A Look at Family Cars
Buying a new car for your growing family can be difficult. More than just making your decision based on the car’s reliability and appearance, you need to consider how practical the car is for each member of your family. This means that you’ll have to consider the needs of your children and pets in addition to your own needs. Here are some things to look for as you search for the perfect family car.
Hatchback versus saloon
Saloons may seem bigger than hatchbacks, but they lose points for flexibility. When you’re taking your baby’s pushchair and pram along, it might be quite troublesome to get these into the boot of a regular saloon. Hatchbacks provide a convenient place to house these items and transport your pets when you need to. If you must purchase a saloon, you should take your pram along to get a car that will hold these necessities.
Wide-opening doors
It’s obvious to most parents that five doors are better than three. But few shoppers check the back doors to ensure that it opens wide enough to install a child car seat. Wide-opening doors are essential for families with younger children especially if you’re tall or suffer from a bad back. If you regularly transport older teens, a wide-opening door is also very practical. The sliding rear doors on MVPs provide convenient access for getting in and out of the car.
Stadium seating
Raised rear seating is just as important as doors that open wide. Often referred to as stadium seating, the rear seats are higher than the front seats to fit child car seats and younger children. This feature is usually limited to SUVs and MVPs and is designed to give parents a better view of their children in the back and for children to see the view out front – to reduce travel sickness. When you buy a car with stadium seating, make sure that head restraints on the seats are removable to accommodate the child car seat.
Don’t overlook the value of an MPV
MVPs may seem exceptionally large, but when you have to transport three or more children in car seats, it’s the way to go.
You’ll need to extra room in order to safely transport your entire family without feeling cramped. Look for those vehicles with the two additional fold-up seats in the back so you can comfortably transport up to seven people. But keep in mind that all the extra seats will use up your boot space.
Adjustable passenger airbag
Sometimes it’s necessary to transport a very young child in the passenger seat. While this is not recommended, there will be times when you have no choice. In this case, it’s advantageous to have a car where you can deactivate the front airbag on your own.
Isofix makes it easier
Isofix mounting points in the vehicle will make it easy to fit child car seats in your car. The mounting points should be easily accessible, so take the car seat along when you’re searching for a new car.
These are just a few of the family friendly features that you need to look for in your family car. With proper care and consideration you should be able to choose a car that will be practical for everyone.
Josh is a personal finance consultant. He loves blogging in his spare time and sharing his ideas online.
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