An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control. As the name implies, it is designed to handle a wider variety of terrain than most other vehicles. Although it is a street-legal vehicle in some countries, it is not street legal within most states and provinces of Australia, the United States and Canada. By the current ANSI definition, it is intended for use by a single operator, although a change to include 2-seaters (in tandem), is under consideration.

The rider sits on and operates these vehicles like a motorcycle, but the extra wheels give more stability at slower speeds. Although typically equipped with three or four wheels, six-wheel models exist for specialized applications. Engine sizes of ATVs currently for sale in the United States, (as of 2008 products), range from 49 to 1,000 cc (3 to 61 cu in). The CC of a ATV is determind by the capacity of the piston chamber, so if the volume of the chamber was 250 cubic centimetres it would be a 250cc.