Well FB, for the average driver, I believe there are a couple of
basic concerns:
1) How economical is the car's operation? Does it require a lot of
complicated maintenance, and is it a gas-guzzler?
2) How safe is the car? Is it going to keep you alive in case some
idiot decides to play bumber cars?
3) What equipment does it come with? Does it have all the mod cons
like electric everything, a stereo that will hopefully keep your
mother away and a sunroof?
4) Aesthetics are also important. Do you actually like the way the
car looks?
Now, if you're a car buff, that's a different story altogether. In
that case, you'd be looking at things like:
- power-to-weight ratio
- outright power
- power and torque curves
- acceleration, usually expressed in 0-100 kmh time
- handling, covering weight distribution, placement of engines,
front/rear/4-wheel drive, suspension setup, brake performance and
chassis stiffness
Heng, jump right in here! 
