The Most Family-Friendly Vehicles You Can Buy

Because families come in all sizes, the best family cars can span all vehicle types. Whether you want a minivan for functionality and easy accessibility, a versatile three-row SUV for added passenger space and off-road capability, or even a spacious and practical sedan; there is a family-friendly vehicle to suit your needs. But with so many vehicles to choose from, which ones are best equipped to handle your most precious cargo?

To help narrow your choices, iSeeCars determined the Best Family Cars across multiple categories. These cars achieved a score of 8.0 or above (out of 10) on iSeeCars quality analysis, which takes into account long-term reliability, value retention, and highest average safety ratings over the last five years from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These family vehicles also all have above-average or close to average cargo space and fuel economy ratings for their respective segments.

Best Family Cars by Vehicle Category

Here are the best family cars from smallest to largest.

Best Family Cars: Midsize Cars

Midsize cars are ideal for families that want a practical and efficient car but do not require an SUV or minivan. Here are the Best Midsize Family Cars:

1. Honda Accord

iSeeCars Quality Score: 9.0

• Reliability Score: 9.0

• Retained Value Score: 8.1

• Safety Score: 10.0

Average New Car Price: $31,435

Average 3-Year-Old Used Car Price: $28,671

The best family car in the midsize sedan category is the Honda Accord. The Accord is fun-to-drive and its spacious cabin provides more passenger room than most of its competitors. The Accord also has an upscale interior that has the feel of a luxury car. The Accord’s base engine gets 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway, which is above-average for its class. It comes with a suite of standard safety features, including forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with road sign recognition, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, driver drowsiness monitoring, and automatic high-beam headlights.

2. Toyota Camry

[toyota camry scores]

The Toyota Camry midsize sedan ranks second in the segment. The Camry offers a comfortable ride and comes with plenty of legroom and headroom. The Camry’s base engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 202 horsepower, with a more powerful 3.5-liter V6 offered on higher trims. It also comes with a suite of safety features including lane trace assist, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control.

3. Subaru Legacy

[subaru legacy scores]

The Subaru Legacy ranks third. The Legacy provides ample passenger room and a spacious trunk. It comes standard with all-wheel drive and a suite of active safety features, including adaptive headlights, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a rear-seat reminder.

4. Kia Optima / Kia K5

[kia optima scores]

The Kia Optima, which was replaced by the Kia K5 beginning in the 2021 model year, ranks fourth. The Optima features a 15.9-cubic-foot trunk, which is more spacious than most cars in the midsize car class. The Optima has two complete sets of LATCH connectors for car seats in the rear outer seats and a tether anchor for the rear middle seat. The Optima also comes standard with a suite of safety features including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane change assist, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and automatic high beam headlights.

5. Nissan Altima

[nissan altima scores]

The Nissan Altima ranks fifth. The Altima has a spacious trunk and two roomy rows of seats.  It’s also among the most fuel-efficient vehicles in the class. The Altima comes standard with forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, driver drowsiness monitoring, and automatic high-beam headlights.

For more midsize cars to consider, check out the iSeeCars ranking of Best Midsize Cars.

Best Family Cars: Large Cars

Large cars provide even more passenger and cargo space than their midsize counterparts. Here are the Best Large Family Cars:

1. Toyota Avalon

[toyota avalon scores]

The Toyota Avalon is the best family car in the large sedan category. Sadly, the Avalon was discontinued after the 2022 model year, but it will still be widely available in the used car marketplace. The Avalon has ample passenger and cargo space, and has an interior that feels like a luxury car. It comes with a suite of standard safety features such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, forward automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition, and LED automatic high-beam headlights to name a few.  

2. Dodge Charger

[dodge charger scores]

The Dodge Charger is a versatile and spacious large sedan with many powerful engine choices, ranging from a standard V6 to a potent supercharged V8. It is the perfect choice for drivers wanting the utility of a roomy family sedan with a little bit of extra muscle. The Charger lacks standard safety features beyond rear parking sensors, but a full suite of features are available.

3. Nissan Maxima

[nissan maxima scores]

The Nissan Maxima has a powerful 300-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine to appeal to drivers who want a powerful sedan with the characteristics of a sports car. It comes standard with a touch screen infotainment system, AppleCarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. The Maxima’s standard safety features include automatic high-beam headlights, rear cross traffic alert, pedestrian detection, traffic sign recognition, and rear door alert.

For more large cars to consider, check out the iSeeCars ranking of Best Large Cars.

Best Family Cars: Hybrid Cars

For divers who want a car that offers better fuel efficiency than a standard sedan, here are the Best Hybrid Family Cars:

1. Toyota Prius

[toyota prius scores]