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When it comes to buying a new car for those well north of the AARP age, what are some factors to consider when buying a new car for a senior?
 
  1. Safety. Advanced safety features are a must.
    Getting used to the beeping, vibrating, and flashing of lane departure, collision avoidance, and blind spot monitoring can take a little getting used to, but they are crucial features to have for any senior buying a new car.
     
  2. Bright lights.
    Lighting up the road at night is right up there as a top feature for vehicles that are best for seniors, According to the National Safety Council, compromised night vision can start to appear at the age of 40.
     
  3. Room, but not too much.
    The size of the vehicle matters when selecting a car or SUV for a senior. Too big, and it becomes hard to manage and get in and out of. Too small, also hard to get out of and seniors may not feel safe. You want a car or SUV that is in the mid-sized family, and also has great visibility features such as a large back window. There are many great cars and SUVs, and even the new breed of crossover vehicles may fit the bill for a senior looking for a new vehicle.
     
  4. Limit the Learning curve
    The technology in today's vehicles can be daunting to seniors, so when considering what is the best vehicle for a senior, consider the technology and how it may be a steep learning curve. Look for a vehicle with simple controls but high-tech safety features.

The fact is, identifying the best car or SUV for seniors is not easy, but ultimately, you want a safe, reliable, accessible, and comfortable vehicle that has a low learning curve when it comes to vehicle tech.

So, what are the best vehicles for seniors? Here’s our picks for the best cars and SUVs for seniors.

Kia K4

A new vehicle for Kia, the K4, is a well-appointed sedan that offers a lot of car for the money, making it not only a great choice of car for seniors, but one of the best car deals in NJ as well.

The Kia K4 made the list of best cars for seniors primarily because of the abundance of safety features that come standard, as well as Kia’s renowned  10-year 100,000-mile warranty, and a pretty amazing EPA-Est. 40 MPG HWY!

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  • The vehicle can mostly be controlled by a HUGE 12.3-inch touchscreen display, making it a breeze for any senior to use.
  • Safety features include emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and that’s a must-have feature for a senior considering a new car.
  • Another great feature that is a must-have for seniors, bright headlights. The Kia K4 has front and rear LED lights as well as an automatic high beam assist feature which lights up the road, even if you forget to turn the high beams on.

The Kia K4 is roomy and full of easily accessible features that make it a worthy choice for any senior looking for a new car.

Take a closer look at the senior-friendly Kia K4 at a Kia Dealership in NJ.

Nissan Versa

If you’re looking for the best car for seniors and you prefer a smaller footprint and a great deal, the Nissan Versa is just what the doctor ordered.

The Nissan Versa is not just smart and spacious, it’s reliable, sporty, and has standard safety features such as Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 technology2025 Nissan Versa driving down a city highway, showing intelligent cruise control sensors which includes automatic emergency breaking with pedestrian detection, intelligent cruise control, and more.

Simple controls make the Nissan Versa a great choice for seniors. Easy to access features and a well-appointed touchscreen coupled with standard access controls for climate.

The Nissan Versa also has something the others on this list do not have, the option for a 5-speed manual transmission.  Unlike the Gen Z and millennial drivers on NJ roadways, seniors remember a day when manual transmissions were common, and they know how to drive it. A manual transmission may offer a sense of nostalgia, harkening back to their driving past, or be seen as an increase in safety and vehicle control for busy Jersey highways. 

Manual or automatic, the Nissan Versa has everything a senior needs and if you're looking for the best car for seniors in NJ, the Versa is it.

Contact a Nissan dealership in NJ to take a closer look at the Nissan Versa.

INFINITI Q50

What if you’re a senior looking for the best car, and you want a little luxury (or a lot of luxury), but you’re not willing to sacrifice safety, convenience or quality? If you’re looking for the best luxury car for seniors, the INFINITI Q50 is one of the best there is.Close up of the 2024 INFINITI QX50's Bose speakers

  • All the luxury any senior could ask for and styling inside and out that makes a statement.
     
  • The INFINITI Q50 has a lot of safety features but also a lot of tech. The learning curve for a senior may be on the steeper side when compared to other vehicles on this list, but not too steep that it cannot be mastered by a savvy senior.
     
  • INFINITI calls it a “driver-first interior,” designed with maximum comfort and usability in mind. Two large displays adorn the center of the cockpit making it easy to see what’s going on inside the car without missing what’s happening on the road. There are also quick access buttons adorning the sides of the display screen that make it incredibly easy to quickly access the climate controls.
     
  • Safety features that you’d think were designed specifically for the senior population in NJ include premium technology like Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection, Intelligent Cruise Control, and Intelligent Distance Control, helping to keep the driver engaged with the road ahead and providing an added layer of protection required for senior drivers.

As a senior, you’ve worked hard, probably raised a family and now it’s your turn! The INFINITI Q50 is the best car for any senior looking for a little something special.

Want to add the INFINITI Q50 to your short list of best cars for seniors in NJ? Take a closer look at the INFINITI Q50 at a NJ INFINITI Dealership.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

This is a must-consider when looking for the best SUV for a senior. The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is a crossover—a hybrid between a car and an SUV—and for a senior, it’s the best of both worlds. It has the comfort and ease of driving a car, and it sits slightly higher making it easier to get in and out of, while providing a great deal of interior room for people or packages.

When it comes to ease of use, the Eclipse Cross is a dream. Mitsubishi boasts “Human Connectivity” as a keystone of their software interface, accessible through a large 8’ infotainment touch screen. Large icons and easy to access menus make it one of the simplest interfaces on this list. There are also hard style buttons and dials that control everyday features like interior temperature, defrost, etc. 

SENIOR SUPER OPTION ALERT

With Mitsubishi’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross just may be the best car for seniors looking for, well, the best car for seniors. 

View through the windshield of 2023 / 2024 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Compact SUV demonstrating Heads Up Display

Contact a Mitsubishi dealer in NJ to get a closer look at the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, you’ll be glad you did.

Chevrolet Equinox

The Chevy Equinox makes the best SUV for seniors list for a few reasons.The interior of a carDescription automatically generated

  1. Accessibility. The Equinox has a spacious cockpit with large windows providing plenty of light and making it easier to see the road and the many obstacles New Jersey drivers face.
  2. The tech is advanced, but accessible. A huge touchscreen (11.3 inch) in the center of the dash controls almost all vehicle features. Large, well-defined buttons make it easy to access and select vehicle features.
  3. It’s a great-sized vehicle. The Chevy Equinox may be the perfect sized vehicle for seniors. The Chevy Equinox offers seniors peace of mind while driving with its advanced vehicle safety features such as HD Surround Vision for easier parking, Google Built-in, tons of safety features such as cross-traffic alerts, rear camera mirror, blind spot warning, and more, are all available based on the selected model. The Equinox also has ample cabin space and cargo room to carry anyone or just about anything.

The Chevy Equinox is a must consider for the best SUV for seniors list. Easy to drive, simple to use, loaded with safety and convenience, it’s a winner.

Schedule a test drive at a local NJ Chevrolet dealer and see why the Chevy Equinox is a great choice for the best SUV for seniors.
 

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Nielsen Editorial is a division of Nielsen Automotive Group. All content is for editorial purposes only. Any reference to pricing, vehicle features, availability, programs, specials, etc., are for editorial purposes only and are non-binding. Dealerships (Nielsen and others) are not bound by or obligated to any claims, monetary or otherwise, within these articles. Articles are for reference purposes only. For specific questions about new cars in New Jersey, used cars in New Jersey, or other automotive, vehicle, or financial-related questions, contact the Nielsen Automotive Group directly.

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