10 things to look for in a new car

It wasn't long ago power steering, airconditioning and a CD player were optional extras.

But technology has accelerated so rapidly - and become so much more affordable - bare essentials are no longer that bare.

Equipment that was once exclusive to luxury cars can now be had on city runabouts.

However, not all cars are created equally, which is why we've compiled a list of what we believe are the must-haves when buying a new model.

Interestingly, no one car maker has everything on our list in a sub-$30,000 vehicle - but two models come close.

The Toyota Prius C hatch ticks every box except a factory five-year warranty, and the Hyundai Veloster three-door has everything except fixed-price servicing and rear seatbelt warning lights.

Hopefully, it won't be too long before all the items on our wish-list are deemed bare essentials.

Need more help choosing a car? Try Drive's Car Buying Tips and Advice.

Bluetooth and USB

Wireless phone connectivity is standard in many $15,000 hatchbacks on the market - including the Holden Barina, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20, Nissan Micra and Toyota Yaris - so for it to be missing on any vehicle dearer than this is a glaring omission.

Some Bluetooth systems work better than others. Be sure to check it's fitted by the car maker either at the factory or before the car arrives at the dealership (rather than an aftermarket add-on fitted by the dealer, which is not covered by the car maker's warranty and often not properly integrated into the car's controls or audio system).

It is also worth checking if the Bluetooth system is designed to stream audio, a more recent development. This allows you to wirelessly link the music stored on your phone or portable music device to your car's sound system.

It also means you can listen to almost any radio station in the world via the Tune-In app available on most smartphones.

USB ports mean you can connect almost any portable music player - or use it to charge your phone. Incredibly, Rolls-Royce only got a USB port and a 3.5-millimetre audio socket this year.

Five-star safety

Most new cars have a five-star safety rating - but there are some important differences of which you need to be aware.

For example, five stars do not always add up to six or more airbags. Some car makers provide only enough (four) airbags to earn the five-star rating.

For complete peace of mind, be sure to check there are two front, two side (usually in the outer cushion of the front seats) and two head-protecting "curtain" airbags that drop down from the roof above the side windows - front and rear.

Some cars have knee-protecting airbags under the steering column and near the glovebox, while others also have rear-seat airbags.

You also need to check which star rating you are looking at.

Numerous crash-test authorities issue rankings but the ones we see in advertisements locally are typically the Euro NCAP or Australasian NCAP (New Car Assessment Program).

Although the two independent organisations share data, ANCAP has a stricter scoring criteria than EuroNCAP when it comes to occupant protection - but EuroNCAP has a stricter scoring system when it comes to pedestrian protection. That is why some cars score five stars in Europe but only four stars here - and vice versa.

We think ANCAP has the better formula, because it rewards better occupant protection in frontal crash tests. See ancap.com.au.

Navigation

Some European luxury car makers charge more than $5000 for a navigation system, which is laughable when it now comes standard in some hatchbacks priced about $25,000.

And portable systems can be had for as little as $100.

What to watch for: the latest (and easiest to use) navigation units have a touchscreen. Some car makers have negotiated free map upgrades for several years after purchase. Map upgrades can cost between $100 and $150.

Sensor key

A sensor (or "proximity") key will unlock the driver's door at the touch of the handle, as long as the fob is nearby - in your hand, bag or pocket.

No need to scramble for the keys in the dark or the rain. With most systems the engine then starts at the press of a button.

Once exclusive to $200,000-plus limousines, it is now available on $25,000 hatchbacks.

Cut through the jargon with Drive’s comprehensive glossary

Rear seatbelt warning

Seatbelts save lives but there's often no way of knowing if the kids in the back have unbuckled themselves - unless your car has a seatbelt warning light.

The best examples (available on certain Mazda models) have a seatbelt symbol for each of the five occupants in the car, so you know exactly who is buckled and who isn't - front and rear.

Lesser systems have one warning lamp for all three back-seat positions, which means you have to go on a witch-hunt.

