Which car to choose? Our car shopping guide, what type of car is made for you?
City car, SUV, break: what type of car to choose for which use
It’s decided, you have gave way to offer yourself your new car. Whether your first purchase, a renewal, your second or even third vehicle, it is an important investment in your life that should not be taken lightly. Before identifying your needs and desires, you must of course constitute your budget, that you will have to respect despite the temptations of an outcry or over-equipped vehicle beyond your means.
Which car to choose ?
You are looking for the vehicle of your dreams but you do not know which car to choose ? It is important to define your budget and your trips but also to consult current market trends. Follow Our detailed guide To help you choose a car adapted to your needs.
Which car to choose ? It all depends on your driving !
Drive in town
If you use a car mainly in town, the right car for you will be a traditional city car. These vehicles are easy to drive in traffic, but also for park in the city center. Small cars of course have multiple advantages from an economic point of view: Cost of maintenance and attractive purchase price.
Long journey
You prefer to live far from the city centers to enjoy the countryside ? You benefit from a private garage and park is not a problem ? Opt for a sedan, a compact or a family car. These versatile vehicles can run on all types of land and are available under multiple versions in order to satisfy the most numerous families.
All Terrain
For thrill seekers, opt For a SUV or a 4×4 ! The SUV is today the fashionable model everywhere in Europe. Very appreciated for its pleasant design, raised driving and sporting performance, you will have no trouble Find the model of your choice. Also know that The discount is quite slow For SUV models.
How to choose a car ? 4 selection criteria
As you know, buying a car is an important investment ! You should target your needs and budget to guide you in your purchase. We group 5 important points To be assessed to find out which car to choose.
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Choose the motorization
Diesel, petrol, electric, hybrid. It is important to choose A engine adapted to your motorist profile To find out which car to choose. Fuel consumption is a major argument when buying a car. Indeed, there are many advantages and disadvantages For each of these options.
Should we still buy a diesel ?
It is well known, diesel is no longer in fashion ! First, the purchase price of a diesel vehicle as well as maintenance and insurance costs are high. In addition, these models undergo an important discount.
- Consumption 15 % lower that essence vehicles
- Lower pump fuel price
- Suitable for long journeys: if you drive more than 20,000 km per, choose a diesel to make fuel costs profitable
Petrol engine: what advantages ?
The purchase price of a petrol vehicle is lower than that of a diesel model. Maintenance costs are also lower because revisions are generally less regular.
On the other hand, petrol cars reject the most CO2 ! Watch out for the ecotax which applies when purchasing a new vehicle depending on its CO2 emission rate. So you have to pay an ecological penalty During registration.
You are looking for a vehicle essence ? Consult our models !
Electric motor: the ecological alternative ?
Electric cars are silent and therefore offer driving comfort while rejecting much less CO2 emission than a diesel or petrol engine. On the other hand, electric cars are expensive to buy and have limited autonomy. They are therefore to be avoided if you browse long journeys.
On the other hand, there are today many electric car charging stations everywhere in France, you will have no difficulty finding a dedicated place in a parking lot with A free charging station.
You will find quick charging stations on the highways to allow you to travel longer distances. You can also choose from Install one at your home.
It’s decided, you go to the electric ? Consult our electric cars.
Choose a hybrid car: innovation above all !
Like an electric model, low maintenance costs and driving comfort are advantages that are found in a hybrid car. However, a hybrid car has Two engines: a petrol or diesel engine as well as an electric motor.
The alliance of these two engines is very practical for driving in the city but also economical for your budget. Indeed, you do not consume fuel below 30 to 50 km/h, especially in traffic jams. In addition, most hybrid vehicles recharge by rolling: No more autonomy problems !
It is true that the purchase price of a hybrid car is high compared to other engines, but you can benefit of state aid To buy a non -polluting vehicle. The ecological bonus as well as conversion bonus Are two cumulative aids to encourage cars to break up an old vehicle to buy a new, new or used, with a purchase price less than or equal to € 60,000 including tax. To find out more, click here.
