Given this wide range of uses, it's important that you know exactly what uses you expect out of your golf car or utility vehicle. It’s easy to get taken in by the looks and flashy extras on a vehicle if you don’t have your requirements outlined in advance.

Gather information on your expected driving terrain, including what type of surfaces, hills, and weather. A low horsepower vehicle is more economical and more than capable of ferrying personnel around a warehouse – but it would be insufficient for a hilly golf course.

Utility vehicle features to evaluate
Estimate the weight you need it to carry: some burden carriers can haul up to 5,000 pounds. Decide how many passengers it needs to carry, as well: you’ll have to balance the number of seats with the available space for cargo. A related feature is the type of bed you want for hauling: a simple low-walled box, a bed with rails, or even one that dumps.

Know the physical size cart you need. The typical golf car is around 6’ tall, 4’ wide, and 8’ long, but utility vehicles can range quite a bit – if you have specific narrow or low spaces to get through, make sure you have those limiting factors in mind before you start shopping. Also, most of these vehicles weigh around 900 to 1000 lbs but can be even more – make sure your garages, bridges, and other surfaces are strong enough to support them.

Once you settle on the basics, almost all utility vehicles and golf cars have a wide range of options to choose from, including lights, different types of tires, tops, sides, and windshields, and more. Your decisions on these extras should be based on your intended application.

Comparing different brands
All of the major golf car and utility vehicle manufacturers make high quality products, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Quite a bit of your preference will have to with the handling and feel of the car: each brand drives differently. You should take the models you’re considering for test drives and see how you like them.

Your intended uses will impact which models are right for you, as well. Some brands perform better in cold weather; some have aluminum frames that resist rust; some have better low-end torque for towing. The salesperson should point you to the appropriate features for your particular situation.

Some additional factors to consider when choosing a utility vehicle for commercial use are versatility, dependability, and efficiency. Versatility is important because once you have one of these machines in your fleet, you’ll find more and more uses for it. Dependability is essential – breakdowns can quickly impact your productivity. And operating costs are one of the utility vehicle’s advantages over larger equipment, so it’s important to get the most out of each tank of gas or electric charge.

On the personal transportation side, dependability is still important – but more for your safety and convenience, rather than cost. Versatility and efficiency are both less important – personal preferences about looks and performance can play more of a role in your decision making process.