Safety ratings, size, comfort and space are all essential considerations when you’re looking to purchase a vehicle that will serve as the family car.
SUVs, minivans and sedans are the most popular choices for family cars, with good reason. Extra room, cupholders and entertainment systems to keep the young ones, tweens and teens happily occupied when you’re on a road trip or a long drive are must haves when choosing a family car. More important still are high scores when it comes to crash test and safety ratings.
If you are thinking about a new family car be sure to check out State Insurance for a range of car insurance options.
Kia Sedona Minivan
Minivans are the vehicle of choice for parents due to their spaciousness and sliding doors, as well as excellent entertainment systems. The Kia Sedona, offering 18 to 24 mpg and priced lower than others in its category, is the best option when it comes to value for money. It offers a smooth ride, handling like a smaller car. Depending on the model you choose, you can pack in up to five car seats: great if you have a large family or are part of the carpool for the kids’ preschool.
Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Minivan
For those parents who want to reduce their carbon footprint by driving a hybrid vehicle, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is the right choice – in fact, it’s the only hybrid minivan currently on the market. 520 miles on a full tank and just one charge makes for very impressive fuel economy – expect to get as much as 82 mpg. The minivan has good pickup, comparable to its gas-powered sibling. You can fit up to four car seats in this model.
Toyota Sienna Minivan
The sole minivan on the market with all-wheel drive, the Toyota Sienna is a good pick for wintry and rainy conditions. It offers between 19 and 27 mpg and has a powerful engine, giving you a smooth-as-butter drive on the highways. With space for two booster or car seats in the middle row and two more in the back row, you have the ability to carry four kids at a time in this car.
Honda Odyssey Minivan
This is as good as it gets when it comes to fitting in numerous car or booster seats – up to six. It gives from 19 to 28 mpg and offers a smooth ride, with ten-speed auto transmission. It has the most impressive pickup of any minivan on our list.
Subaru Legacy Sedan
This is the best all-weather sedan with four-wheel drive that enables you to manoeuvre safely in sleet, snow and rain. It also has space for kids and three car seats and gets up to 35 mpg.
Honda Accord Hybrid Sedan
Eco-friendly and boasting up to 48 mpg, the Honda Accord Hybrid Sedan offers space for three smaller car seats or booster seats in the back and offers a smooth ride, with no discernible transition when moving between electric and gas.
Volkswagen Atlas SUV
Among the three-row SUVs, this one is the best value. You will get 20 to 26 mpg, it has safety features such as automatic headlights installed as standard, and it can accommodate up to five car seats between the second and third rows.
Subaru Ascent SUV
The Subaru Ascent is the best choice for a big family among three row SUVs. Offering 21 to 27 mpg, it comes with all-wheel drive as standard and has an incredible 19 cupholders. The ability to fit three narrow or two full-size car seats in the second row and two more in the back row means you can ferry up to five little ones at a time.
Nissan Pathfinder SUV
Offering 19 to 26 mpg for the four-wheel transmission model, this one makes the list for its impressive safety features that come as standard. Good steering and a powerful engine make for a good ride, and it has capacity for three car seats in the second row and a couple of boosters in the third.
Mazda CX 9 SUV
The Mazda CX 9 looks sleek and, with mileage of 22 to 28 per gallon, is more fuel efficient than its counterparts. You can easily fit four car seats across the back rows.
Ford Edge SUV
This is a great two-row SUV and makes our list for being able to fit up to three car seats in the back row, unusual for a two-row model. Decent mileage of between 21 and 29 per gallon and a smooth ride are what you will get with the Ford Edge.
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid SUV
This is the best hybrid SUV when it comes to mileage, enabling you to travel around 480 miles on a single tank of gas. The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid offers a smooth and quiet ride, as well as space for up to three car seats.
