Features You Would LUV to Have in Your Car

There are many ways to be social-minded. Straight off, the first one is a properly capacious vehicle, where there's always room to invite someone in. Another is to go easy on the country's oil imports, so drive along with your group of six, and still get well over say 22 km to a litre of diesel.

But don't stop with just addressing the mileage and fuel efficiency; make sure your vehicle incorporates smart hybrid technology, and does the right thing when it has halted and is idling at the traffic lights. While the space travel industry has got off to a promising start, we will need this planet for a good while for our great-great-grandchildren at least. So let's do our bit for their sake surely, if not for the love of Mother Nature or our fellowmen. You will then be justified for a little vanity, and can impress folks like us who care about being eco-friendly, with your chrome smartness by all means. Not only will we be blown away by its looks, we'll know you are a smart and astute buyer if your choice of wheels has the following:

• Superior aerodynamics: This is where your car's smart look is designed to lower wind resistance and ensure better fuel efficiency.
  
  
  
  A car isn't contemporary if it doesn't do today's smart things like recovering energy while it decelerates, and uses that energy to supplement the engine's power. This is hybrid technology that contributes significantly to fuel efficiency. So besides the sleek contours of the car, what's under the hood is also making a big difference to the mileage. So ask away about hybrid features like brake energy regeneration, or torque assist function – because you are going to gain many, many kilometres as a result.

• Space: There are seven people who have to travel comfortably. Having the room alone isn't enough. Check for a Rear Air-conditioner in the second row, with a set of local controls for easy adjustment. Plus, the second row needs to have an accessory socket to charge the batteries of more devices – tablets, e-readers, DVD players and the like.

• Safety: It's not all about diversion; safety needs attention too. Besides, a LUVly car is one that is always by your side when you need it the most. Nothing spells safety better than dual front seat airbags to cushion you from any possible injury, and a superior ABS technology for optimised braking performance, should you suddenly need to stop. Also, don’t forget to check if the infotainment system comes with a built-in safety feature such as a Reverse Parking Camera Display.

• Effortless Driving: While safety is essential, so is comfort, especially if you LUV travelling as a group. Brush aside your worries with an automatic transmission car - a smart system will cleverly control all coordination. All you need to do is sit comfortably, key in, set the right speed, stay alert and enjoy the drive.

• Chrome & Class: Impressions matter - and to reward the glances of passers-by, there must be some bright touches of chrome. On the front grille, on the door handles inside, and even on a back door garnish, because not only will it provide elegance, it'll enhance the feeling of width.

So now that you have a checklist ready, find the car that you can luv for a really long time. It could be around the corner, so take a peek at Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.