This is the 6262nd most frequent Russian word.
уехал
"Left" or "departed" (by vehicle).
In this sentence, 'уехал' refers to the act of physically departing, emphasizing the time of departure.
Он уехал из города поздно вечером.
He left the city late in the evening.
Here, 'уехала' is used to describe someone leaving for a specific destination, indicating the purpose of the departure.
Я узнала, что она уехала на работу раньше обычного.
I found out that she left for work earlier than usual.
In this example, 'уехали' conveys the idea of returning to a home location after being away for some time.