As you add members to your family, you might be outgrowing your beloved vehicle. If it’s time to purchase a new car, making sure that it has enough space for your kids, their friends, and all of the bits and pieces that come along with their hobbies and after-school activities is vital. It’s also extremely important to make sure that the car you purchase will keep your family safe and be reliable for the long-haul.
Selecting a car that will not only get you the best value for your money but will reliably get you and your family to and from shopping trips, soccer games, and school events can seem overwhelming. To help you with this process, we’ve curated a list of the best family cars on the market.
Choosing The Best Family Car
Sedans, crossovers, SUVs, and minivans all have their perks. While some aspects of the buying decision boil down to personal preference, there are some important specifications to consider for each class of vehicle.
Sedans
Sedans are the smallest car on our list, but they can get you great mileage per gallon compared to the bigger classes of vehicles on our list like the SUVs. They are also consistently rated as being safer, and they are easier to handle and drive as they are smaller overall. However, they don’t give you much room to grow, as the maximum seating capacity of a sedan is five.
Of the sedans on the market, some of our favorites are the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Kia Optima. All three of these sedans are described by the companies as mid to large sedans, meaning that you get the benefits of a sedan, with a bit of extra space. The Kia Optima is the cheapest, starting at an MSRP of $23,390, followed by the Toyota Camry at $24,425, and finally, the Honda Accord at $24,770.
SUVs
SUVs have grown in popularity in recent years since fuel prices have stayed low. This makes their poorer fuel economy less of a hindrance.
SUVs can give you room to grow, ample cargo space for groceries, moving furniture and sports equipment, and extra seats for your growing family and their friends. Overall, SUVs are a more expensive option, both in MSRP and cost per mile to drive.
If room, towing power, and cargo space are your top priorities, you might want to consider one of the three most popular SUVs on the market: the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and the Kia Telluride. The Telluride is the cheapest SUV we’ve listed at $31,990 starting, the Pilot comes in second at $32,250, and the Highlander is the most expensive at $34,810 starting MSRP.
Crossovers
If you are stuck deciding between an SUV and a sedan, crossovers can give you the best of both worlds.
Crossovers are lighter and more compact than an SUV, giving you better fuel economy. However, they come in a range of sizes, which can help you select the perfect vehicle for your family’s size - not too big, and not too small. Many crossovers offer all-wheel drive options, which can help keep you and your family safe if you live in an area that sees a lot of snow or ice.
These three crossovers provide extra space to grow at a price that is very comparable to a sedan. The Subaru Forester is the cheapest crossover on our list at $24,795 starting MSRP, while the Honda CR-V starts at $25,150, and the Toyota RAV4 base model costs a bit more at $26,050.
Minivans
Minivans are the quintessential family vehicle. They are typically designed with a family in mind, meaning that they come with a range of features designed to keep you and your kids safe. Sliding doors can help prevent scrapes and dings to neighboring vehicles, and built-in entertainment systems can keep your kids entertained on long drives.
Typically, the fuel economy of a minivan is also better than an SUV, meaning you get the space of an SUV at a lower per-mile price. Minivans get on average 24-30 mpg, while SUVs get closer to 18-23. Extra cargo space behind the third row of seats can also offer you the storage you need to successfully get your family and your shopping bags from point A to point B.
We’ve selected three of our favorite minivans on the market to help you start your search. The Odyssey has been redesigned for 2021 and starts at $31,790. The Chrysler Pacifica is the most awarded minivan, but comes at a bit of a higher price tag, at $34,045; however, Chrysler offers family pricing which can reduce this price by $7,000. The Toyota Sienna is the cheapest minivan on our list by a small margin, coming in at a $31,640 starting MSRP.
Start Your Search For The Best Family Car
If you want to get the search going for your family’s next vehicle, a good idea is to head to a dealer with multiple options you are considering. When you’ve got the whole family in tow, you don’t want to be going from dealership to dealership just to test drive one car.
If you like Honda vehicles, for example, you can try out the CR-V, Accord, Pilot, and Odyssey all in one go. This can give you an idea of how your family will fit into each one.
No matter what car you decide is best for your family, at Chartway, we not only offer you options to help you finance your new vehicle, but our car buying service can help you find deals and discounts so you can afford the best car for your growing family.
Check out our car buying service and potentially save thousands of dollars on your new car purchase.