Nick Taylor Jan 28, 2015:

I guess one man's runabout is another man's limo!

Ward Whittaker Jan 27, 2015:

Hi Nick I guess we both live and learn. I'm an Aussie by birth and upbringing but I am fruit of the loins of a Scotsman and my mum's parents were Brits so I am a "vira lata" and I hold dual citizenship, EU and AUS.

Nick Taylor Jan 27, 2015:

Hi Ward I had quite a surprise when I googled runabout and saw it had so many boat listings. As you had not heard of runabout for a car I had never heard of runabout for a boat, which is curious. By the way are you from the UK or US?

Julianete Azevedo (asker) Jan 27, 2015:

Sorry, my mistake. I should've mentioned it from the beginning.

Mario Freitas Jan 27, 2015:

Runabout is Ok if the text is not technical. But you posted as "Automotive", so I thought it was technical.

Julianete Azevedo (asker) Jan 27, 2015:

I agree with you both Mario and Ward. But as I'm not dealing with a too technical text, I need an expression that conveys the idea of a popular, economical and not so powerful car as the runabouts. Please let me know if you think of something that wouldn't sound so technical and thanks ever so much for all your help.

Ward Whittaker Jan 27, 2015:

Mil I'd agree with that. Here in Brazil, they stuck 1.0 engines in cars as big as escorts and I would not tend to use the word runabout because Brazilians are quite happy to travel very long distances in these horrible underpowered little pieces of rubbish. IMHO, I'd stick to my answer of "1 litre car". It's clear and concise. I think everybody here may be over-thinking this term.

Mario Freitas Jan 27, 2015:

Mil refers to the motor cylinder size not to the size of the car. Nor does it refer to the comfort, intended use, etc. There are 1.0 liter cars that are certainly not runabouts (SW, pickups, vans...):
https://www.google.com.br/search?q="parati 1.0"&rlz=1C1MSIM_...
http://www.google.com/images?q="picape 1.0"&oe=utf-8&rls=org...
http://www.google.com/images?q="saveiro 1.0"&oe=utf-8&rls=or...

Julianete Azevedo (asker) Jan 27, 2015:

I think your suggestion is also possible, Tobias. Thanks

T o b i a s Jan 27, 2015:

Perhaps "1-litre runabout" would do the trick.

http://tinyurl.com/pcuzr5h

Julianete Azevedo (asker) Jan 27, 2015:

I think "a runabout (car)", or "a 1.0 runabout" will do the trick. As Nick has said, it does get the idea of a small, popular, economical car to run. Thank you all for your help.

Ward Whittaker Jan 27, 2015:

Nick Nick, runabout sound like a small boat. I've never head it applied to cars.

Nick Taylor Jan 27, 2015:

Julianete UK English OK. Runabout. Cheap, reliable, not necessarily old, (That would be a an Old Banger) 2nd family car, economical to run. So basicallly it is a different cultural reference. But it gets the idea of a small cc car across.

T o b i a s Jan 27, 2015:

Runabout I think the main "feature" of a runabout is that it might not be comfortable for long trips, i.e., essentially a vehicle for short hauls, and for a variety of reasons (unreliable, old, ugly, etc.)

T o b i a s Jan 27, 2015:

Carro mil Challenging to translate insofar (AIK) the expression only exists because of the lower tax rate such cars enjoy in Brazil (elsewhere?).

Julianete Azevedo (asker) Jan 27, 2015:

Thank you Nick. One more question, please. A runabout car isn't necessarily a second hand car, right? It means that it's a small, economy car, correct?

Nick Taylor Jan 27, 2015:

If youre not convinced look at this https://www.google.pt/search?q="cheap runabout "&biw=1280&bi...

Nick Taylor Jan 27, 2015:

Cheap runabout http://www.gumtree.com/p/land-rover/2007-fiat-panda-dynamic-...

Douglas Bissell Jan 27, 2015:

I think we would just say na economy car or small car as very few have exactly 1,000 cc, they could be 998cc to be under the 1,000 limit and get some tax breaks for instance

Julianete Azevedo (asker) Jan 27, 2015:

Obrigada pelo rápido retorno. Os ingleses usariam essa mesma expressão para "carro mil"?