Americans spend a lot of time in their vehicles.

In fact, between commuting to work, driving to visit family and friends, heading out on vacations, or just dropping the kids off at school, you likely spend more time in your vehicle than you even realize.

With how much time we spend behind the wheel, it’s important to find one that’s safe and fits within our budgets. But with so many options out there, between both new and used options, how do you narrow it down?

First, you need to think about the weather in your locale, because an “all-weather” vehicle in Florida is going to perform a lot different than an “all-weather” vehicle in Michigan. Do you need a vehicle that does well in snow? Are you worried about lots of rain?

Some vehicles, like Ford’s midsize Fusion, offers all-wheel drive for the cost of other companies’ front-wheel-drive competitors. Cars like this can be great for weather conditions like snow and ice.

Compact SUVs, like the Chevrolet Equinox, special for combining utility with a smaller size, can prove to be some of the safest vehicles on the market at great price points.

As you can see, you don’t need a big SUV or high-end luxury car to battle the elements year-round. There are plenty of used and new vehicles to choose from.