Can You Identify These Parts on the Outside of a Car?

Robin Tyler

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

The first cars were very simple.

They basically were a motor attached to an open top carriage. Those carriages were similar to horsedrawn carriages. Let's just say that vehicle design wasn't a big thing back in the day! 

As time went on, however, the motor car became far more complicated. Of course, the most complications were mechanical. The internal combustion engine was improved, leading to more power, torque and of course, speed.

But vehicle design also came on in leaps and bounds. As cars became faster, drivers needed protection from wind (and bugs) and so the windshield was born. More cars on the road meant that safety became important. Things like the side mirror helped in that regard. And what about bumpers? These were initially designed to protect a car in a collision, although today, they have changed significantly. 

Although your car won't go anywhere if you have major internal car part problems, the external parts are just about as important for your safety and others on the road around you. 

So let's cut to the chase. For this quiz, we are going to test your knowledge of external car parts. Let's see how many you can identify correctly. Of course, many are obvious, but don't get too confident.

Good luck.

Can you name the car part in the image?

A car rides on its tires. They provide essential grip in all conditions. Specialist vehicles, like off-roaders, can have very specific tires.

Found on all cars but changed significantly in modern vehicles, what vehicle part is shown in this image?

In years gone by, the bumper stood proudly out from the rest of the body work of your vehicle and protected it in the event of an accident. This has disappeared in modern designs.

Essential for driving at night, what are these?

The headlights on a vehicle ensure that the driver can see in conditions where light is poor or at night.

These appear on all cars, wait, on some cars. What are they called?

Doors that open upward above the driver's head are known as gullwing doors. They first appeared on the Mercedes Benz 300SL in the 1950s. The failed DeLorean sports car of 'Back to the Future' fame also had gullwing doors.

Name this feature of older vehicles. They are not really seen on modern cars.

Although antennas are now hidden away in modern cars, a couple of decades ago, you needed one sticking out your car's roof or next to the hood to pick up your favorite radio station.

This is an easy one. Can you name the car part featured in this image?

This pipe runs all the way from your car engine and ends at the rear of the vehicle. Gases produced during combustion within the engine chamber are excreted through this pipe.

An essential part of overall safety, can you name this part?

All cars left and right side mirrors. This helps the driver observe behind them to the left and the right, crucial when changing lanes.

In older cars, these were often shiny. Do you know the name of this car part?

This is a covering for the wheel nuts that hold the wheel to car axle.

Any idea what this is called?

Raining? The windshield wiper clears the windscreen, keeping the driver's view clear. It was invented in 1903.

Name this part that appears on the outside of your vehicle.

Ah, the sunroof. Letting the sun in since 1973! Let's be honest, you either love them or hate them!

What is the name of this part?

It's a massive metal bar in the front of your vehicle that offers impact protection. Normally seen on large pickups!

Name the cap in the picture, please.

To get gas into your vehicle, you first need to take off the gas filler cap. Its main purpose is to stop gas evaporating out of the tank.

Any idea what this outside car part is called?

This is normally found on pickup trucks and in some older models. The running board is a piece below the door that can be used to step up into the vehicle.

Identify the part in the image, please.

Found more in older models, a mudguard stops mud from been flicked up under the car and onto the bodywork. It hangs in front of the rear tire and behind the front tire.

You should get this part easily enough! Name it, please.

To open your car door, you pull on the door handle once it has been unlocked

This one is a little tougher! Do you know what this car part is called?

This is the small piece of plastic (usually) that is found in the gap between the windshield and the hood.

Name this essential part of vacation travel.

Roof racks attach to the top of the vehicle and can carry luggage, surfboards, equipment - well, almost anything that fits.

What external car part is seen here?

- The tail lights on a vehicle have two important functions. First, they aid visibility, and second, they allow cars following you to see if you are braking.

Name this large part of a vehicle's bodywork.

The hood is the protective cover for the engine.

Do you know what this is?

License plate - A registration plate allows authorities to keep a record of your vehicle and identify it when you transgress any traffic laws.

This external car part is known as the ____________?

Side windows are found in the doors of the vehicle. They can be lowered and raised again, when necessary.

Can you name the external car part that appears in this image?

Appearing on the front of the car, the grille is often used by manufacturers as a iconic way to identify their cars. Think BMW and their famous grille design that appears on all their models.

This external part is called a ________?

A roll bar is found on vehicles without a roof. It is the highest point on the car and ensures that the driver and passengers are not crushed should the car overturn.

This is critical part in the overall structure of the bodywork of the vehicle. Can you name it?

Vertical support pillars are found around the car and provide the support for the roof.

Name this part, please.

Tires are attached to rims, which in turn are connected to the axle with bolts and nuts.

Name this external car part, made from glass.

One of the larger windows on a car, this allows rear visibility.

Not all vehicles have this part. Can you name it?

Many sports cars have spoilers on the back of the vehicle. These provide more aerodynamic downforce for the vehicle.

You should easily name this car part!

The trunk is the protective cover for the storage area on your vehicle.

This part of the car allows visibility for the driver. Can you name it?

One of the larger windows on a car, this allows visibility for the driver.

Name this external car part, please.

Front spoilers appear at the bottom of the body work in front of the car and provide extra down force.

What external car part is featured in this image?

The rocker is a body panel that is found below the door. It is normally very small and not found in some vehicles.

The external car part in the picture is a __________?

Quarter panels are found between the rear doors and trunk.

A little tougher! Can you identify the external car part pictured here?

Fog lights are an extra set of lights used in mist or fog to provide more visibility and make the vehicle more visible.

This external part on your vehicle is commonly referred to as a ____________.

A tailgate is found at the rear of the vehicle, normally a pickup. By dropping the tailgate you can load equipment, for example, or have a party!

These appear on all cars, wait, on a few cars. What are they called?

Not all cars have them, but those that do look spectacular. Scissor doors open upward and point toward the sky to add a bit more cool to sports cars such as the Lamborghini Countach.

Any idea of the name of the part featured in this image?

Many modern cars simply do not feature a door lock anymore with access now gained electronically. Older cars, however, were locked and unlocked using a key.

This should remind you of the Griswolds and their vacations. What part is it?

A favorite of '70s and '80s station wagons, a wood facia panel finish on the doors of your vehicle was paramount on the family wagon.

Identify this external car part, please.

Not all cars have them, but a rear window wiper allows for greater visibility in rainy conditions.

This external vehicle part is called a _______?

Need to tow a mobile home? A tow bar is all you need.

These appear on all cars, wait, on most cars. These however, are special. What are they called?

Instead of opening thanks to a hinge on the front of the door, suicide doors are hinged at the back and open behind the passenger or driver. They were popular on cars in the 1920s, the '30s and '40s but are not found much today as they are said to be unsafe.

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