In the market for a new car? Don’t make your decision based on color, price, or features alone. The first step in your process should be determining which type of car will best suit your lifestyle.
In this guide, we’ll teach you how to get started by first considering how your personal preferences and lifestyle might affect your choice. Then you can review the different car options and narrow down your list.
Things to Consider
- Passengers and Cargo – If you’ll need to tote a big family around, a small car won’t do. On the other hand, a consistently empty SUV won’t serve much purpose. One of the most important things to consider is the size you’ll need. Make sure you have room to hold the whole family comfortably with luggage. This is a good way to gauge the comfort level it will provide even with all space used.
- Location – By understanding where you live and plan to drive, you’ll be able to narrow it down. A city car should have decent mileage, as you’ll likely be spending lots of time stuck in traffic. Alternatively, living in a colder climate near mountains will require 4-wheel drive and a larger body. If you don’t drive too far, you can get away with a car that doesn’t have impressive mileage as long as it has other attractive features.
- Style of Driving – Are you looking for something that will be comfortable for all passengers, or something that is more focused on the driver’s experience? Many drivers enjoy the feeling of driving coupes or impressively large trucks, but these options don’t lend themselves to a good passenger experience.
- Aesthetics – While not the most vital aspect, liking the way your new car looks is still important. For example, while hatchbacks and sedans hold a similar capacity and are generally the same size, many people prefer the look of a sedan over the lifted trunk of a hatchback.
The Same Goes For Rentals
These same considerations should be made for every car you rent or buy. Even a short-term rental car choice should be based on what needs you’ll have while you drive it.
For example, if you’re using a Bradford pick-up location to get the rental and head to Yorkshire Dales National Park during the winter, you might want something with 4-wheel drive to get you there safely.
Now, let’s review the most common ranges of vehicles to choose from based on the above factors.
Types of Cars Based on Your Lifestyle
- Sedan – A sedan usually has five seats available across the front and back rows. The back can hold two to three people comfortably. A hatchback is slightly different than a sedan in that it has a lifted trunk door, called a hatch, that is typically accessible from the back seat. If more space is needed, the back row is usually easy to fold down to create room for cargo.
- Coupe – A coupe is a two-door car that’s smaller than a sedan and can feature one single front row with two seats or include a second row in the back with an additional three. Rear seats don’t have much space, and the cargo area is also small.
- SUV – An SUV provides extra room for cargo and cabin space. These can fit up to 8 people comfortably, depending on the size. They also are more likely to have four-wheel drive and heavy towing capacity.
- Van – A minivan is primarily used to tote around a number of passengers at once. They typically include sliding doors and a trunk that lifts all the way up with lots of space. These are a great choice for families.
- Truck – A pickup truck is good for transporting a lot of cargo and not as good for keeping passengers comfortable. Most pickup trucks have a front bench with some also including a back seat.
Making the Final Choice
Make your final decision by considering:
- Where you live
- The way you drive
- The passengers you’ll have
- The aesthetics you like
Then, compare your needs and desires with the features different each type of car can offer. You’ll make your choice in no time!