Great Family Cars: 5 Picks to Consider

Interested in finding the best family car for your needs? These five picks provide smooth handling, roomy accommodations, and family-friendly amenities.

Warren Clarke | 

Jan 6, 2022 | 5 min read

Honda  

Hoping to identify the best family car for your individual situation? There are plenty of options available with certain things you may want to look for as you evaluate various models.

To help you buy a car that's a good fit for your family, we've listed five top picks below. Here are the parameters we considered when making our selections:

• Legroom: Each vehicle listed has at least 42 inches in the front row and 31 inches in the second row
• Cargo capacity: Each also has at least 14 cu.-ft. of cargo space
• Safety features (must offer at least three): The vehicles have a combination of safety features such as forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and/or lane-keeping assist
• Valuable features (must offer at least two): All listed vehicles have a combination of valuable features such as in-car Wi-Fi, satellite radio, multi-zone climate control, and/or Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration

Additionally, we gave extra credit to cars with useful family-friendly amenities outside the features already mentioned.

We've limited our picks to vehicles that align with the traditional definition of a car. That includes cars of all sizes, as well as wagons. And we've covered a variety of price points—our list includes everything from a budget-friendly subcompact to a deluxe luxury wagon. Here are our selections in alphabetical order.

Honda

1. 2022 Honda Accord

The Honda Accord starts at roughly $25,000, and this universally capable mid-size sedan is easily a top pick for family transportation. You can also upgrade your Accord with heated and ventilated front streets, heated rear outboard seats, and a wireless charging pad.

• Legroom: 42.3 inches in the front row and 40.4 inches in the second row
• Cargo capacity: 16.7 cu.-ft.
• Safety features: Forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping assist
• Valuable features: Dual-zone automatic climate control, in-car Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, and satellite radio

Mazda

2. 2021 Mazda6

With a starting price of approximately $24,000, the Mazda 6 stands out for being one of the most fun-to-drive family cars on the market. It's a good choice if you're looking for a car that adds excitement to the driving experience. This mid-size sedan can also be equipped with heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, and a driver attention warning system that alerts you if sensors detect that you're driving while fatigued.

• Legroom: 42.2 inches in the front row and 38.7 inches in the second row
• Cargo capacity: 14.7 cu.-ft.
• Safety features: Forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping assist (all standard)
• Valuable features: Dual-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, and satellite radio

Nissan

3. 2022 Nissan Versa

Budget-conscious shoppers on the hunt for the best family car for their needs may want to take a look at the Nissan Versa. Starting at around $15,000, this subcompact sedan is one of the least expensive new cars on the market. Step up to the SV or SL trims and the Nissan Versa is available with heated front seats, remote engine start, and a push-button ignition. It also comes standard with rear automatic braking — a feature that automatically hits the brakes if sensors detect you're about to collide while reversing.

• Legroom: 44.5 inches in the front row and 31 inches in the second row
• Cargo capacity: up to 15 cu.-ft.
• Safety features: Forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping assist
• Valuable features: Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration and satellite radio

Toyota

4. 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid

Starting at roughly $27,000, the Toyota Camry Hybrid stands out for its exceptional fuel efficiency. According to EPA estimates, this mid-size sedan gets up to 52 mpg combined city/highway. That means it's an excellent pick if you're a driver with a long commute looking to minimize fuel costs. Toyota's Camry Hybrid is also available with a wireless device charger, heated front seats, and rear automatic braking.

• Legroom: 42.1 inches in the front row and 38 inches in the second row
• Cargo capacity: 15.1 cu.-ft.
• Safety features: Forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping assist
• Valuable features: Dual-zone automatic climate control, in-car Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, and satellite radio (all standard)

Volvo

5. 2021 Volvo V60

• Legroom: 42.3 inches in the front row and 35.2 inches in the second
• Cargo capacity: 23.2 cu.-ft. behind the rear seats
• Safety features: Forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping assist (all standard)
• Valuable features: Four-zone automatic climate control, in-car Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, and satellite radio

Next Steps

Doing your research and reviewing the available information can help you narrow your choices as you search for the best family car for your situation. But before you make a purchase, evaluate your pick in person and take it for a test drive, these steps will help you assess if it's an ideal match for your needs.

Warren Clarke

A car purchase is a big decision. And once you've made the purchase, you'll be faced with countless other choices that will affect your ownership experience one way or another. Throughout my career in the automotive industry, I've written everything from vehicle reviews to articles covering topics such as car insurance and leasing. My mission is to help you make the best decisions regarding your vehicle.