How to Identify Cars

Are you amazed when someone can rattle off the make and model of a car that just went speeding. You can acquire this skill. Start small and expand your knowledge base until you can recognize the make and model and year by the vehicle's key characteristics.

  • Begin by choosing an area or group of cars to observe. Scan a row of cars in the parking lot at work or on the street in front of the house. Practice spotting differences and similarities in certain makes of cars.

  • Think about previously owned personal vehicles and how quickly identifiable those are even now. Study the characteristics that stand out about the make of those cars. Spot similar characteristics in other cars by the same manufacturer.

  • Choose a category. Zero in a particular make of car that's easy to spot, like the Corvette or Mustang. Note the changes in body style from year to year. Flip through auto magazine and websites and read about the evolution of the designs. Keep up on what car designers are proposing.

  • Stick with cars of one country, like Germany or Japan. Focus on American Muscle cars, Mercedes Benz, Volvo or Jeep, for example. Study one vehicle, the body types, features and specifications.

  • Notice specific features. Make note of headlamps, taillights, grilles, bumpers, fender shape and general lines of the body. Master one vehicle and then branch out to learn another.

  • Take advantage of any opportunity to look at cars. Check out cars at stop lights and in the mall parking lot. Visit car dealers to see the latest models.

  • Visit a car museum or take in a car show. Talk to exhibitors about the history of their vehicles. Learn from their expertise.