Discover our high quality hybrid vehicles now. Otherwise, discover our selection to find the best hybrid car.
Choose a LPG car to save money !
Which car to choose for save money ? The answer is simple: a LPG model. However, LPG models are struggling to find a place on the French automotive market. Indeed, this type of model has had some success in neighboring countries such as Italy or Poland.
- LPG (liquefied oil gas) does not release fine particles
- Easy to get the Crit’Air 1 sticker
- Cheapest fuel price, between € 0.80 and € 1.20 per liter
City car, SUV, break: what type of car to choose for which use ?
It’s decided, you have gave way to offer yourself your new car. Whether your first purchase, a renewal, your second or even third vehicle, it is an important investment in your life that should not be taken lightly. Before identifying your needs and desires, you must of course constitute your budget, that you will have to respect despite the temptations of an outcry or over-equipped vehicle beyond your means.
Whether you plan to give up or not to the pleasure purchase, you must be prepared at this stage. This is why it is advisable to place your money on a savings book giving an interesting interest rate and where the purchase of a car falls under the conditions of its release, and to opt in parallel for a bank online to reduce bank charges, enough to save several hundred euros per year. This will allow you to offer you additional options, to go to the higher finish of the model you want, or to go up to the category.
It’s back to school, you plan to change your vehicle, but you hesitate ?
Depending on your use, your mileage, your family situation, your aesthetic tastes and of course your budget, your choice will be different. Here are the main categories, with their main characteristics and examples of models.
City, few kilometers ?
If you evolve mainly in an urban environment, that your journeys are very short, or want to opt for a second car, no need to choose a behemoth. A city type car will clearly do the job to go to work and do the shopping. If the interior volume is not your priority or if your budget is limited, you will be satisfied with the mini-city cars (about 3.60 meters) of Renault Twingo type, Citroën C1, Fiat 500 or Ford Ka+.
However, if you are looking for more versatility, especially in terms of trunk and ability to make longer trips to occasionally go on weekends for example, you will have to go to the upper segment. Among the urban areas of about 4 meters are the most popular French Renault Clio, Peugeot 208 and Citroën C3, confronting their Rivals Volkswagen Polo, Opel Corsa, Suzuki Swift or Toyota Yaris . Also be aware that petrol is preferable to diesel, because the latter is quickly dirtying on short distances, and electric models such as Renault Zoe, Volkswagen e-up ! or Smart Fortwo Ed are ideal for their serenity at the wheel, and their low autonomy is not a constraint in the city.
Alone, as a couple, but childless, you like to move ?
You are young and want to ride more, you evolve as a single or a couple while wanting to allow yourself regular getaway or join the family at the other end of France ? The solution of the compact sedan is available to you, with lengths of approximately 4.40 meters to take your friends or house big luggage without having to play Tetris, all with more comfort and power to evolve on motorway without forcing. The most requested Peugeot 308, Renault Mégane and Volkswagen Golf are only part of the many models on the market, also including the most accessible Fiat Tipo, the Toyota Corolla only in hybrid or Korean Kia Ceed .
If your budget allows it or if you want a higher level of equipment or comfort, you have the solution for high-end Mercedes-Benz class A models, Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Volvo V40, Lexus CT or Infiniti Q30 . Please note, the basic models are often little different from the general practitioners, it will be necessary to get into finishes to truly feel the “premium” class and find more powerful engines.
You are at the head of a small family ? A child, a dog ?
Always if you are not a backpacker or that you rarely venture on the highway, but you are at the head of a small family of one or two toddlers, you will need more space . Several distinct solutions are presented as the very popular city SUVs (approximately 4.15 m) Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur, Citroën C3 Aircross, Nissan Juke or Seat Arona, as well as slightly more imposing models like Jeep Renegade, Volkswagen T-Roc or Mazda CX-3 around 4.25 meters .
