The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Today's best family cars blend safety, reliability, and affordability, but the choices can be overwhelming. To simplify your search, Edmunds studied the latest results of its testing program to determine today's best family cars. Every year, the Edmunds vehicle test team subjects around 200 cars to a rigorous battery of performance trials, from acceleration to braking to poking the buttons of infotainment systems. Each car then gets a rating, and only the top performers make the list.
Edmunds gathered the 10 best family cars from different categories, including sedans, SUVs, minivans, electric cars, and even a pickup truck. All come with inevitable trade-offs. A three-row SUV might offer vast expanses of passenger and cargo space, but size and weight will limit its fuel economy. A sedan will deliver good fuel efficiency, but will be a tighter squeeze than an SUV. If camping and towing are important family activities, consider a full-size SUV or truck. To ditch the gas station altogether, opt for an electric vehicle.
There's a lot of choice out there, which is great news for buyers. To make sense of it all, read on for the 10 best family cars to get right now, sorted by starting MSRP.
Conventional wisdom says that when shopping for a midsize sedan, look further than the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. That's not wrong, but there is another to add to the list. The Kia K5, which debuted in 2021 as a replacement for the Optima, is the top-ranked midsize sedan. It's stylish, comfortable, reasonably fuel-efficient at 30 mpg combined, and has a large trunk (15.6 cubic feet). It also shines with its slate of standard features, including a large touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, and adaptive cruise control. If you need a car large enough for the family, but aren't sold on an SUV, look no further than the K5.
Starting MSRP: $28,145
Edmunds Rating: 8.2 (out of 10)
The Kia Sportage is the top-rated SUV for the second year running. With 41 inches of rear seat legroom, nearly 40 cubic feet of cargo space, and 43 mpg combined fuel economy, the Sportage is a trifecta of roominess and efficiency. It's even available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that gets 34 miles of electric range. Either makes an ideal SUV for shuttling to local family activities, making weekend runs for bulk goods, and getting out of town when the urge strikes. Even the Sportage base trim comes nicely loaded with conveniences and tech, like Apple and Android phone integration and several driver-assist features. And if the Kia's style isn't your thing, the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is a mechanical twin offering many of the same features in a little different flavor.
Starting MSRP: $29,965
Edmunds Rating: 8.4 (out of 10)
The Mazda CX-50 dispels the notion that an SUV can't be fun to drive. It offers regular and turbocharged engines, and the latter makes it one of the quickest small SUVs around. The Mazda's firm ride and meaty steering make it athletic on a curvy road, but possibly too much for drivers wanting a softer, cushier ride. The CX-50 is also moderately capable on a dirt trail thanks to standard all-wheel drive, body cladding, and a lower, wider profile than its street-oriented CX-5 counterpart. Fuel economy is up to 28 mpg combined, which is a little below class average but partially explained by the CX-50's all-wheel drive. For family duty, the CX-50 is comfortable, spacious, and well appointed, with a great-looking interior that feels far more expensive than it is.
Starting MSRP: $31,720
Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10)
The Kia Telluride remains Edmunds' top-ranked three-row family SUV, a full five years after its debut. (It was also the Edmunds Top Rated SUV three years running after its launch.) It's not hard to see why. The Telluride is priced like a mainstream—that is, not luxury—SUV, but the interior feels more like something from Audi or BMW. It comes with more standard features than you'd expect (synthetic leather, large touchscreen, active driver safety tech) and ample passenger and cargo space. It's also satisfying behind the wheel, with a strong V6 and cushy ride. A few rivals are faster or more athletic, but none put it all together better than the Telluride.
