How To Choose The Right Car For The Next Drive To The Nearest Hill Station?
Highlights
Living in cities makes you realize the importance of hill stations. Those weekend trips really help you unravel and spend some quality time with your family. And sure, you can use public transport to get there but being able to get there in your own car certainly makes the experience more fun and comfortable. If the prime reason you are looking for a new car is to frequently drive to nearby hill stations, here are a few considerations that you should look at before making your purchase.
Good Boot Space
When you travel with family, carrying all the required luggage is always a big priority. And the trip gets spoiled if there isn't enough space leading the passengers to carry a few extra bags on their laps during the entire journey. So look for a car with a good amount of boot space so that you can load it up and enjoy your road trip to the fullest.
Safety Features
This one's a no-brainer really. No matter what the purpose of buying your new car is, you should always make sure it comes with essential safety features. Over and above that, look for cars with high Global NCAP crash safety ratings. The better these ratings, the safer your car is during unexpected crashes. Moreover, you should also look for additional safety features like Brake Assist, ESP, and traction control.
Reliability
The roads that take you to serene hill stations are often isolated so in case of emergencies, you won't find many repair stations around. Hence, its important that your car is reliable enough to not bail on you during your journey. The best way to check this is by asking other people who own the same car or reading reviews online.
Manual Transmission Control
Cars with manual transmissions give you the kind of flexibility that allows you to easily climb steep slopes and overtake in a hurry. So, even if you're thinking of going for an automatic car, look for one that features manual control on the automatic transmission.
Powerful Engine
Do understand that when you're travelling to a hill station, you will have your entire family in the car, along with excess luggage at the back. To add to it, the car will often need to navigate steep slopes and difficult climbs. During such times, its engine will definitely be tested. Hence, it's advisable to go for a vehicle that has a more powerful engine than what you'd require for a regular city drive.
Entertainment System
Although not an essential feature, an entertainment system really is quite an important component of your car, especially during long drives. You can sing along to your favourite songs, or bond over the latest podcast. A good entertainment system also means great integration with your smartphone through services like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Those are all the things we'd want you to consider before buying a new car for driving your family to hill stations and back.