GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating)

The gross vehicle weight rating is the ceiling on what a loaded car may weigh on the road: bodywork, fluids, every passenger, and every bag included. The US federal definition calls it the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle. In the UK the same idea is the maximum authorised mass (MAM), also known as gross vehicle weight; GOV.UK says it is listed in the owner's manual and normally shown on a plate or sticker fitted to the vehicle.

Its everyday use is subtraction: GVWR minus curb weight equals payload, the weight you are allowed to add. Towing interacts with it too, because a trailer's noseweight adds load on the car, so check the handbook for how the manufacturer treats it.

For most shoppers GVWR stays invisible until it matters: a camper build, a full family load with luggage, or a driving license category that depends on vehicle weight, as GOV.UK notes for the UK. Checking takes seconds, and the figure on the vehicle's plate is the one to use.