Your car should fit your lifestyle and personality. Some features, like safety and engineering dynamics, are an absolute. We have provided you some thought provoking options.
Size and Style
Consider what you need size-wise and where you will park your vehicle.
- Compact, mid-size or large vehicle? A two-door coupe or a four-door sedan? Do you want a Crossover, Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), Pickup Truck, Station Wagon or Minivan?
- (If its a larger vehicle, do you want a third row, bucket or bench seating?)
Does you car need to fit into a driveway, garage or parking space? - Do you need a pass thru to the trunk for skis or etc; seats that fold, split or fold-flat? Do you want a hatchback or need a large trunk?
- Do you require a vehicle that is handicap accessible?
Interior and Exterior
Just like the clothes you wear and the house you live in, your car can be a reflection of you.
- Color is key. Make a choice that you can live with
- Interior options: do you prefer leather, chrome, wood, bright colors or dark colors?
- Do you want 16 way-heated leather seats or cloth seats with lumbar support?
- Do you want a spacious cabin that resembles your living room or a cozy sports car cockpit?
What is it for?
Is this your family car, mid-life crisis car, single and sexy wheels, work vehicle or simply a station wagon?
- Is this your primary or secondary vehicle?
- For business travel or daily commute?
- Will you be hauling soccer crews and taking road trips?
- Towing a boat or trailer?
- Do you need to impress clients or colleagues?
Dynamics
Do you want to go fast? or go green?
- Are you looking for a fuel-efficient ride?
- 4, 6, or 8 or more cylinders?
- Alternative fuel (hybrid, electric, ethanol, diesel.)
Weather and road conditions: Are you really going off-road?
- Do you need front-wheel, rear-wheel, four-wheel or all-wheel drive?
Transmission
Some people like the feel of a manual, others like the ease of automatic. If you want both, options include sports shifters or manual paddles.
Safety
This is a given. Aside from front and side airbags, ABS, fog lights, daytime running lights, 3-point seatbelts and other standard safety needs, heres some options to consider:
- Child proof door locks and automatic sliding doors and windows that are pinch proof
- Night vision system
- Backup warning system, camera or beeper
- Navigation System or OnStar
- Lane Departure Warning System
Comfort
Indulge yourself. Options like these could make all the difference to your driving experience.
- Cruise control
- Power steering
- Power windows, power side mirrors, power sliding doors
- Tinted glass
- Remote entry
- Tilting and telescoping steering wheel
- Adjustable pedals (for people of all sizes)
- Remote trunk release
- Heated or cooled seats
- Keyless entry and push-button start
Special Options
This list could fill a swimming pool! We picked some of the more obvious ones to think about.
- Sun roof/Moon roof
- Alarm system
- Top of the line sound systems with options including satellite radio, MP3 and Ipod connectivity, extra speakers
- Theft Deterrent System
- Entertainment system with wireless headsets