Nationwide Vehicle Contracts lists the five cars that come with the best standard specification.
As the cost of living continues to increase in 2023, getting more bang for your buck with your car is crucial. You'll want a safe, reliable car with a great range of technology as standard, meaning you don't have to splash out on added extras.
Although most modern cars come with a good specification, there are some that stand out from the rest and provide a great range of equipment as standard.
In this blog, car leasing experts Nationwide Vehicle Contracts advise on what to look for in terms of a car specification and the best five cars available to customers.
CAR SPECS - A FEW TIPS
A car specification is a list of the features and technical details of that specific car make, including information about the engine, transmission, safety features, comfort and convenience features, and any other relevant information.
Specifications can massively vary from model to model, so it's important that you choose the right one for you. For example, an entry-level trim level will come with that model's standard equipment, whereas a higher trim will come with more equipment of a higher quality.
WHAT'S A GOOD SPECIFICATION?
A good car specification can vary depending on personal needs, with some people prioritising engine power whilst others might want more comfort and convenience features. However, there are a few things that all car specifications should have:
SAFETY FEATURES
A must-have on any car nowadays is a good set of safety features. Make sure that your car features:
Automatic emergency braking – Applies the brakes on its own when it senses another vehicle in the way. When it cannot prevent a collision, it will reduce the force of the impact.
Forward collision warning – Gives the driver a visual/audible warning that a collision is imminent.
Blind-spot monitoring – The same as the above, but lets a driver know when a car is next to you in a blind spot.
Lane-keep assist - Lane departure warning will warn you if you’re too close to the lane markings, and lane-keep assist will steer a car back into the lane if its nearing a lane marking.
POPULAR FEATURES
Although not essential, these features will massively improve your driving experience.
360-degree camera – Located around the car, 360-degree cameras give the driver a bird’s eye view of the vehicle and help you check for children and objects around the car.
Heated seats – Heated seats are a lifesaver in harsh wintery conditions and help maintain your comfort levels when behind the wheel. They're also great for drivers with back stiffness and lumbar issues.
Parking cameras – Parking cameras are great when trying to fit in a tight spot as they make parking and reversing much easier and safer.
Essential technology – Smartphone connectivity, sat-nav, and Bluetooth come standard in most cars nowadays and will make your overall driving experience much better and easier. You’ll be able to answer your phone from the car and play your own music. Built-in sat-navs are also great for finding your way in an area you’re not familiar with.
CARS WITH THE BEST SPEC AS STANDARD
1. Skoda Octavia
The Skoda Octavia is a fan favourite for reliability and affordability, and the main reason for this is that it comes with a great standard specification.
Performance – You get various engine options with petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid units available, ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 litres. The engines are paired with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission. Power output varies from 109bhp to 200bhp, so it will be powerful enough for most.
On-the-road performance in the Octavia is excellent, and you get a choice of sportier handling and suspension options as you move up the trim levels.
Safety – Included as standard is automatic emergency braking, lane assist, and hill hold control. On higher trims, you get access to adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert.
Comfort – You'll get dual-zone climate control, heated door mirrors, a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity as standard.
2. Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson is a small SUV that comes with excellent built quality, practicality, and a great range of well-rounded engines.
Performance – Under the bonnet, you get a choice of petrol, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid engines. They're all versatile and are more than powerful enough for a car of the Tucson's size. The range-topping plug-in hybrid has an impressive 261bhp and can drive 38 miles on electricity alone.
You get a choice of a six-speed manual, a six-speed automatic, and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Suspension on the entry-level model is good thanks to its smaller 17-inch wheels, and handling is sufficient for around-town cruising.
Safety – The Tucson comes standard with lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and automated emergency braking. On higher trims, you get blind-spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera system.
Comfort – The Tucson interior comes with a touch of quality. As standard, you'll get air conditioning, power windows and door locks, electrically adjustable lumbar support, and a touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone mirroring and Bluetooth connectivity.
3. Volkswagen Golf Hatchback
It wouldn’t be a list about some of the most affordable and attractive cars to drive without including the Golf, would it? Now in its eighth generation, the Golf Hatchback comes with a great standard specification.
Performance – The Golf comes with petrol, diesel, mild-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid engines. They all range from 1.0 – 2.0 litres, return a decent power output, and have great fuel economy keeping running costs down.
All Golf's come paired with a six-speed manual transmission.
On the road, the Golf is excellent to drive, with a soft suspension that easily tackles bumps and potholes. It also has fairly light steering, which makes around-town driving an absolute breeze.
Safety – One of the most reliable hatchbacks on the market, the Golf comes standard with adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, a driver fatigue monitor system, and traffic-sign recognition technology.
Unsurprisingly, the Golf scored a full five stars on the Euro NCAP safety rating.
Comfort – Coming as standard in the Golf is single-zone climate control, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear stick, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with sat-nav and smartphone mirroring, and a 10-inch digital cluster behind the steering wheel.
4. MG4 EV
MG’s first bespoke electric car, the MG4 EV is packed full of innovation and comes with a great range of kit as standard.
Performance – The MG4 EV is a fully-electric car that comes with either a 51kWh or a 64kWh battery. The 51kWh battery comes with a range of 218 miles, whilst the 64kWh battery ups it to 281 miles. Both return a power output above 170bhp and achieve 0-62mph in less than eight seconds.
All models come with an automatic transmission.
Safety – The MG4 EV comes standard with active emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, intelligent speed limit assist with traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, driver attention alert, and intelligent high-beam assist.
Comfort – Inside, you'll find climate control air conditioning, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone mirroring, a seven-inch digital driver display, fabric upholstery, and a leather steering wheel.
5. Ford Fiesta Hatchback
Even though Ford is discontinuing the Fiesta, its been one of the most affordable cars in Britain for the last twenty years and has always come with fantastic equipment as standard.
Performance – There are plenty of petrol engines to choose from in the Fiesta, with their EcoBoost units featuring mild-hybrid technology to help keep running costs down. The entry-level petrol engine returns a fairly lacklustre 74bhp, but upgrade to a mid-range engine, and performance dramatically increases. Engines range from 1.0 – 1.5 litres and provide nippy on-the-road performance.
Suspension and handling in the Fiesta are simply superb. It handles bumps and potholes very well for a small car, and engaging handling makes the Fiesta as fun to drive as some sports cars and coupes.
Safety – All models come with lane-keep assist, seven airbags, rear parking sensors, and Ford's MyKey system, which is a programmable ignition key that can be used to limit the car's top speed.
You'll need to add the Driver Assistance Pack to access automatic emergency braking, a driver impairment monitor, and adaptive cruise control.
Comfort – Coming as standard is air-conditioning, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and smartphone mirroring, a heated windscreen, and a six-speaker stereo.
What do you think of your car’s standard specification? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts produce a range of weekly car leasing blogs, including Why Electric Cars Are The Future and New vs Used Cars: What’s best on a tight budget.
We are also one of the UK’s largest car leasing brokers and have a range of leasing deals available, for more information ring one of our experts on 0345 811 9595.
