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If you make your living on the road, making the most out of each trip is a must. Indeed, for today’s road warriors, the proper vehicle is one of the most important resources in your sales toolkit: It can save money with high fuel-economy grades, potentially save your life with the latest safety technology and even serve as a mobile office. So be sure to consider the following features before closing the deal on your next business ride.
Hands-free phone technology and navigation are obvious requirements for obvious reasons. Yet automakers usually bundle those features into a vehicle’s infotainment system, which means that you need to judge that system as a whole. For example, the verdict on the one for the Chevrolet Impala is “Very Good,” at least according to a recent Consumer Reports survey of automotive info systems.
Chevy's MyLink setup has a generously sized 8-inch touchscreen display for easy readability, along with standard Bluetooth connectivity. Chevy goes above and beyond, too, with a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless device charging, and the latest smartphone-projection tech, which essentially transforms the MyLink touchscreen into your phone’s home page.
Many vehicles offer proactive safety systems that can detect potential hazards, alert the driver, and in some cases even automatically take action. That’s why the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) mandates that cars have advanced front crash-prevention systems to achieve “Top Safety Pick+” recognition.
The Nissan Maxima has both that technology and that honor on its resume, and also furnishes a safety benefit that is especially helpful for long-distance drivers: a Driver Attention Alert system that provides both audible and visual warnings if it detects the patterns of a sleepy driver. Remember, per the AAA Foundation, about 20 percent of all fatal crashes involve drowsy drivers.
Even with relatively cheap gasoline, when the miles between clients start to add up, so will your fuel costs. As a result, savvy salespeople still look to hybrids when they want to optimize fuel economy, and the leader in the field has a new one for 2016: the next-gen Toyota Prius, complete with a new hybrid propulsion system that enables EPA ratings of up to 54 mpg city/50 mpg highway/52 mpg combined. More to the point, the EPA estimates Prius owners will save $3,500 in five-year fuel costs as compared to drivers of the “average new vehicle”—and that’s based on a mere 25,000 miles of driving annually.
If samples, point-of-sales materials and other gear will be going on the road with you, storage capacity should be a key priority. And there’s one stylish new vehicle that just launched with 140.5 cubic feet of it, along with a variety of ingenious versatility enhancers. Now, it is the new Chrysler Pacifica, which—yes—is a minivan. However, don’t let that fact fool you. The Pacifica has a surprisingly dynamic appearance that’s anything but boring, and it further delivers a hands-free liftgate and sliding door, plus an in-vehicle vacuum system for cleanups.
Although staying fresh after a few hundred miles of driving can be a challenge, it’s become fairly simple to find heated and ventilated seating in an increasing number of current cars, and that kind of added comfort can make long road trips a lot less of a pain in the butt. Then there are the multi-contour front seats with Active Motion, available in the Lincoln MKZ. The MSRP for that car is a bit north of $40K when so equipped, but those seats can be set to deliver a continuous, invigorating massage through the seat backs and bottoms.
When you spend so much of your life in your car, don’t let it suck the life out of you: Make these items a priority when choosing your next vehicle.
Charles Krome grew up with a love of cars, and managed to turn his childhood love into a career by becoming a writer on all things cars. Charles now writes for CARFAX to give practical advice for the professional car owner.
