Comparing the Best Cars for Driving in Toronto
There’s no city in Canada that experiences heavier traffic than Toronto. As Canada’s largest city, driving in Toronto can seem like a daunting experience for newcomers. On the other hand, whether or not you’re a highly experienced driver, the more you drive in Toronto, the easier it gets. Above all, you need to remain patient. It also helps to choose the right vehicle.
Considering Toronto Weather
Another thing that Toronto roads are known for is dangerous road conditions during the winter season. If you haven’t lived in Toronto long and are from a warmer climate, you must acclimate to driving in central Canada. Choosing the right vehicle for the job can work wonders in helping you get used to winter driving. Here are a few other factors to consider when selecting the right car in Toronto.
Fuel Efficiency
If you’re commuting on any of Toronto’s busy highways, such as the 401 or the Gardiner Expressway, there’s a high chance that you’ll be stuck in heavy traffic daily. Depending on the possibility of traffic jams caused by unexpected incidents like accidents, you will probably end up idling for long periods.
Given this high likelihood, you stand to waste a significant amount of extra fuel compared to what you might otherwise expect to use. The best way to address this problem is to look for quality used cars in Toronto that offer high fuel efficiency.
Given the high fuel cost in Canada today, along with the rise in inflation that has impacted the cost of living in Canada in general, you’ll want to be able to save in any way you can. Buying a car that offers better fuel efficiency is one of the best investments you can make because it will continue to allow you to save over time.
Reliability
Toronto’s roads contain heavy traffic that includes many cars and impatient drivers. The last thing you want is to end up broken down in heavy traffic. Buying a used vehicle is an excellent way to save money when you purchase a car, but that doesn’t mean you should risk buying a vehicle that isn’t in good working condition.
It’s easier to find a used vehicle in Toronto that is in excellent condition and meets all your requirements because the city has so many residents. If you’re about to move to Toronto from a smaller city, you’ll be better off waiting until you move to start looking for your next car.
Safety Features
Since Toronto’s drivers are known for driving more aggressively and sporadically than the average Canadian driver, you will be at greater risk of getting into an accident. As mentioned earlier, the city also experiences brutal weather conditions through the coldest months of the year. What this all amounts to is an increased need for safety.
If you’re looking for a vehicle that offers a high degree of safety, there are a few specific features you can ask your dealer about that will help ensure you enjoy the best chances in the worst-case scenario. Here are a few additional features you should look for at your dealership:
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Lane Departure Warning
- Blind-spot Monitoring
- Electronic Stability Control
- Airbags
- Backup Camera
- Forward Collision Warning
Along with extra safety features, you’ll be better off for winter driving if you own a large vehicle that provides more protection and more stability in dangerous driving conditions. Consider choosing a pickup truck or an SUV to gain better control on icy roads and better protection should you end up in a collision.
All-Wheel Drive
One safety and performance feature that deserves to be in a category of its own is all-wheel drive. While an all-wheel drive vehicle may not offer the best factor in fuel efficiency, any extra cost will be well worth every cent.
The reason that all-wheel drive is so vital on Canadian roads is that it offers the best advantage in stability you can get for the average city vehicle. All-wheel drive is a system that distributes power to every wheel of your vehicle while you’re driving, rather than just two wheels, as in the case of front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. If you’re looking for a safe and reliable vehicle for driving in Toronto, be sure to look for one that includes all-wheel drive.
Overall Performance and Versatility
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, converging an impressive amount of land. As a person who owns a motor vehicle in Toronto, you’ll be confronted with every situation imaginable, from busy highways to slow urban streets in family residential zones. Since you can expect to encounter versatile driving conditions, you should look for a vehicle that offers a high degree of versatility.
Versatility in a vehicle means that your car, truck or SUV is designed to perform well under a wide range of driving conditions, ranging from the stop-and-go type driving that is typically experienced in a city, the fast non-stop driving experienced on highways and the slow and steady driving you might perform under severe weather conditions. Since one of the greatest perks of owning a car in Toronto is the ease with which you can escape the city, you’ll want to find a vehicle that can perform well on road trips.
Extra Features
You can save a lot of money when buying a used car instead of a new one, but that doesn’t mean you need to forego any of the latest features that are available in new cars. Besides the new technologically savvy safety features that new vehicles can offer, there are also a number of technological conveniences you might wish to include in your next purchase. Consider, for example, features like
- Smartphone Integration
- Wireless Smartphone Charging
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Tire Pressure Monitoring
- Digital Keys
Last Words
Driving in Toronto can be a headache if you aren’t prepared, but you can gain an enormous head start on becoming a comfortable Toronto driver with the help of the right used vehicle. Talk to a used car dealer in Toronto as soon as you arrive to learn more about how to find the right car for your needs.
