What are the things, one must consider while choosing the right vehicle. No vehicle does everything perfectly, but many do a lot of things well. For instance, you’ll find many cars with good reliability that are also comfortable, quiet, and fun to drive. But you still may have to compromise somewhere. For example, there might be a trade-off between a good ride and good handling. Or you may wind up sacrificing fuel economy in exchange for engine power or cargo space.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself
If you’re unsure what type of vehicle will fit your needs best, begin by asking yourself some basic questions. Your objective is to find models that excel in the areas that matter most to you.
How many people will you carry? Most vehicles can hold five people, although the center-rear position may be so uncomfortable that it barely qualifies as a seat. That’s something to try out when you’re taking test drives.
If you need to carry more people, consider a minivan or a three-row SUV. In small and mid-sized SUVs, however, that rear seat may be more steerage class than coach, suitable only for children.
Something to remember: When occupied, these seats eat up nearly all available cargo space. Check the dimensions for third-row head, shoulder, and legroom.
Two-door cars may have sporty looks, but consider how often you’ll need to use the rear seat. Passengers have to twist and stoop to get in, and folding the front seat to load gear or secure a child safety seat back there gets old fast.
How much cargo do you carry? If outdoor activities or hauling supplies and equipment is a big part of your life, then an SUV, minivan, or wagon is your best bet. A pickup truck is useful if you carry heavy loads, material that would dirty up the interior, or cargo too tall to fit inside an enclosed vehicle.
In fact, four-door crew-cab pickups are the most popular choice. But be aware: Most have a short bed. If your pickup isn’t a family car and you’re in the trades, consider buying a regular-cab pickup with a longer bed.
Automatic or manual shift? Though the death of the manual transmission may be exaggerated, the vast majority of modern cars come only with automatic transmissions. Many automatics now provide a manual-shift mode that works much like a manual transmission but without a clutch.
Manual-shift mode is also handy when driving in mountainous areas, because it provides more control on long descents. Still, in some cars a stick can make the driving experience more fun.
But in the end, as fun and practical as stick shifts may be, they can be a chore in stop-and-go traffic. In addition, today’s six-, seven-, and eight-speed automatics can help cars return fuel economy as good—and often better—than the same car with a manual.
What’s your driving style? Are you a workaholic commuter or a harried parent with daily carpool duty? Perhaps you need practicality but crave a modicum of fun for the commute home or on weekends.
Taking a hard look at your driving style and needs is key in choosing a vehicle. If you are a real driving enthusiast who wants to savor every aspect of the driving experience, you’ll want to focus on cars that emphasize quickness and handling prowess. But lots of cars these days serve up agile handling without sacrificing ride, comfort, and cargo space the way many sporty cars do.
If you’re really into comfort more than driving at the edge, you’ll probably want to consider a sedan. Many models fit the comfy-cruising mode, from midsized and large sedans to midsized and larger SUVs.
Power, fuel economy … or both? Most vehicles are available with a variety of engine and transmission combinations. Usually one is a small, economical choice while the other delivers more power but at the sacrifice of fuel economy.
Often a manufacturer will make the small engine available only on base models or lower-level trims, saving the stronger engine(s) for more expensive, uplevel versions. Smaller cars and SUVs primarily use four-cylinder engines. These often deliver the best fuel economy but lack the power and smoothness of a V6.
But for most people, four-cylinders provide the best mix of fuel economy and performance. Turbocharging is becoming much more prevalent because it can boost power without hurting fuel economy much. Many models that once used a V6 now have a turbocharged four-cylinder instead, and turbo V6s have begun to replace V8 engines in bigger cars and trucks.
Ford even uses small turbo V6s, which deliver V8-like performance, in the F-150 pickup truck. Other fuel-savers include hybrids and diesels. Hybrids usually return excellent fuel economy in city or stop-and-go traffic, and diesels excel at delivering highway fuel economy.
You’ll also find a ton of helpful and detailed car information online and in printed sources, such as magazines and newspapers. The difficulty is that the quality of available information varies widely.
If you already have some candidate cars in mind, you might want to read what other car reviewers and owners are saying about them. You may also want to find model specs and pricing information outside the scope of this book.
Here is a brief recap of other information sources you’ll find:
Manufacturer websites. Automaker sites are a good place to explore individual models, their accessory packages, retail price information, and pictures from every angle. Bear in mind, though, that these sites are essentially advertising vehicles and every car will be described in nothing but glowing terms.
Online pricing. There are many online sources for brief car reviews and pricing information, two of the most-used are Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com). Another is TrueCar.com and Pakwheels.com.
All give retail and “invoice” prices for cars and their options, as well as an idea of what other customers have paid recently.
Online car info. For general information about cars and car-related content, including reviews and tips, you might want to check out MSNAutos.
Enthusiast magazines. So-called buff books and their online equivalents crank out a steady stream of reviews on the newest cars. Though they offer plenty of good, detailed information, it sometimes seems that they never met a new car they didn’t like. Also be aware that auto advertisers cast a long shadow over such publications.
Newspapers. Many newspapers print auto reviews geared toward the everyday driver rather than the enthusiast. Few, however, are based on head-to-head testing or instrumented tests.
Meanwhile, newspaper auto sections often exist solely to draw advertising from automakers and local dealerships.
Personal experiences. Hearing about the experiences of actual owners can give you insight into what it’s like to live with a model. Plenty of online owner forums let owners voice their opinions and read those of others.
Keep in mind, though, that individual owners usually haven’t experienced a wide range of vehicles for comparison, and the memberships are made up of fans of the brand.
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