Do not forget the alternatives ludospaces betting on the price/volume ratio, but not aesthetic like Citroën Berlingo, Ford Tourneo or Volkswagen Caddy or the small minivan type Fiat 500L or Hyundai IX20 . Demanding on finishes, quality, leather choices or motors that can happily exceed 150 horsepower ? High -end SUVs are very numerous today, attest to them the Audi Q2/Q3, Mini Countryman, DS3 Crossback, BMW X2/X3, Range Rover Evoque, Volvo XC40 or Mercedes Glass .
You are the head of a large family ? you like comfort ?
You are of the very road type, must take your family and friends in a very regular way, or even with your dogs ? Impossible to miss the solution of large SUVs (more than 4.30 meters long) that are the Peugeot 3008, Renault Kadjar, Citroën C5 Aircross, Nissan Qashqai or Honda Cr-V can easily take care of taking 5 people. For more, 7 -seater models – whether standard or optional, to check – will exceed 4.50 meters and provide large chests, enough to embark bikes and luggage for a week at sea. Popular models are the Peugeot 5008, Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, Seat Tarraco or the Mitsubishi Outlander having the distinction of having a hybrid rechargeable motorization.
As on the more compact versions, the imposing SUVs have their families apart from high -end models very supplied to flood you with the latest connectivity, safety, autonomous functions, or simply to be able to immerse yourself in a rolling lounge. Are present with the German classics Audi Q5/Q7/Q8, the BMW X3 to X7 and Mercedes GLC/GLE/GLS, the Japanese alternatives Lexus NX/RX, French luxury DS7 Crossback or Swedish via the Volvo XC60/ XC90 as well as the most typed backpackers Land Rover Discovery or Jeep Grand Cherokee otherwise capable of venturing off the beaten track.
You are at the head of a large family, you like comfort, but you are not very SUV ?
SUVs give you an allergic reaction, because too imposing or too typed ? You don’t want to pollute and spend more to transport the whole family ? Fortunately, all the manufacturers have not yet abandoned other categories such as that of the Renault Scenic, Citroën C4 Spacetourer, Ford C-Max or Volkswagen Touran minivan offering a large interior volume, practical storage and optimized modularity. The sedans are also a choice for those wanting a certain driving pleasure and more style while keeping a good space on board, such as Renault Talisman, Volkswagen Passat or Skoda Octavia, also available in Break body for a larger chest ( more than 600 liters).
Premium sedans will bring even more driving pleasure, state -of -the -art technological equipment or more efficient engines. You can cite the Mercedes-Benz Class C, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Volvo S60, Jaguar Xe, Alfa Romeo Giulia and Lexus IS, the first five also being available in breaks variants more suited to families.
None of these vehicles interest you … You are more looking for performance ?
You already have an SUV for the family or you want to make a nice gift to enjoy a pleasure driving for every day ? The high performance versions of the city dwellers are represented by the Peugeot 208 GTI, Renault Clio R.S., Opel Corsa OPC or Seat Ibiza Cupra oscillating around 200 horses for a 0 to 100 km/h in 7 seconds. The most impressive compact sedans are even more advanced with the Renault Mégane R.S., Ford Focus RS, Hyundai i30n or Volkswagen Golf GTI/R flirting with the 300 horsepower. Share models, always compact or more expensive, are to be considered as the Alpine A110, Nissan 370z, Ford Mustang or Toyota GT86 .
In order to enter a more refined universe where you have more choice of comfort or style, premium sports compacts swarm through Mercedes-Amg A/CLA 45, Audi RS3 Sportback, Mini Cooper S/JCW, BMW M140I . High -end cuts of around 350 horsepower will truncate the volume on board, characterizing more like 2 + 2 places, but will be even more effective, like the Audi TT declining in discoverable, of the BMW M2 or the Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 convertible coupé .
Here are our tips for choosing your car category. Know how to understand your needs in terms of use and space on board so as not to disperse during your search or to respect your budget. Regarding the latter, do not forget to include fuel consumption, insurance and maintenance, generally climbing with the size and price of the vehicle.