wheelbase

American

[hweel-beys, weel-] / ˈʰwilˌbeɪs, ˈwil- /

noun

Automotive.

the distance from the center of the front-wheel spindle to the center of the rear-wheel axle.

wheelbase British

/ ˈwiːlˌbeɪs /

noun

the distance between the front and back axles of a motor vehicle

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of wheelbase

First recorded in 1885–90; wheel + base ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The latest Palisade is larger and longer, in wheelbase and overall length, than the first-gen model.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

The cars will be smaller and lighter than this year, with a wheelbase reduced by 200mm to 3,400mm, width by 100mm - down to 1,900mm - and the minimum weight reduced by 30kg.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

It was steered by its rear wheel, using steel cables in sheaves, and could turn in a circle with a radius only slightly greater than its wheelbase.

From Slate • Aug. 2, 2022

The Blazer is higher riding and features a longer wheelbase and more storage capacity than the Equinox.

From The Verge • Jun. 13, 2022

Currently, Americans vie in a similar way with the wheelbase and overall length of their cars.

From A Brief History of Element Discovery, Synthesis, and Analysis by Watson, Glen W.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023