Car Buyer's Notebook

Simmons continued, "Common features that car shoppers look for include a navigation system, leather seats and a sunroof. All of these features can be found in certain minivans and compact cars, not just sports cars and luxury vehicles."

When searching for your next car, here are three categories of vehicles you may want to consider because you might just fall in love with them:

1. Minivans aren't just for soccer moms.
-- Today's minivans offer features that are hip and modern, including
navigation systems, TV/DVD players, leather seats and rear heating
and cooling
-- Many models also provide captain chair seating for four, also known
as quad seating
-- Minivans provide plenty of room for people to enter and exit the
vehicle and are lower to the ground than most SUVs
-- The third-row seats, which can often be folded into the floor to
make room for more cargo, are generally easier to get to compared
with an SUV
-- Some popular models that offer many of these perks include the Honda
Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, and Nissan Quest

2. Compact cars prove that bigger is not always better.
-- Shrinking parking spaces, smaller garages and higher gas prices make
compact cars a sensible choice for those trying to save pennies and
the environment
-- Small vehicles can offer many luxury features, such as a sunroof,
leather seats, navigation systems and convertible tops
-- The Honda Civic, Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Cobalt and Mini Cooper are
quite trendy and loaded with features
-- The newer Kia Spectra and Hyundai Elantra models offer an updated,
modern body style

3. Boxy vehicles offer unique features that make them anything but square.
-- Honda Element
-- Two-wheel or all-wheel drive models
-- Back seats that fold into the side of the SUV, providing plenty
of room for the family dog, a surf board, skis and luggage
-- A vinyl floor, making it easy to remove sand, dirt and water from
the vehicle
-- Scion xB
-- An affordable purchase and can be personalized to your style
-- Countless additional accessories can be added, such as
navigation, satellite radio, headrest monitors and spoilers
-- Jeep Commander
-- Can be purchased with third-row seating, leather seats, seat
heaters, and rear heating and cooling
-- Also offers four-wheel drive models

"Every make and model offers unique perks to its owner and each person is looking for something different," Simmons said. Researching many types of vehicles before making a purchase can create a new perspective in car shopping. Carmax.com is a good resource that allows you to search for vehicles, not only by make and model, but also by popular features. And with more than 25,000 vehicles to choose from, the possibilities are endless.

Source: CarMax, Inc.