What is the back of a car called

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Learn the English words for the parts of a car – and drive carefully!

You use this to steer the car (control its direction).

In the middle of the steering wheel, we often find the horn. You press (or “honk”) the horn to make a loud sound used to alert other drivers.

Speedometer

The speedometer shows how fast you are driving.

In this picture, the speedometer is in the middle. The big white numbers are miles per hour (MPH) – and there are also smaller numbers with kilometers per hour. On the right, we have the fuel gauge – this shows you how much gas you have in your tank. On the left, we have the temperature gauge – this shows you how hot the engine is.

Seat belt

Always wear your seat belt!

The car has two types of seats – the front seat and the back seat. When you put on your seat belt, you can use the verb fasten or buckle. Some people say “Buckle up!” to tell everyone in the car to put on their seat belts.

Gear shift

You use this to change the gears of the car’s engine.

There are two types of cars – manual transmission (usually called “stick shift”) and automatic transmission (or just “automatic”). You use the gear shift to change the power of the car’s engine.

Windshield / Windshield wipers

Use your windshield wipers on rainy days.

The big window in the front of the car is called the windshield. The things used to clean water, dirt, or snow off the windshield in bad weather are called windshield wipers.

Headlights

The headlights are on the front of the car.

Turn on the headlights when driving at night or in the rain, snow, or fog.

Tail lights / Turn signal

The tail lights are on the back of the car.

The lights on the back of the car are called tail lights. The red light in the picture is a tail light. We also have an orange or yellow light called a turn signal. Some people call these “blinkers.” You use the turn signals when you are going to turn left or right.

Hood / Engine

Open the hood to see the engine.

The front part of the car that opens is called the hood. Inside, you can see the engine. This woman had a problem with her car, so she pulled over (drove to the side of the road and stopped the car). In the picture, she is checking the oil.

Trunk

You can put your luggage in the trunk.

The back part of the car that opens is called the trunk. It is an empty space used to hold equipment, luggage, etc.

License plate / Bumper stickers

This car has one license plate and many bumper stickers

The license plate in the picture is the blue and white sign with RCN 378. Every car must have a license plate for identification. This car also has many bumper stickers. These are decorations you can put on your car.

Wheel / Tire

Every car has four wheels.

Every car has four wheels. The black part of the wheel, which is made out of rubber with air inside, is called a tire.

Flat tire

Two flat tires

If you’re really unlucky, you might get a flat tire – when the air leaves the tire. In this case, you need to change the tire. Most cars have a spare (extra) tire in the trunk.

There is no formal term for this.

"Trunk" (or "boot") is probably what most people would say, but the term only actually refers to the actual baggage compartment and not the region of the car. The particular car in your example is a Porsche Boxster, which has the baggage compartment in the front, and the engine in the back. Even Porsche owners don't know what words to use.

In practice, people will generally understand "trunk"/"boot" to mean what you intend, but it is not technically correct. "Rear" is probably the most correct.

the American spelling of armour

noun

a metal bar that connects a pair of wheels on a car or other vehicle

noun

the main outer part of a car, not including the engine or wheels, or the main outer part of a plane, not including the engine, wheels, or wings

noun

the painted metal outer part of a car or other vehicle that gives it its shape

noun

British the front part of a car that covers the engine. The American word is hood.

noun

British the covered space at the back of a car, used for carrying things in. The American word is trunk.

noun

a frame of strong metal bars around the front of a car or truck, used for protecting it if there is an accident

noun

a long thin bar of metal or plastic fixed to the front or back of a vehicle, designed to protect it if it hits anything

noun

the frame and wheels of a vehicle

noun

the part of a car that is designed to crumple in a crash so that the passengers are protected from the force of the crash

noun

a pipe that carries the gases or steam out of an engine

noun

mainly American a part of a vehicle that covers or protects the area round a wheel

noun

British the small round lid that covers the hole where you put the petrol in a car or other vehicle

noun

a thin flat part on the back of a vehicle that is used for decoration

noun

the radiator of a motor vehicle

noun

a cover on a car or pram that can be pulled up to give protection from the rain or sun

noun

American a car bonnet

noun

a metal cover for the central part of a wheel on a car

noun

American a number plate

noun

American a roof rack on a car

noun

a piece of rubber that hangs behind a wheel of a vehicle and stops dirt from the road from hitting the vehicle

noun

American a silencer on a vehicle

noun

British an official sign on the front and back of a motor vehicle, with numbers and letters on it that show who it belongs to. The American word is license plate.

noun

a piece of shaped metal that forms part of the body of a vehicle

noun

British the part of a car or other vehicle that you fill with petrol. The American word is gas tank.

noun

in Australia, signs that a driver must fasten onto their car for one year after passing their driving test

noun

the back part of something, especially a vehicle

noun

British an abbreviation for a vehicle’s registration number, especially the number or letter that shows how old it is

noun

British the official set of numbers and letters on a car’s number plate

noun

Australian a number plate

noun

a strong metal bar that goes over the top of a vehicle without a roof and protects the people inside if the vehicle turns over

noun

the top outer part of a vehicle

noun

a large hard container that fits on the roof of a car

noun

British a metal frame fixed on the roof of a car, used for carrying large objects, bicycles etc. The American word is luggage rack.

noun

one of two long bars used for fastening a vehicle to a horse or other animal

noun

the outer parts of something such as a car or plane

noun

British an object that reduces the noise from a vehicle’s engine. The American word is muffler.

noun

British the area on the outside of a car that is directly below the door

noun

something that covers the lower part of a machine or a vehicle

noun

a part on the back of a racing car that keeps it on the ground at high speeds

noun

a part on a vehicle or machine that keeps it steady or in the correct position

noun

a part of a roof of a car that can be opened

noun

American a vehicle’s tailgate

noun

mainly American a door at the back of a car, van, or truck

noun

mainly American the pipe at the back of a motor vehicle that takes waste gases out of the engine

noun

a metal bar on the back of a vehicle used for towing another vehicle

noun

a moving part of a large vehicle such as a tank on which it moves along the ground

noun

American the boot of a car

noun

a round object that turns round and round to make a car, bicycle, or other vehicle move

noun

the distance between the front and back wheels of a vehicle

noun

British the large glass window at the front of a vehicle. The American word is windshield.

noun

British a long thin tool that moves across a vehicle’s windscreen to wipe the rain off it

noun

American a windscreen

noun

British the part of a car that covers the wheel. The usual American word is fender.

noun

British a small mirror on each side of a vehicle. The American word is sideview mirror.