What is Torque in Cars?

When you check out the specs sheet of a new car, you’ll notice terms like “horsepower” and “torque.” While many Myrtle Beach drivers are familiar with horsepower, some wonder, “What is torque in cars?” Torque refers to the twisting force generated by the crankshaft, which tells you how much work the engine can perform. You can compare this to a wrench exerting force to loosen a bolt. The greater the torque, the greater the power. What is considered good torque in cars? How does torque differ from horsepower? Hadwin-White Buick GMC, Inc. is here to guide you through the torque car definition, so you can choose your next model wisely!

What Does Torque Mean in a Car?

Knowing the torque car definition is one thing, but what does torque mean in a car in practice? First, consider the engine. Inside your engine are pistons that move up and down inside cylinders. This movement is carried into the crankshaft, which translates that up-and-down motion into a rotational force. The rotational force is used to spin the wheels on the Carolina Forest roads, so you can enjoy the ride!

What is Considered Good Torque in a Car?

There are cars for every Red Hill driver within the lineup, so there’s quite a bit of variation between models. What is considered good torque in a car? That depends on your wants and needs. The greater the torque, the more work the car can do. Generally speaking, this means the more your car can tow and better it can climb steep hills. Some drivers will prefer the torque-heavy performance of a Sierra HD for challenging drives, while others will be perfectly happy with a Terrain for everyday commutes.

Torque Car Definition vs. Horsepower Car Definition 

Before we wrap it up, what’s the difference between torque and horsepower? And which one is more important? 

• Torque measures the rotational force from the crankshaft, while horsepower measures the crankshaft’s turning speed.
• In simpler terms, torque measures the amount of work the car can do and horsepower measures how quickly that work can be accomplished.
• A heavy-duty truck might have more torque than horsepower because it needs to do hard work at a moderate speed. A performance car might have more horsepower than torque because it needs to accomplish moderate work at a high speed.

Learn More with Hadwin-White Buick GMC, Inc.

Now you know the answers to questions like, “What is torque?” and, “What does torque mean in a car?”, you’re ready to find the model with the performance specs you need! Visit Hadwin-White Buick GMC, Inc. in Conway, and we’d love to help you narrow down your search. You can also contact us online with your questions or even shop online!