roadgoing

Roadgoing is an adjective used to describe a vehicle that is intended for use on public roads rather than on race tracks or off-road terrain. It highlights the vehicle’s compliance with street-legal standards and the equipment required for driving legally, including lights, registration, insurance, and safety systems.

In automotive discourse, roadgoing variants are contrasted with track-only or concept versions. Manufacturers and enthusiasts may refer to a roadgoing model when a race-derived design is adapted for normal road use, often with added comfort or reliability features and compliance modifications.

Converting to roadgoing status typically involves meeting jurisdictional requirements: functional headlights and indicators, mirrors, windscreen wipers, emissions equipment, appropriate tires, and safety devices such as seat belts or airbags. A roadgoing car must also be registered and insured, and may be subject to noise, emissions, and safety inspections.

The term is common in collector culture and motorsport media, where it distinguishes between cars designed purely for competition and those offered for sale or use on public roads; it may apply to both historic race cars adapted for road use and contemporary sports cars that retain race-derived engineering while remaining street-legal.

See also: road-legal, street-legal, homologation, track day, race car.