BHP check by registration
Confirm which engine a car really has. The £15 report shows its recorded maximum power in BHP, engine size and gearbox, alongside finance, write-off, theft and mileage checks.
£15 vehicle history report · Instant results
Where the BHP figure comes from
The DVLA does not record horsepower in a form you can look up, and the V5C only sometimes shows a net power figure in kW. The report shows the maximum power recorded for the vehicle, converted to BHP, in its specification section.
For hybrids, the recorded figure is usually the petrol or diesel engine on its own rather than the combined output, and the report says so. Where no power figure is recorded, the report shows it as unavailable rather than guessing.
Want the full recorded specification and identity of a car, not just its power? The car spec check covers that.
BHP, PS and kW
Three ways of stating the same thing. Manufacturers in Europe usually quote PS or kW, UK adverts usually quote BHP.
| Unit | What it is | Converting |
|---|---|---|
| BHP | Brake horsepower, the imperial measure used in most UK adverts and reviews | 1 bhp = 0.746 kW |
| PS | Pferdestärke, the metric horsepower on most European spec sheets | 1 PS = 0.986 bhp |
| kW | Kilowatts, the official unit on type approval and the V5C | 1 kW = 1.341 bhp |
A 150 PS engine is about 148 bhp and 110 kW. The small gap between PS and BHP is why the same car can be advertised with two slightly different numbers.
Why people check a car's BHP
Checking the advert
Sellers get the variant wrong, by mistake or otherwise. If a car is sold as the 190 bhp version and the registration says 150, you know which one you are buying.
Getting insurance quotes
Insurers ask for the exact model, and power is part of how they tell variants apart. Knowing the figure helps you pick the right one from their list.
Comparing cars
Power alone says little. Torque, weight and the gearbox tell you how a car actually drives, so read the power figure alongside a proper road test of the model.
What a BHP check cannot tell you
- Remaps and modifications. The figures are the factory's. A remapped or modified car can make more or less power, and nothing in the records shows that.
- Power today. Wear, faults and a tired engine lose power over time. Only a rolling road measures the car in front of you.
- Rare and imported models. Some vehicles have no power figure recorded. The report says so rather than guess.
BHP check FAQs
How do I find out how much BHP my car has?
Enter the registration above. The £15 report shows the maximum power recorded for the vehicle in BHP, with its engine size and gearbox, alongside finance, write-off, theft and mileage checks. The V5C and the manufacturer's brochure for the model are free places to look too.
Does the V5C show BHP?
Not as BHP. Section P.2 of the V5C can show the maximum net power in kW, but it is often blank. Multiply kW by 1.341 to get BHP.
Is BHP the same as horsepower?
Close, but not quite. BHP is imperial horsepower measured at the engine. PS is metric horsepower, and 1 PS is about 0.986 bhp, so a 100 PS engine is about 99 bhp.
Will a BHP check show if a car has been remapped?
No. The recorded figure is the power the vehicle was built with. A remap is not recorded anywhere a registration lookup can see, so ask the seller and look for evidence such as invoices.
Why is no BHP shown for some cars?
A small share of vehicles, mostly imports, rare models and very old vehicles, have no power figure recorded. The report shows it as unavailable rather than guess a figure.
More vehicle checks
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Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
In the report, the specification and registration details come from DVLA records and our vehicle data provider, and MOT history from the DVSA. Carpeep is not affiliated with the DVLA or DVSA.