When choosing between Tucson and Picanto, most people will prefer to go for the larger car. Yet the sale of small cars has stayed stable over the years.
There are various reasons people prefer small cars over bigger ones. Some people buy one as a second car, some for convenience, and others for savings. Smaller cars are often cheaper to run too.
If you are thinking of buying a large car over a small one, here are some key things to keep in mind that’ll help you make the right choice.
Key Considerations before Buying a large Car
The largest flagship cars for any manufacturer will always get the latest and greatest of technologies first. But the high demand for smaller cars keeps this technology flowing down to the smaller cars. Driver assists, Android auto and more are all often available on a manufacturer’s range of mid and smaller cars.
Here we are with the top factors you need to consider before you head out to buy the car of your dreams, whichever the size.
Safety
Browse through the Euro NCAP ratings and you’ll find smaller mid-sized hatchbacks have some of the highest safety ratings. Most new cars come with advanced driver assistance, including blind-spot detection, forward collision avoidance, attention warnings, etc. But the larger cars are often susceptible to being tipped over in a collision and carry more weight leading to larger impacts.
Make sure to look into these safety features and ratings, especially if you are thinking of hauling a daily school commute. People are often mistaken in thinking the largest SUVs on the road are the safest but it’s not really the case in modern cars.
Ease and comfort
Smaller cars might not be as comfortable as a luxury sedan when you’re driving for hours at a time. But change the scenario to a busy car park, city side streets or endless crawling traffic and their advantages come into their own. Small, nimble and economical can save the day during the rush hour commute.
If you’ll be driving countless motorway miles, then absolutely a larger, more comfortable saloon might be your best bet. If you don’t, then maybe consider going smaller than your average SUV.
Running Cost
Running costs come in two forms. Your daily fuel costs, and the longer costs of servicing and repairing your car over the years. The first is easier to calculate than the other.
Modern small cars are highly fuel efficient for city driving and short commutes. Most are hybrids which boosts their economy a lot. The hybrid motors can drive the car in heavy slow traffic, letting you cruise along in silence and without using any petrol. Cars such as the Renault Zoe are even fully electric and used by many for city driving. This makes hybrids and especially small electric cars are very easy on the wallet for running costs.
Budget
You should first decide on your budget, what are you willing to spend on the car? As you’d expect the larger the car, the larger the budget you’ll need. SUVs are typically the priciest in a manufacturers fleet. A new Toyota Yaris will set you back €22K, the corolla €31K and the Highlander whopping €80K in 2022.
Practicality
Who is going to use the car? Do you want it for yourself? Do you have a family with kids and a dog perhaps?
Consider the number of people you’ll carry around, and then think of the size that’ll be the best fit. Be honest when you think about this. Usually, the driving seat and passenger seat up front have good space and are the most comfortable seats in the vehicle. If that’s all you need you can probably get away with the small or mid-size car.
The problems come with the back seat and having to carry extra passengers frequently. This is where the large car is often the choice for families. Fitting 3 child seats and two adults into a Nissan Micra just isn’t going to happen. But if you don’t have that kind of need the smaller car is still an option.
Engine
Smaller hatchbacks are often 3 or 4 cylinder cars with 90 to 120HP. This kind of power is perfect for most people while still being highly efficient. Unless you do a lot of country and motorway driving or need to tow a trailer, you’re unlikely to need two or three hundred horsepower that the largest cars have.
Size
Even within the same small car category, some cars have wider leg space and seem roomier than others. It’s all down to how they were designed and the use of what space they have. On the other hand some do feel too small even for the odd extra passenger or two. You’ll need to take each car for a test drive and hop in the back seat to know for sure.
With a small size also comes a small boot. Just bear in mind that you might not fit your 6 person family’s monthly shop into a smaller car. Again, if you know you won’t need much boot space, don’t get tempted by the large numbers thrown around on the ads for large SUVs.
Features
Lastly, you need to check out the additional features or equipment on the smaller car you are thinking of purchasing. For example, there may be features like Bluetooth, LCD touch display, central locking, or driver assists to consider. While the smallest cars in a manufacturers fleet do come with modern features, the premium saloons and SUVs are the first to get the tech each year. If this is something you care about then the small car might not be for you after all.
However, the number and types of features in the car vary as a personal choice. Therefore, what may be important for you may not be worth spending on for another individual.
Conclusion
The smaller cars again are called the ‘subcompact cars’ and still come with good functionality and sufficient power. If you’ve little need for the extra space of mid-size or large cars, you might want to check them out too.
you know your own commute best, so don’t immediately count a small car out in your search.
Buying a small car for your home or work is a great way to enjoy comfort while keeping your accounts in check. You know your own commute best, so don’t immediately count out the small car in your search, they could surprise you.
