Car buyers tend to focus on two things: features and performance. Since most cars come with a generous number of features, many drivers will decide based on the engine's horsepower and torque.
While horsepower describes how much power the engine can create over a specified time, torque is the force behind the power that impacts how responsive the engine is and contributes to its towing power.
A car's aerodynamics and weight (wind resistance and gravity) are also important and mean that vehicles that weigh less require less torque—or force—to get them moving. Aerodynamically designed vehicles that have smooth lines and curves have less wind resistance than larger SUVs and trucks and achieve greater speeds with less effort.
However, since cars still weigh enough that makes horsepower and torque a necessity. Passenger weight, a full gas tank, and a loaded trunk can slow you down, which means the more horsepower and torque the engine produces, the faster you'll go.