Looking for a new family vehicle? The U.S. News & World Report list of 2022 best cars for families is out.
Ninety-six vehicles were evaluated and here are the winners.
Traditional car
- Honda Accord: Best Midsize Car for Families
- Toyota Avalon: Best Large Car for Families
Need something bigger?
- Hyundai Tucson: Best Compact SUV for Families
- Chevrolet Suburban: Best Large SUV for Families
- Honda Passport: Best 2-Row SUV for Families
- Kia Telluride: Best 3-Row SUV for Families
- Honda Odyssey: Best Minivan for Families
If you have been watching gas prices and would like to go with something more gas-efficient.
- Honda Accord Hybrid: Best Hybrid or Electric Car for Families
- Toyota Highlander Hybrid: Best Hybrid or Electric SUV for Families
The vehicles were rated on a number of factors.
“We’ve sort of identified the ones that not only performed well in positive reviews, but safety and reliability, more seating and cargo space. We also took a look at family-friendly features that will help people out, for example a rear seat reminder or additional USB ports in the second and third rows,” said Jim Sharifi, managing editor of U.S. News Best Cars.
When it comes to value, he said reliability is often key to being able to keep the car on the road for the long haul.
“There are certain cars, Kia Telluride and Hyundai Tucson, that come with a longer warranty, extra assurance if you plan on keeping a hold of it for a long time,” Sharifi said.
Another big topic is technology, both safety and convenience.
“All of these cars, for example, have some sort of smartphone mirroring, Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, for example, which really eases the responsibility of if you need to look for an address, being able to use your voice to ask Siri for directions or things of that nature,” Sharifi said.
Another thing U.S. News looks for when it comes to these awards is the availability of teen driver control.
“A family car doesn’t mean necessarily you just had a baby and are looking for something that fits a car seat well,” Sharifi said, “You could have a new driver and a lot of these teen driver controls can help set limits around things like top speed or how loud the stereo can be, or they will provide some sort of tracking so you know where your car is.”
Under the convenience category, he said they also looked at family-friendly features, such as USB ports in all rows of the vehicles and even a household plug, so a computer can be plugged in and used in the vehicle.
