Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the Japanese-vehicle technology, Canadian automotive regulations, and salvage-yard vocabulary used across this site.
Vehicle technology
6 terms ABS An Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) is an active safety system that prevents wheel lockup during hard braking by rapidly… AWD All-Wheel Drive (AWD) is a drivetrain configuration that delivers engine torque to all four wheels of a vehicle, either… CVT A Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is an automatic transmission that uses a belt or chain running between two… EV An Electric Vehicle (EV), more precisely a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), is a vehicle powered exclusively by… Hybrid A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that combines an internal-combustion engine with one or more electric motors and a… PHEV A Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid vehicle with a larger traction battery that can be recharged from…
Brand-specific technology
9 terms e-CVT An e-CVT (electronic Continuously Variable Transmission) is Toyota's planetary-gear power-split device used in the… EyeSight EyeSight is Subaru's stereo-camera-based driver assistance system that provides adaptive cruise control, pre-collision… i-MMD i-MMD (intelligent Multi-Mode Drive), marketed in many regions as e:HEV, is Honda's two-motor hybrid powertrain that… i-VTEC i-VTEC (intelligent Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) is Honda's variable valve-timing and lift system… S-AWC S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control) is Mitsubishi's integrated vehicle-dynamics system that combines AWD, Active Yaw… SH-AWD SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) is Acura's torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system that distributes torque not… SkyActiv SkyActiv is Mazda's umbrella brand for a suite of efficiency-focused engineering technologies covering engines… Symmetrical AWD Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is Subaru's longitudinal-engine, full-time AWD system in which the powertrain components… VVT-i VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with intelligence) is Toyota's variable valve-timing system that continuously adjusts…
Marketplace
7 terms CarFax CarFax Canada (formerly CarProof) is the dominant Canadian vehicle history report service, aggregating data from… JDM JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) refers to vehicles, engines, and parts originally manufactured for sale exclusively… Kei Car A kei car (軽自動車, kei-jidousha) is a class of Japanese microcar limited under Japanese tax and registration rules to… Lien A lien on a vehicle is a legal claim registered by a creditor — typically a bank, dealer financier, or judgment… Salvage Title A salvage title (Canadian provincial 'salvage' or 'rebuilt' brand) is a registration status assigned to a vehicle that… UVIP A Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) is a mandatory Ontario government document that the seller of a privately… VIN A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a 17-character alphanumeric code assigned to every motor vehicle since 1981…
Canadian regulations
5 terms AMVIC AMVIC (Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council) is the provincial delegated authority that licenses and regulates… OMVIC OMVIC (Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council) is Ontario's delegated administrative authority that regulates motor… Provincial Safety Inspection A provincial safety inspection is a government-mandated mechanical inspection of a vehicle's safety-relevant systems —… RIV Program The Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) is a Transport Canada programme that ensures vehicles imported into Canada… VSA The Vehicle Sales Authority of British Columbia (VSA) is the delegated administrative authority that regulates retail…
Parts
3 terms Catalytic Converter A catalytic converter is an exhaust-system emissions device that uses precious-metal catalysts (platinum, palladium,… OEM An Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) part is a replacement component made by, or under contract to, the same… Timing Belt A timing belt is a toothed reinforced rubber belt that synchronises the rotation of an engine's crankshaft and…