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Updated
There’s a lot to think about when buying a car — how much you want to spend, whether to opt for new or used, which brand and model to choose. And when you factor your family in to the car-buying decision, even more considerations come in to play — like safety ratings and comfort.
Around since 1959, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has been providing consumers with information about how safe specific vehicles are. It does this by analyzing both how well the car protects occupants in a crash — called crashworthiness — and how well it avoids or minimizes impact.
Crashworthiness is rated as poor, marginal, acceptable or good. And crash avoidance is rated as basic, advanced or superior.
Each year, IIHS releases its list of Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ vehicles. Either category requires cars to have an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention to make the list.
Follow these two steps when on the hunt for a safe car for your family:
Aside from checking IIHS and NHTSA safety ratings, keeping the following factors in mind when test-driving vehicles can help you weed out any unsafe cars early on:
While it’s easy to scroll through a list of the 10 safest cars in the US, you also need to consider what will actually work for you and your family. We spoke to some parents at finder.com to find out their experience buying a family car, including what features were most important to them and any tips they have for other moms and dads.
Safety was a common theme in many parents’ answers.
Bessie upgraded to a Subaru Forester for its reputation as a safe, family-friendly vehicle. “We were running out of room in our old car — a Mazda 3. It was feeling very congested, which made me worry about the safety implications,” she said.
Airbags and safety also ranked high on Fred’s list and made him want to replace his pre-dad car with a family-friendly vehicle.
The size of a vehicle directly correlates to a vehicle’s safety. While this doesn’t necessarily mean bigger is better, the ability to safely secure items in your car and trunk as well as having sufficient leg and head room for passengers impacts safety.
Size also ranked highly for many finder.com parents. “You don’t realize how difficult it can be to get kids and their stuff in and out of cramped spaces,” one mom said. “The car seat might fit in your Mini Cooper, but your back will hate you when you’re getting in and out.”
However, going out and buying the largest car may not be the best option. “While the appeal for a large SUV exists, particularly for the extra interior space, it may be more practical to downsize,” says Scott. “This is in order to provide some extra room outside the vehicle when loading and unloading children in busy or narrow parking lots.”
While vehicle safety and fuel efficiency don’t always go hand in hand, it’s an important factor to consider when purchasing a family-friendly vehicle.
As Bessie noted, “Parenting is expensive enough without having to worry every time you need to fill up!”
Most parents we spoke to did minimal driving during the week, but drove around extensively on the weekend taking their kids to activities. Without a fuel-efficient vehicle, the gas costs can add up quickly.
You may also want to consider creature comforts like multiple charging ports or air-conditioned seats when deciding between cars:
Before you hit the dealership, consider these pointers from fellow parents who’ve been in your position:
A safe family vehicle doesn’t have to be hard to find if you know what you’re looking for. After researching the market and considering your options, you’ll be one step closer to carpools and family road trips.
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