How to Choose the Perfect Car for Your Family?

Choosing the perfect car for your family is one of the most difficult decisions that you can ever make. The safety and security of your family solely depends on the car model that you choose. If you look online, you will be bombarded with how many cars models there are. How can you narrow this number down and pick which one is best suited for you and your family?

Worry no more, the team at Motor Matcher are here to help you with some tips on how to choose the perfect car for you and your family:

1. Safety is the number one priority

Buy a car that’s safe to make sure it’s not too late.

Safety of your family is on top of the priority list if you are a parent. The list below are some factors to consider when looking for a great practical car with safety, to ensure you are secured. The major difference between safety and practicality can be life and death. With safe and secure cars, you can walk away with minor scratches instead of needing to go to the emergency room.

Fortunately, before new cars are released, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) will thoroughly crash test the cars before giving them a star rating. Five stars is the maximum possible rating and as car technology advances, the test becomes more stringent. Newer car models are considered to offer more protection if an accident occur than older cars,

Each ANCAP Score is divided into subcategories of

• Adult Occupant Protection
• Vulnerable Road User Protection (pedestrians and cyclists)
• Safety systems
• Child Occupant Protection

A new car should have a 85% or higher child safety score. Additional support like active assists are having an auxiliary back-up driver to keep you and your family safe in case you become distracted while driving (kids screaming, blind spots, etc.). Some cars have rear traffic alert systems for reversing and lane change assist for lane change in a highway. Some cars will even have to monitor your concentration levels that will notify you if you need a break from driving.

Adaptive cruise can reduce driver fatigue by automatically maintaining a set speed and distance to the vehicle in front.

2. Cabin Space

More stuff to carry? Don’t worry.

If you are travelling with your kids or just planning to take your kids for a car ride, you will most likely to have a lot of stuff to carry. If you have a newborn child or months old baby, chances are you have to bring all sorts of items like feeding supplies, spare nappies, strollers, baby suitable car seats, etc. If you are planning to bring toddlers, the number of bags increases exponentially the older they get. It doesn’t just stop at kids, older children to pre-teens to late teens bring a lot of things too. And you of course will also have your own stuff to carry. Going on holiday trips or summertime explorations can be a hassle don’t let car space be part of that. Internal spacing is a crucial thing to look for in a new car.

A good tip for picking a new car is to bring your family with you. Test ride a car with the whole family to see if everyone fits comfortably. More seats means more space, which is more room for more stuff. This is a good thing as more young ones arrive over the years, it will extend the useful lifespan of your chosen vehicle.

3. Driving assists and gadgets

Car gadget that you can bet.

In the good old days, the common car has a steering wheel, seat belts, radio or cassette players and wing mirrors. Nowadays, even the cheapest, most budget-friendly cars will have different accessories and fancy gadgets for different reasons. All of them have a purpose (even if some sounds like a gimmick) to ease us and let driving be a stress-free task.

Similarly to the first tip, there are gadgets that we can utilize to make our driving much safer and also less stressful. Cars that have parking sensors and reversing cameras make a tight car parking task much more easily.

Going key-less now has its benefits. Less looking for keys in the morning, opening your car doors will not be a hassle especially if your arms are full carrying your sleeping child and shopping bags and also no more worrying about car key pick lockers when you leave it in the parking lot. A car that's easy to drive and operate should fit neatly into your life, rather than proving a nuisance.

4. General practicality

Practicality is another important priority.

Don't forget practicality when shopping for cars. Make sure that you look for more intuitive controls if you are having a hard time operating the car while driving. Keeping the whole car cool rather than the front two passengers can be achieved by installing triple-zone climate controls. Entertainment screen (that can be used via USB or DVD players) with built in wireless headphones for kids can be very useful for long road trips.

Automotive designers have become masters at utilising the maximum available cabin space, integrating neat cubbies and storage bins that put essentials like wet wipes and snacks within arm's reach. A few car makers even install refrigerated consoles for storing drinks.

If you have young kids, leather seats are wipe-clean and can repel juice spills rather than absorb them. Removable mats will also limit the time you spend cleaning your car. Built-in sun shade quickly shield your young ones from the heat and bright lights, as will rear privacy glass. Having roadside assistance and breakdown cover (included for several years with the purchase of a new car from some brands) will take the edge off an unexpected problem and prevent you from being stranded by the kerb for hours on end.

5. Price

If the price is right, buy the car, you want.

Price is always going to be a major deciding factor. While a $70,000 SUV might be the perfect solution for a family of four, if you don't have the means to buy one, there's no point considering it. Check out running costs and servicing charges before committing to a purchase to see if you can truly afford a car. Decide on your budget first and make sure to use our car finance calculators to save hundreds of dollars over a car loan term.

Once you’re ready to buy the perfect car for you and your family, the next step is simple—visit us at here at Motor Matcher for great car deals.

At Motor Matcher, everything we do is modelled around providing customers with the right tools and empowering them with rich information, helping customers make sound decision when buying and selling cars. We offer a faster, simpler way to compare new and used cars online, creating an ideal and safe marketplace for all car buyers and sellers. You can see current deals on leasing or financing and get a better buying experience.

Please visit www.motormatcher.com.au for more details.