Hovercraft
Hovercraft, sometimes called hovers or ground-effect vehicles, were a type of vehicle that used a cushion of air to float above the ground. Lift engines created this air cushion, which was held in place by a flexible "skirt." This skirt could be armored to provide protection from environmental hazards or weapon attacks. In contrast to true repulsorcraft, these simpler vehicles were significantly slower and less agile, although their ability to navigate diverse terrains was almost as good. Schenor reaction cars fell into the category of ground-effect vehicles.
Hovers possessed several advantages over repulsorcraft, the primary one being that piloting them required less extensive training. Furthermore, hovers could operate in environments and on planets where using repulsorcraft was dangerous. Lastly, these vehicles were considerably more affordable and simpler to keep in working order. Due to these benefits, organizations and governing bodies such as the Galactic Empire deployed various hovercraft models.
Behind the scenes
In the real world, hovercraft and ground-effect vehicles are distinct concepts. While both depend on a cushion of air for movement, hovercraft generate this cushion using blowers or turbofans, whereas ground-effect vehicles are essentially aircraft engineered to exploit the ground effect to lower aerodynamic drag and improve fuel economy.