How comfortable is a car, how can it be decided?

Car is basically meant for a comfortable journey from one place to other. Let us try to distinguish luxury from comforts. When we travel for long hours then we might get backache and other bodily inconveniences which may indicate that the car seats are not designed in a proper manner. Some car manufacturer claims that their seats are ergonomically designed. If it is so we can have a comfortable journey in them. Another thing is the heating and cooling systems in the car because when we go out in winters or summers then these systems should work properly and the comfort of the car can be found from these two factors as one should not feel hot or cold inside it in different seasons.

In my perception, the car should not be big enough for comforts but it should have a simplified internal design so that space is utilised properly. In an emergency, if we have to manually tow or push the car to the side of the road then that time a small car becomes a boon. From a technical point of view, the air filter and fuel filter in the car should be cleaned and serviced so that they should not pose any problem while travelling. That of course helps in fuel efficiency also. Let us see the comfort from the view of the person who is driving the car. He would like a good brake and smooth accelerator for manoeuvring the car with soft touches. It implies that before a journey we must get the car serviced thoroughly.

Another point which is to be understood in this context is that the tyre air pressure is a crucial thing which makes us comfortable in a journey because it will have a bearing on the jumps and vibrations in the car while plying on the roads which is definitely related to our comforts while sitting inside. So, it is imperative to keep the tyre pressure as per the guidelines for that particular car model.

The next consideration is the luggage space in a car. A small car is generally more comfortable but when it comes to luggage keeping, one aspires for a bigger one. So, that is one consideration we have to ponder over and decide the size of the car we are going to buy.

Based on all these considerations, I would suggest going for a mid-segment car not very small and not very big, preferably in hatchback model, capable to take at least 5 people (including the driver). This would be a comfortable car in my view.

Adding to what listed above, I would mention few points on deciding the comfort level of a car:

According to the driver's point of view:
1. The steering wheel of the car should be light which is now even found in few budget-friendly cars like Kia Seltos. The steering wheel should not be much rigid or rough to drive as the driver must get to feel driving a comfortable car and not a heavy-sized vehicle like a bus, truck, or old model off-roading vehicles.

2. The vehicle should be serviced at the proper time so that the performance won't get affected. Delaying the service of a vehicle might get you to feel some problems like low pickup, rough brakes, and much more.

3. Mirrors: The reflection of lights on the mirror from the vehicles coming from the back might cause headache to the driver sometimes. So there are anti-reflecting mirrors available in cars nowadays.

4. Keyless entry and start: What makes a driver feel more comfortable than entering the vehicle without opening the door with the key. Now, most cars come with this feature embedded for a purpose of security as well as comfort.

5. Handrest: Handrest is like a boon to the driver because on long routes drivers get tired of holding steering with both hands.

Now coming to points what exactly makes the passengers of a car decide the comfort level:

1: Seats: However, this point could be placed in both the sections of the driver as well as for the passengers. Seats play an important role in a car's comfort level. The seats must be comfortable enough that the people inside the car won't get much tired traveling on long routes. Seats nowadays come embedded with few technologies like seat-fitted AC and heater that could be switched by its users according to the weather. Moreover, adjustable or memory seats also help to gear up a car's comfort level.

2. Space to keep luggage: What comfort it gives if you are traveling in a car with luggage on your laps? Probably you will get tired of traveling soon. So a good amount of duck space to keep your luggage is a must in your car.

3. Category of car: I have basically experienced that low-budget sedan cars make you feel less comfortable as they run sticking to the road and any rough road will make you feel inconvenience whereas on the other hand of the category SUV or hatchbacks run smoothly even on rough roads.

4. Shockers: India is full of rough roads and is considered to add shockers to prove the comfort level of a car. Good shockers are a must in a car to provide you with a good level of comfort on rough roads too.

5. Good legroom and knee room: The seats should be designed in such a way that it offers a good amount of legroom and knee room to its passengers. The legs should not touch the dashboards or other side of the seats for the passengers seating at the back.

6. Headroom: Average height of north Indians is close to 6 feet so for such passengers headroom plays an important role to decide the comfort level in a car. The car must have an adequate amount of headrest for its passengers.

7. Window space: Window space in some instances feels much useful for keeping stuff like a mobile, power bank, or a bottle of water and you will not feel inconvenience for getting these items from your bags again and again.

8. Voice commands: Voice command is one most effective technology seen in cars like MG Hector nowadays. Using voice command the passengers can open and close the sunroof without manually doing it.

9. Smart features: Smart features like switching on the car and its AC or heater from your mobile phone without entering it are a boon to people. Moreover. auto parking features could be added to this point on deciding the comfort level of a car.