Unfortunately, most cars have no back seatbelt warnings at all.

Apart from saving lives, seatbelt warning lights can save your licence. In some states, the driver is issued the fine and demerit points if the unbelted occupant is a child. If the unbelted passenger is an adult, both the driver and the unbelted passenger can be fined and issued demerit points.

Reversing camera and sensors

It's amazing how quickly the Drive team has become accustomed to this parking and safety aid.

Rear cameras are now appearing on city runabouts; the tiny lens takes the guesswork out of tight parking spots.

Unfortunately, rear cameras are arriving late to the vehicles that need them most: four-wheel-drives and utes, which account for up to 80 per cent of all driveway deaths involving infants yet account for 30 per cent of new vehicles sold.

Figures show 60 per cent of driveway deaths occur while reversing, 40 per cent while the vehicle is moving forward.

Which is why front and rear sensors are crucial as well. Sensors can false alarm on shrubbery and other small obstacles, but the camera helps identify those.

Some cameras use a display screen in the mirror while others use a larger screen positioned in the audio system.

What to watch for: cameras still have blind spots. And some cameras work better at night than others. Check before you buy.

Spare tyre

Car makers are raiding our boots to create space and save money - but the first many of us know about it is that moment when we are stranded on the side of the road with a flat tyre and no spare.

We're told that replacing the spare tyre with an inflator kit or a skinny "space saver" also saves on fuel, but in reality 20 kilograms makes little to no difference to real-world economy.

Car dealers are not obliged to tell you there is not a full-size spare tyre in the boot - but the good ones are courteous enough to mention it.

Some car makers charge a modest fee for a full-size spare - or make it a no-cost option.

The reason for this charade? Removing the spare tyre for the fuel economy laboratory test can result in lower figures, which look better on the fuel rating label.

Five-year warranty

It may seem like only yesterday but the five-year factory-backed warranty has been around since 1999, when South Korean brand Hyundai introduced it to quell quality concerns.

But it's now seen as a must-have. Drive is aware of several mainstream manufacturers on the verge of introducing four- or five-year coverage (three years and 100,000 kilometres is still the industry norm even though most brands in Europe and the US offer longer coverage). For example, Holden, Honda, Ford and Suzuki have offered five-year factory-backed warranties in selected sales campaigns in recent years.

Today, Hyundai and Kia offer five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranties. Mitsubishi offers five-year/130,000-kilometre coverage.

To date, Renault is the only European brand to offer five-year/unlimited-kilometre coverage on selected models.

Volkswagen and Land Rover offer factory-backed extended warranties that take coverage up to five years, but buyers must pay between $1200 and $1600 extra.

What to watch for: "aftermarket" extended warranties offered by dealers (and not endorsed by the car manufacturer) are generally not worth the extra money as they will often lock you into expensive servicing, and most big-ticket repair items are not covered if they happen to fail.

Capped-price servicing

In recent years dealerships have used their workshops to make up for slim profit margins in new-car sales.

Left unchecked and unregulated this led to wild variations in the cost of routine servicing - even across common brands. Which is why more car makers are likely to introduce capped-price servicing - it improves transparency and certainty for customers.

However, it's important to note that fixed- or capped-price servicing offers are not created equal. Toyota, which was first to introduce the scheme in late 2006 on selected models and across the range from 2008, offers the first six services within the three-year warranty period for between $130 and $210 for passenger vehicles.

Other brands - including Ford, Holden, Mitsubishi and Nissan - offer capped-price servicing but are dearer and have more price variation between each scheduled visit, so be sure to check.

Auto headlights

How often do you see cars driving at night with their headlights off? That's because most new cars have instruments that are backlit - even during the day. So an increasing number of drivers are unwittingly starting their journey with the headlights switched off.

Auto headlights are a simple solution - leave the headlight switch in "auto" position and the car will do the rest, including activating the lights when you enter a tunnel (and switching them off again afterwards). Have these as standard and say "goodbye" to flat batteries in the rain.

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