You need a new family car. The problem is, you’re not sure where to start. Every blog and car website kinda says the same thing: get a car you can afford. OK, after you’ve figured out what you can afford, now what? Here are some more advanced tips for finding a car your whole family can enjoy.
Safety First
Making sure your family is safe should be your first priority. Find out the vehicle’s crash safety report and statistics.
Visit the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) website to find out which vehicles do best in an accident. NHTSA gives you free crash test results online for cars and trucks for vehicle model years 1990 and up.
If you need information for an older vehicle, you can request it all the way back to 1979. This is the year official ratings started. You can also go to the association’s archives by sending email with the year, make, and model of the vehicle you want to buy or by sending an email to crash.test@nhtsa.dot.gov.
What you’ll find is medium- and heavyweight cars offer better protection than minis, compacts, and lightweight cars.
NHTSA provides information about head and chest injuries. If you want to know how well it will protect your legs, visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) website.
Check out the vehicle’s low rollover stats. NHTSA rates most post-1997 makes and models for how well they resist rolling over during sharp turns. Vehicles are rated between one and five stars. One star means there’s a 40% chance of a rollover. Five stars means there’s 10% chance or less.
A LATCH system for baby is also important. Since 2002, all vehicles and child safety seats are equipped with compatible hardware called “LATCH”. It stands for “lower anchors and tethers for children.”
This system for child seat installation stabilizes the seat and reduces the potential for head injury. Vehicles and safety seats have a top tether, while safety seats have bottom straps that hook or buckle into lower anchors in the backseat.
Most vehicles without rear seats or with small rear seats, like pickups and sports cars, now include a passenger side airbag with on-off switch as standard equipment. This is good if you drive a car with a small or no back seat and you need to drive a child around.
If you don’t have an on-off switch, you can get a request from the NHTSA to have the dealer install one for you. Remember, if you have a rear seat, that’s the safest place for a child.
Avoid cars with deep bucket seats in the back. These features can make it nearly impossible to install any child car seat. And, don’t think you have to pay a lot for safety features. ToyotaClearancePrices.com lists clearance prices for Toyotas. So, you can get a good deal on a family vehicle if you’re willing to do a little legwork.
If You’re Tech-Savvy Roadtrippers
A Jeep Compass is a good buy if you have a rather large family or you need something to ram around in on vacations or camping trips. Cost: $19,295. The UConnect System is a voice-command navigation, and has 40 Gigs of hard drive space for entertainment files, like music, pics, or movies (for the kids). Plug and play. It’s designed for kids who think Jake and the Never Land Pirates makes for good road trips.
The LED-illuminated cup holders help is also a nice touch, reducing spills after the sun goes down. Finally, the swing-down speakers on the rear liftgate are awesome for impromptu dance party picnics.
If You’re A City Dwelling Fam
The Toyota Prius C. Cost $18,950. It might not seem like a good first choice, but with 53 MPG highway, you’ll save lots and lots of money on gas. That’s the main draw. But, it’s also a great family car with the highest mileage of any vehicle without a plug. The Smart Key System lets you open doors without getting out your keys. This is good if you find yourself carrying a latte in one hand and your kiddo in another. It fits in just about any parking spot, which is another plus.
If You Love Carpooling
The Honda Accord has always been good for toting passengers around. At a base price of $21,480, it’s not the cheapest, but it’s stylish, and still in range for a family budget. The SMS text-message function is good. No more screwing around with your phone while driving. Keep those eyes on the pavement. The trunk is also surprisingly huge. You can get a rollaway suitcase in there along with your UPPABaby stroller.
Sophia Winter is a stay-at-home Mom who freelances (mostly admin / VA work) to keep what she jokingly calls the kids snack and sock fund full! She writes about savings and family life in her articles.
