for one model. Values labeled model range describe those options; they do not all apply to the selected configuration. Source year and market are shown when they differ.
- Priority estimates
- The same power, body-style, driven-wheel and clearance judgments are applied to every brand. They are a browsing aid, not measured handling, ride comfort, reliability or winter safety. Check the sources and test-drive your shortlist.