装甲车辆是具有装甲防护的各种履带或轮式车辆统称。坦克也是装甲车辆的一种，但是在习惯上通常因作战用途另外独立分类，而装甲车辆多半是指防护力与火力较坦克弱的车种。装甲车的特性为具有高度的越野机动性能，有一定的防护和火力，分为履带式和轮式两种，一般军用装甲车会装备一至两门中小口径火炮及数挺机枪，一些还装有反坦克导弹，结构以装甲车体、武器系统、动力设备等组成。为了增强防护和方便成员下车战斗，多采用前置动力设备方案。

大多数军用装甲车辆可以在水上行驶，可以运行运输、侦察、指挥、救护、伴随坦克及步兵作战等多种任务，还有运行专门任务的装甲车辆，如装甲回收车、装甲指挥车、装甲扫雷车、装甲架桥车等。在警用领域多用于镇压暴乱等。

A military armored (or armoured) car is a lightweight wheeled armored fighting vehicle, historically employed for reconnaissance, internal security, armed escort, and other subordinate battlefield tasks. With the gradual decline of mounted cavalry, armored cars were developed for carrying out duties formerly assigned to horsemen. Following the invention of the tank, the armored car remained popular due to its comparatively simplified maintenance and low production cost. It also found favor with several colonial armies as a cheaper weapon for use in underdeveloped regions. During World War II, most armored cars were engineered for reconnaissance and passive observation, while others were devoted to communications tasks. Some equipped with heavier armament could even substitute for tracked combat vehicles in favorable conditions—such as pursuit or flanking maneuvers during the North African Campaign.