It can be hard going back to a regular car once you’ve experienced the extravagance of a luxury car. The exclusive driving experience comes with a hefty price tag for the initial purchase and ownership costs, but they more than make up for that with their superior comfort and safety features. Luxury cars are known for their thoughtfulness of design, opulent atmosphere, and prestige of ownership.

Before you start shopping, here are some important factors to keep in mind when buying a luxury car:

1. Equipment list
One of the first things to consider when buying any of the top luxury cars of 2019 is the equipment list. The features that you would most likely expect a luxury car to have are genuine leather upholstery, metallic paints, advanced safety equipment, etc. Most of the additional features will be much costlier compared to the same features in regular cars. It’s best to consider Japanese and American brands as there are fewer trim levels and limited packages, allowing you to make a decision faster. German makers offer multiple versions and trim levels and a huge list of options. Many of these high-end features can add to complications instead of actually proving to be beneficial. Safety features like blind-spot monitoring are lifesavers, but for other less-familiar features, it’s best to test these before you consider them when it comes to buying the car.

2. Shape and size
You need to understand that luxury vehicles can come in a variety of sizes and shapes. The midsize luxury vehicles are more affordable and they offer driving pleasure. There are no hassles of complex features. The larger and heavier V8 engine powered vehicles can be costly to maintain. While the idea behind turbocharged and hybrid cars is to offer fuel efficiency, these typically come for a much higher price. Larger models may be roomier, but handling them is not as sporty.

3. Various models
You will also find the top luxury cars of 2019 to come in a wide range of models, some more luxurious than the others. It’s best to go through the strengths and weaknesses of the various types through the road test ratings before making a decision. Most luxury cars will not offer fuel efficiency, but for those who consider this to be a key factor when purchasing a luxury car, it’s best to choose SUVs with diesel powertrains or opt for the hybrids. The high-rated Tesla Model S is a luxury sedan; it’s an all-electric model returning 87 miles per gallon. On the other hand, the Toyota Land Cruiser gives 14mpg. Besides, some luxury vehicles need premium gasoline and this is a key factor when you’re shopping for luxury cars. Features like cylinder deactivation whereby the engine can shut off a few cylinders when power is low can provide better mileage.

4. Front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive?
Most mainstream cars have a front-wheel-drive but luxury cars will have rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive. The front-wheel-drive will provide better traction in slippery conditions. All-wheel drive provides better traction during adverse weather conditions and better pavement-handling compared to front-wheel-drive.

5. Ease of design
Most luxury cars will have designs that provide easy exit and entry; there’s typically an exit mode which automatically makes the driver’s seat move back and retracts the steering. Sporty luxury cars are typically harder to enter or exit. So, a well-designed luxury sedan must have wide doors and sufficient headroom for passengers to access the cabin.

6. Carrying cargo
If you wish to carry cargo, you need to choose a luxury car with a fold-down rear seating and a wide opening to its trunk. The battery in a hybrid model will limit the trunk space. So, if you wish to carry a lot of cargo in your luxury car, you need to check for the cargo space once all seats are up.

The top luxury cars of 2019 must come packed with the features mentioned above to make your purchase worthwhile.