What kind of car do you need?

It's easy to have your head turned by the stunning convertible in the showroom and forget your practical needs. This list includes some key considerations for choosing the right model.

How much space do you need?

• The number of seats is important not just for your daily trips, but to ensure granny or the grandkids can come along too. And if you regularly use the rear seats a 4-or-5 door car will make life much easier.
• It's not just about the seats though. What about 'wag room' for your dog? Space for buggies, golf clubs and whether the seats fold down for that trip to the tip?
• Baby on the way? A big boot is essential but it's also much easier to fit child seats when you have five doors. And finally, it's obvious but often forgotten: will it fit in your garage?

Trips and journeys

• Do you cover a lot of miles? If so, consider putting extra comfort as a priority.
• Think about what kind of motoring you'll be doing most. If motorway driving is a priority then it may be good to select a 6-speed gearbox to make cruising as relaxed as possible. Driving in the city a lot? An automatic can take away a lot of clutch work.
• Ease of parking can be a factor if you drive in town. Size is the key consideration but you shouldn't forget rearward visibility, or maybe consider a model with parking sensors.
• Do you need your vehicle for towing a caravan or trailer? If so you may need a bigger engine.

Safety

• Safety specifications tend to be grouped in active safety features which help you avoid an accident (such as manoeuvrability, anti-lock brakes, or Electronic Stability systems) or passive safety features which protect you in the event of a crash (crumple zones, seat belt pre-tensioners, airbags).
• But if you have a child there are other factors to consider. For example, to put your child in a rear-facing child seat in the front passenger seat you must have the ability to de-activate the passenger airbag
• See the independent EuroNcap ratings for all new cars at www.euroncap.com 

The Environment

• Limiting the environmental impact of motoring is about both your car choice and how you use it.
• Smaller, lighter cars generally have better fuel consumption and use fewer materials in their construction.
• Conventional automatic transmission cars typically use 10% more fuel than their manual equivalents and 4x4 models are invariably less fuel efficient than two-wheel drive equivalents.
• The CO₂ output of a car is one important indicator of how it would impact on the environment. Visit the Act on CO₂ website to see the CO₂ output of all new cars:http://actonCO₂.direct.gov.uk 

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