Choosing a Car by Parameters: What to Look for

Knowing the basic criteria for choosing a car, you have every chance to become the owner of a reliable car that will fully satisfy all your needs in life and work. We have identified the main parameters and characteristics that will help you make the right choice.

Define goals

Before we get into the purely technical specifications of the vehicle, we must determine your needs. In other words, you need to understand what you expect from your new car. For some people it is travelling to the countryside, others are looking for a car for work, while others need a safe and practical car for the family.

Here are the basic questions you need to answer:

How many passengers do you need to carry?
What is your driving style? Is it mainly city roads, motorways, off-road?
Do you take your car to work, which is quite far away and therefore fuel economy is important to you?
Do you need four-wheel drive?
What features are a must for you? For example, reversing camera, leather seats, Apple CarPlay, etc.
What safety features are important to you? For example, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking?
How much boot space do you need?
Will you be using child car seats?
Will you be towing anything?
Do you have a garage and how big is it?

Determine the purchase budget

The next step is to determine how much we are willing to spend on buying a car. If you are not planning to buy a car for cash, then evaluate your options when buying on credit or leasing. How much can you allocate for car payments each month?

The general rule is that your monthly payment for a new car should not exceed 15% of your monthly net income. A used car will cost less, but even then this rule must be observed. If you want to lease a car, aim for a monthly payment of less than 10% of your net income. Also, don't forget to factor in at least another 7% of your monthly income to cover fuel and insurance costs.

Selecting a car by parameters

Now let's talk about the specifics of choosing a car based on its specifications and condition.

The body

You have the option to choose from the following body types:

Sedan. is the most common type of car on the road. Sedans have a rear boot and a hard roof with a horizontal line that slopes gently down to the rear. A sedan is suitable if you need a car for daily commuting and carrying up to three passengers.
Hatchback. Hatchbacks have a roof line that descends from the second pillar, making them easily recognisable. They have a lift-up tailgate on hinges. There are three- and five-door hatchbacks. The engine is separate from the cabin, while the cargo and passenger compartments are combined.
SUV. SUVs are valued for their spacious interior, comfort and off-road performance. They are great for both on-road and off-road driving.
Coupes. These are two-door cars with a low roof and a fixed top, unlike convertibles. Earlier convertibles were called convertible coupes, but now the term ‘coupe’ refers only to cars with a hard roof. Coupes are characterised by stylish design. Some models have four 2+2 seats, but most are designed for only two passengers.
Universals. Cars with an extended rear end, high ground clearance and a spacious interior, which makes them more practical.
Crossovers. Combine the best qualities of passenger cars and SUVs. They are built on a sedan chassis, but borrow characteristics such as height, ground clearance and fit from SUVs. Unlike SUVs, crossovers are designed for light off-roading only.

Mark

The most popular models according to the results of 2023 are listed below. In general, the choice of brand is a matter of taste and personal preferences, but they very much depend on objective reasons.

Volkswagen. One of the largest car manufacturers in the world, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Today, Volkswagen is the largest automaker in Europe and one of the largest in the world, combining 12 brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and others.
Toyota Motors. The largest automaker in the world. It is a Japanese multinational company. The company is headquartered in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Toyota is the largest automaker in the world by volume, producing more than 10 million cars annually.
Daimler. The world's largest manufacturer of premium cars and commercial vehicles. A company with a long history that began in 1886 and is based in Stuttgart, Germany.

Model

The choice depends on goals, preferences and personal likes. In 2023, Toyota products were the global bestsellers. The RAV4 and Corolla topped the global rankings not only this year, but in all recent years. These models make the brand attractive due to the variety of offerings, although both models do not have pure electric options, offering only hybrid alternatives.

Year of release

You can find out the year of manufacture if you have a unique vehicle identifier. You can find out the year of manufacture from the VIN code online, using a special service. Learn how to do this in the article dedicated to this issue.

Gearbox

There are the following types of transmissions:

Manual transmission. Manual or ‘mechanics’, requires the driver to manually shift gears using a clutch and shift lever.
Automatic transmission. An automatic transmission, or simply an automatic, uses a hydraulic system to shift gears automatically.
Variator. This type of transmission uses a pulley and belt system to provide an infinite number of gear ratios.
Dual Clutch Robotic Transmission (DCT). Designed to shift gears quickly and smoothly using two clutches. These gearboxes are often found in high performance vehicles.

Equipment

Manufacturers offer a range of equipment from basic to advanced, designed for certain categories of users, for example, for fans of active driving, off-road travelling, etc. Much is offered as options - the user chooses which units and assemblies the car will be equipped with.

Operational history

If you know it, you get a certain guarantee that further use of the car will not be associated with major problems, both technical and legal. You can also find it out by VIN-code. The report contains a detailed history of the car, including:

facts of participation in road accidents;
information on repairs, maintenance;
legal restrictions (pledge, credit);
information on whether the car is stolen;
odometer readings;
technical characteristics, equipment (its changes).