The latest technology keeping your family safe on the road

Leather is always useful for its wipeclean properties, but don’t discount fabric – it can be just as easy to clean ‘Hybrid’ is not the dirty word it once was – today’s hybrids are actually rather good to drive

rear bench can be a squeeze, and most cars don’t come with Isofix mounting points on the middle seat, so make sure you find one that does if you want to use them.

If you have a family dog who’ll come on trips with you, you’ll need to think about space and restraints in the boot. Perhaps seek a car into which a dog cage or boot divider will fit, which will leave you with enough room to carry luggage without the risk of it falling over and injuring your pet.

It’s also worth considering how well your car will wear. A suede- effect fabric in a cream finish, for example, may not be the best option if you have young children. Leather is always useful for its wipe- clean properties, but don’t discount fabric; with a protective coating applied by a specialist valet, it can be just as easy to clean.

Finally, how many seats do you really need? You might not think you need a seven-seater, but if you are planning lots of days out with kids and grandparents you may find one of these proves more useful than you expect.

Conversely, if you can make do with five seats, you’ll widen the choice of cars available to you.

TO SUV OR NOT TO SUV?

It’s a contentious question. As the SUV craze sweeps the country, many people are asking: do we really need them?

For families, it’s clear where the advantages lie. The raised seating positions of SUVs make it easier to buckle up child seats and give children a better view, which helps with avoiding car sickness.

Modern SUVs also tend to be replete with clever features such as sliding rear seats that make the space on offer inside more flexible, trading boot space for rear legroom.

An SUV isn’t the answer to everything, however. For one thing, they tend to use a little more fuel than the equivalent family car – especially if they’re equipped with more powerful engines and four- wheel drive, as many are.

While SUVs are practical, they tend not to offer quite as much outright boot space with the rear seats in place as conventional estate cars. What’s more, because their boot lips are higher, they can be harder for smaller or older dogs to climb into. So if you’ve got lots of clutter to carry, or a family pet, an estate may yet be a better bet.

NEW VERSUS USED

The pros and cons of buying new and used aren’t quite the same as they once were. Chiefly, this is because new car production is currently being hit by a shortage of electronic components brought about by the pandemic. As the first Covid-19 lockdowns kicked in, semiconductor and computer- chip suppliers switched supply away from cars, for which demand had dropped off completely, and over to electronics, for which demand shot up.

Now, though, demand for cars has returned, and manufacturers are struggling to source these components, which are still just as sought after in other industries. Consequently, new car production is being hampered, and that means an irregular supply of new cars and long waiting lists at dealers.

As a result, many who are coming to the end of their lease periods or finance terms are facing months without a replacement and are looking to buy used instead. That, in turn, is pushing up the value of used cars.

Nowadays, then, the choice as to whether to buy new or used isn’t just about cost – it’s also about how long you’re prepared to wait for your next car. If you own your current car outright, that might not be an issue – but if you need a car soon and can’t afford to sit on a waiting list for several months, you might have no choice but to buy used.

WHERE TO BUY

Most people buying a car will head to their local dealer once they’ve decided what they want. But that might not be the way to get the best deal.

For example, if you’re buying new or leasing, you may find there are better deals to be had with brokers or with specialist leasing companies, whose economies of scale might mean they can beat dealers on price.

On the used market, meanwhile, traditional dealers are now finding themselves competing against car supermarkets and online dealers, which will deliver a car to your door for no extra cost, complete with a no- quibble money- back guarantee period. Of course, going down this latter route does mean you have to be satisfied with buying the car and paying for it sight unseen.