There are a lot of factors that go into selecting a new car. The NADA Used Car Guide recently conducted a survey to determine what qualities were considered to be the most important by car shoppers. At the top of the list was quality and dependability, which the majority of motorists said was the most important thing they look for in a potential automobile.
Fuel economy, which was cited as the top quality buyers looked for just last year, was selected as the second-most important element. Other important factors included brand, vehicle design and safety features, with almost 70 percent of respondents saying these qualities were very important. Another 58 percent of drivers said that ownership aspects, such as the cost of vehicle maintenance or the extent of warranty coverage for auto repair, was a significant consideration as well.
"While higher gasoline prices and stiffer federal regulations have raised the profile of fuel economy over the past few years, the survey results clearly indicate that car and light-truck shoppers are looking for a trouble-free ownership experience above all else," said Jonathan Banks, an executive auto analyst for the NADA Used Car Guide.
At the bottom of the list were some of the extras found in vehicles, including navigation systems, smartphone connectivity and driver-assist technologies.