In a family, the birth of a new child is often the time to change vehicles. And, to opt for the purchase of a more spacious family car. In new as in opportunity, then not easy to make your choice, so much the offer has expanded in recent years: SUV or sedan? Minivan or station wagon? Which model to choose? What car to buy? How to find the ideal family car for you and your passengers? Number of children, space on board, trunk volume, modularity… What are the main criteria for choosing a family car?
What is the best family car?
The right choice of car will first depend on your family (number of children, ages, main routes, etc.). It will therefore be dictated by your needs, your expectations. In this regard, each family vehicle model will have its advantages and disadvantages, depending on your family unit and your habits. They therefore differ according to each family and each situation.
What is a family car?
But first, what do we mean by a family car? This category now includes several types of vehicles: in reality, all those capable of accommodating a family of at least 4 people and their luggage.
This category with moving contours therefore includes: trunk sedans, station wagons, MPVs, minivans, and SUVs or other crossovers.
Which cars for a large family (of 5 people or more)?
Derived from sedans, station wagons have an elongated roof to the rear of the vehicle. This makes it possible to enlarge the size of their passenger compartment and the height of the trunk, to offer greater modularity . Station wagons
will therefore be suitable primarily for families with one or two children, just like sedans, but they will offer more space than these, and more versatility.
Yet they remain unbeatable in terms of modularity and interior space . Their low floor, their rear doors, especially when they are sliding, and their high roof height make loading very easy . Not to be overlooked when buying a second-hand vehicle.
Just like larger SUVs, many MPVs have a retractable third row of seats , which allows them to offer 7 real seats. Enough to satisfy the largest families, or allow others to take cousins and grandparents on board occasionally during weekends and holidays.
Among the disadvantages of this type of model, in addition to their driving, which is not always very dynamic, minivans can have a slightly higher weight on the scale, which can increase their consumption and their polluting emissions. An overweight and an inconvenience that they share today with SUVs.
Sedan with a large trunk
The traditional “road saloon” segment retains a status image among many motorists . Generally equipped with fairly powerful engines , they allow you to travel long distances by prioritizing the comfort of the driver and passengers. We recommend that you monitor the following elements: their consumption in the first place, their habitability, the size of the trunk, and its loading, which is often much less obvious than with a minivan, station wagon or MPV.
MPVs precisely, let’s talk about it. Created on the basis of small utility vehicles, these vehicles play the interior volume card to offer you a comfortable, modular passenger compartment with plenty of storage
Versatile vehicles par excellence, kings of families and leisure, they have large boot volumes. They will appeal to families with their often more economical prices, especially from low-cost manufacturers, than those of minivans or other SUVs whose prices have tended to swell as their bodywork also swells. Most often sold in a 5-seater configuration, some MPVs can be offered in a versionlonger, 7 places. Notice therefore to large or blended families .
Crossovers and SUVs
Crossovers and SUVs, these models are on the rise today… Designed to combine the roominess of an MPV, the on-road comfort of a saloon, and the capabilities of an all-terrain vehicle , even if the most are now sold in two-wheel drive. SUVs or “Sports Utility Vehicles” offer you a mix of genres between several segments, and several types of vehicles. This is why they are also called “Crossovers”.
With a higher driving position than on a family sedan or station wagon, reinforced bodywork, a single-volume design to promote interior space, and sometimes even a third row of seats located in the trunk floor, SUVs will provide you with comfort, spaciousness and a sense of security.
But all is not rosy in the country of the SUV… Their prices, which are more expensive to buy and their weight, which is quite high, can lead to higher fuel consumption and polluting emissions as a result. And this, even if they are today more and more often offered in Hybrid Electric Rechargeable versions or hybrid electric vehicles (HEV).
What are the criteria to consider when choosing a spacious car?
To choose the ideal family car, the most spacious car , you will have to take into account a few essential criteria, and make your own decisions.
The number of seats
It all depends on the number of children. Up to two children , all family cars are suitable. Even if minivans and MPVs, with wider openings, and sometimes sliding, with a raised floor, will be more practical for installing toddlers in their child seat and carrying all the equipment that accompanies them in the trunk.
From three children , the passenger compartment and the trunk volume of sedans and station wagons can quickly become too small. For a good compromise between comfort and roominess, you will prefer a minivan, a MPV or an SUV .
