as our current car has been giving us major problems every other month (eg having to change the radiator!) and we were spending anywhere from RM800 to RM1000 per time on repairs, we have decided to get a new car. for those who know me well enough, you'd know that i don't really care about the type or model, just as long as there's a driver for me! so i left it to b to decide on which car as he is going to be the one driving it. he has decided on the new honda city (the more expensive one which makes it "feel and look" more sporty). but before we settled on the city, i did my own research on what to look out for in a car for a family. below are my tips:

tips on kid-friendly cars:

• car size - how many family members do you have now or are expecting to join the family in the near future? will a small or midsized sedan do? or do you need a minivan, wagon or a suv? remember too that the smaller vehicles offer better fuel economy (plenty of savings in terms of raising a child!)
• baby car seats - as we all know, car seats are bulky. so consider how much room you'll need for the seats. kids must always ride in the back, away from front airbags and always in the middle if possible. so ask if that particular car model supports baby seats in the middle rear (it's best to bring the baby seat to test out in the car if you've already gotten one. i know i would have had i had one already!). does that car model support all types and models of baby seats? (eg the safety belt system). best if there is more than enough room between the rear and the front seats as having your seat kicked from the rear by your child can get pretty annoying.
• cargo space - think of strollers, groceries, shopping, baby stuff, toys, etc. of course the bigger the cargo space the better.
• car seats - are they able to fold down for more flexibility for those times you might need to transport furniture maybe?
• blind spots - ask how far the vehicle's blind spots are. are they from the front or the rear of the vehicle? this is important as there are so many accidents involving kids being run over because the driver could not see them because they're so small and short. does the car have reverse sensors? (although this does not help in situations where the child is to small to be able to be detected, it's better than nothing).
• power windows - the safest power window switches are lever switches, whereby they have to be pulled up to raise a car window, because it is almost impossible to raise a window automatically. switches mounted on a vertically or upswept armrest are also harder to activate accidentally. two types of switches that are best to avoid are rocker switches (press one end to move the window up and the other to move the window down) and toggle switches (push up and pull down to move the windows). these switches are easy to activate automatically if a child should accidentally step or press on them. ask if the vehicle has window auto reverse sensors whereby the windows will automatically move down should it hit an obstacle on the way up (little fingers, etc.)

so as b was test driving the city, i went through this whole list with the salesman and checked out the interior myself. and since it satisfied everything on my list (except maybe for the lack of room between the front and rear seats) and it's what we can afford right now, we proceeded to get it. so.........i can't wait for our new car! : )