What is Torque in a Car?

What is torque in cars? When you’re looking for your next vehicle around Nashville, there are some automotive terms you should be familiar with. Horsepower, top speed, and 0-60 mph acceleration are fairly straightforward specifications. Horsepower refers to your engine power, top speed refers to how fast a vehicle can go, and 0-60 mph acceleration refers to how fast one of our quality pre-owned vehicles can accelerate.

As a result, you might be asking, “What is torque in a car?” it’s not the easiest answer, but our Music City Autoplex staff is here to answer. In the following guide, we provide a proper torque car definition, answer “What is considered good torque in a car?” and more. If you have any additional questions, call us at (888) 797-4947 or reach out online today!

What is Torque in Cars: Torque Car Definition

Before answering, “What is torque in a car?” it’s important to answer what this entails. All engines will produce torque and horsepower. Nowadays, most cars and trucks generate around 100 to 400 lb-ft of torque. Your engine pistons will create torque as they move backward and forward on your crankshaft, which rotates and generates torque. After that, your torque is sent to your vehicle’s wheels via the transmission and drivetrain. 

What is Considered “Good” Torque in a Car?

As indicated in our torque car definition, most vehicles will produce 100 to 400 lb-ft of torque. Yet, what is considered good torque in a car? Usually, cars with smaller non-turbocharged gas engines have lower amounts of torque. Higher torque amounts are more desirable than lower amounts since higher torque will align with the way most Hendersonville buyers drive.

Usually, low-torque engines are much less fuel-efficient as they have to work harder than high-torque engines. Higher torque also corresponds to a much easier driving experience, fewer gear changes, and a faster acceleration around the Clarksville area.

Horsepower vs. Torque

It’s important to compare and contrast torque with horsepower. These differences can be broken down into five main points:

1. What They Measure: Torque will measure the crankshaft’s rotational force within your vehicle’s engine. By contrast, horsepower measures the power being transferred to the wheels of your engine.
2. How They Affect Acceleration: Through twisting force, torque will get the car rolling when you accelerate, while horsepower is what maintains the speed as you cruise around Nashville.
3. Towing: Torque is what matters as far as towing is concerned. For those planning to tow a boat, camper, or jet ski outside of Hendersonville, you’ll need a vehicle with plenty of torque.
4. Vehicle Performance: Horsepower is a snapshot of a vehicle’s power and speed. The higher your horsepower, the faster and more powerful your engine is. All vehicles rely on torque. However, they should have an ideally solid balance between the two for the best driving experience.
5. Fuel Efficiency: Cars with higher horsepower will burn fuel faster when accelerating or driving normally. 

Learn More About Torque & Other Specs From Music City Autoplex! 

What is torque in cars? Learn even more about torque with us and experience the great selection of vehicles at Music City Autoplex. With our pre-owned models from Hyundai, Nissan, and more, you’ll have many options to enhance your Clarksville area ride.

If you’re still looking for the ideal used vehicle for you, use our vehicle finder service to sort through available models to find the best choice. Find a car with exceptional torque at Music City Autoplex today!