04.Extras you need
Safety options are always worth having, and usually have to be factory-fitted, so you need to choose which ones you want before buying. See our report on ANCAP crash tests to see the difference safety features can make.
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Airbags If side and curtain airbags aren’t standard in your chosen model, they may be available as options for only a few hundred dollars extra.
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ABS An anti-lock braking system is usually standard on new cars, but can be optional on cheaper models.
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Stability control (also known as Electronic Stability Program and Dynamic Stability Control) is an anti-skid technology that applies braking to individual wheels to stabilise the vehicle when it detects a situation such as fishtailing.
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Full-size spare tyre Space saver and temporary-use spare wheels are common, even in big cars. They’re only for emergency use, to get you to the nearest garage. If you regularly drive long distances, especially in country areas where the distances between garages are great, a full-size spare is a better option.
Did you know?
You won’t always have the choice of picking and choosing individual options. Some manufacturers, such as Mercedes-Benz, offer a range of packages instead, in which different sets of options are bundled together.