Cars Quiz – Printable Version
20 multiple-choice questions with an explained answer key, ready to print.
Print the sheet (or save it as a PDF from the print window), hand it out, then mark it together using the answer page: every answer is explained. Perfect for a party, a birthday, a classroom, a care home or a team activity.
Name: ………………………………Score: ……… / 20
- What does ABS stand for?
- A. Auto Balance System
- B. Anti-lock Braking System
- C. Advanced Brake Safety
- D. Auto Brake System
- On the highway, what is the general speed limit in France?
- A. 90 km/h
- B. 150 km/h
- C. 130 km/h
- D. 110 km/h
- Which car was the first to exceed 100 km/h, in 1899?
- A. Panhard
- B. La Jamais Contente (Jenatzy)
- C. Peugeot
- D. Ford
- Which was the first car with an electrically retractable hardtop (coupé-cabriolet)?
- A. Nash Lafayette
- B. Buick Century
- C. Peugeot 402
- D. Ford Model A
- Which car manufacturer literally means 'people's car' in German?
- A. Mercedes-Benz
- B. Audi
- C. Volkswagen
- D. Opel
- Which car owes its 'ghost' name to its silent running?
- A. Packard Twelve
- B. Bentley Blower
- C. Duesenberg Model J
- D. Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
- What technology was invented in the 1920s to improve car safety, but only became widespread in the 1960s?
- A. Seatbelt
- B. Disc brake
- C. ABS
- D. Power steering
- Which country invented the first traffic light?
- A. France
- B. United States
- C. United Kingdom
- D. Germany
- Which country invented the concept of the 'Autobahn'?
- A. Switzerland
- B. Italy
- C. France
- D. Germany
- Which type of fuel is generally cheapest at the pump?
- A. Gasoline
- B. Ethanol
- C. Electricity
- D. Diesel
- Why are exterior side mirrors often convex?
- A. To provide a wider field of view
- B. To improve aerodynamics
- C. To reduce glare from the sun
- D. To prevent fogging
- What technology does GPS rely on to work?
- A. Wifi
- B. FM radio
- C. Satellites
- D. Bluetooth
- Which car brand has four interlocking rings as its emblem?
- A. Audi
- B. Opel
- C. Mercedes
- D. Volkswagen
- Which American promotional car, created in 1936, is shaped like a giant sausage in a bun?
- A. The Burgermobile
- B. The Wienermobile
- C. The Hotdog Express
- D. The Frankfurter Car
- Which 1998 Italian family car, with a highly controversial design, offered two rows of three seats side by side, including in the front?
- A. Fiat Multipla
- B. Lancia Musa
- C. Alfa Romeo 145
- D. Fiat Ulysse
- Why don't we need to 'double-declutch' to change gear any more, as on old lorries?
- A. Modern gearboxes no longer have gears
- B. The onboard computer changes gear for us
- C. Synchronisers match the gears' speeds before they mesh
- D. The clutch is now always pressed
- What is turbo 'lag', which drivers feel at low revs?
- A. The time a turbo takes to cool after stopping
- B. The delay before exhaust gases spin the turbine fast enough to deliver power
- C. The time it takes to fill the tank
- D. The lifespan of the turbo
- Can a 48-volt 'mild hybrid' car drive for long in fully electric mode?
- A. Yes, about a hundred kilometres
- B. Yes, but only in reverse
- C. No: its small electric motor mainly assists the combustion engine
- D. Yes, if you charge it every night
- What is the role of the BMS, the battery management system in an electric car?
- A. Constantly monitoring the voltage and temperature of each cell and balancing their charge
- B. Choosing music according to the charge level
- C. Heating the seats
- D. Inflating the tyres according to the load
- When should you check tyre pressure to get an accurate reading?
- A. Right after a long motorway trip
- B. In full sun in the afternoon
- C. It doesn't matter, pressure never changes
- D. When cold, before driving or after only a few kilometres
Answer key — Cars Quiz
- B. Anti-lock Braking SystemABS prevents the wheels from locking up. Without it, you hit the brakes...
- C. 130 km/h130 km/h...
- B. La Jamais Contente (Jenatzy)The Benz Velo exceeded 100 km/h in 1899.
- C. Peugeot 402The Peugeot 402 Eclipse was the first car with a sunroof, in 1934.
- C. VolkswagenThe name 'Volkswagen' comes from the German words 'Volk' (people) and 'Wagen' (car).
- D. Rolls-Royce Silver GhostThe Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is often associated with ghost car legends.
- A. SeatbeltThe seatbelt was invented in the 1920s, but only became widespread in the 1960s.
- B. United StatesThe first traffic light was installed in Detroit in 1920.
- D. GermanyThe Autobahnen are Germany's highway network, famous for certain sections with no speed limit.
- B. EthanolE85 (superethanol) benefits from favorable taxation compared to gasoline and diesel.
- A. To provide a wider field of viewConvex mirrors provide a wider field of view, but they make objects appear farther away than they actually are.
- C. SatellitesThe GPS system relies on a constellation of satellites orbiting the Earth.
- A. AudiAudi's four rings represent the merger of four automakers: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer, united under the name Auto Union in 1932.
- B. The WienermobileOscar Mayer's Wienermobile has been touring US roads since 1936.
- A. Fiat MultiplaThe Fiat Multipla, short but very wide, carried six people in two rows.
- C. Synchronisers match the gears' speeds before they meshBefore a gear's dog clutch engages, a cone-shaped ring rubs against the gear and brings it up to the right speed.
- B. The delay before exhaust gases spin the turbine fast enough to deliver powerThe turbo is driven by exhaust gases: at low revs there are few of them, and the turbine takes a moment to spin up.
- C. No: its small electric motor mainly assists the combustion engineThe 48 V system recovers energy under braking and helps the combustion engine when pulling away or accelerating, slightly reducing fuel use.
- A. Constantly monitoring the voltage and temperature of each cell and balancing their chargeA car battery contains hundreds or even thousands of cells. The BMS stops any cell being overcharged, over-discharged or too hot, which would damage it or pose a risk.
- D. When cold, before driving or after only a few kilometresAs you drive, tyres warm up and the air inside expands, so the measured pressure is higher.