Starting MSRP: $37,555
Edmunds Rating: 8.4 (out of 10)
For those ready to go electric with their family car, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 has all you need. Its angular hot-hatchback style vaguely recalls an old Volkswagen Rabbit, but with an entirely futuristic power source. The Ioniq 5 can travel up to 303 miles in its priciest Limited trim, but even in base trim, it can cover 220 miles. That may not inspire cross-country road trips, but should be plenty for families in their local travels. The Hyundai can also inhale electrons at a furious rate. On a 350-kW DC charger—still rare, but currently one of the fastest speeds available—the Ioniq can recharge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes. The Ioniq 5 is also a blast to drive and doesn't sacrifice a comfortable ride, something that can't be said about the stiffer, sportier Tesla Model Y rival. And like all Hyundai models, the Ioniq 5 comes with a generous complement of standard features, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance.
Starting MSRP: $43,195
Edmunds Rating: 8.3 (out of 10)
For families with toys—big, expensive ones—a full-size truck makes perfect sense. The Ford F-150 is the Edmunds Top Rated full-size truck thanks to its wide range of configurations, cavernous interior, and class-leading towing capacity. It's available in a standard gas version but also as a hybrid (EPA-estimated 23 mpg combined) and fully electric (Ford F-150 Lightning). The crew cab seats five in palatial comfort, with trim levels ranging from work truck essentials to full-grain luxury leather upholstery and wood trim. The F-150 can also tow up to 14,000 pounds, which leads the current crop of full-size trucks.
Starting MSRP: $45,615
Edmunds Rating: 8.1 (out of 10)
Among small luxury SUVs, the Genesis GV70 is the top-ranked pick. It seats five, offers generous rear storage space (28.9 cubic feet), and like other Genesis cars, delivers a ton of value for the money. Subjectively, it's also ridiculously stylish, with its tapering roof and bold, Bentley-esque grille. A muscular V6 engine launches the Genesis to 60 mph in about five seconds, but even the standard four-cylinder delivers a healthy punch. Heated front seats, a 14.5-inch touchscreen, and adaptive cruise control also give the GV70 a strong measure of comfort, safety, and convenience befitting a midsize luxury SUV.
Starting MSRP: $47,050
Edmunds Rating: 8.3 (out of 10)
The top-rated minivan comes from the company that created the minivan as most know it. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid not only offers spectacular cargo space but also impressive fuel economy and plug-in rechargeability. The latter enables the Pacifica to travel up to 32 miles on battery power before the engine takes over. When it does, expect 30 mpg combined. The Pacifica's in-car tech is intuitive and easy to use, and there's a decent slate of driver-assist features, such as adaptive cruise control. One downside? You can't get the hybrid with Chrysler's Stow 'N Go second-row seats that fold into the floor for quick, convenient cargo flexibility. (The battery pack takes up that underfloor space.) That's not exactly a bad thing since the hybrid's standard second-row seats are more comfortable than the Stow 'N Go seats. The third-row seats do, however, fold into the floor.
Starting MSRP: $52,750
Edmunds Rating: 7.9 (out of 10)
The Chevy Suburban ties with its mechanical counterpart, the GMC Yukon, for top honors in full-size SUV rankings, but the Suburban has the edge for its value. Both SUVs are among the longest, largest leviathans on the road, with three rows of seating and acres of cargo and storage space. Both can tow pretty heavy loads of up to 8,300 pounds. That's less than rivals like the Ford Expedition or Jeep Grand Wagoneer offer, but it's still ample strength for a full complement of family, gear, and a trailer behind. Both also ride more comfortably than their predecessors, thanks to a suspension setup revised in 2021. Keep in mind that fuel economy is predictably poor, and the Suburban's size is easily felt while threading city streets and parking lots. For a more luxurious feel, go with the Yukon. But the Silverado delivers the same capabilities for less.
Starting MSRP: $61,495
Edmunds Rating: 7.6 (out of 10)
Big luxury SUVs don't get much more refined than the Mercedes-Benz GLS. It's exceptionally comfortable with three rows of adult-friendly seating, cloud-like ride quality, and top-shelf interior materials. The GLS' technology bundle is also world-class, with a large touchscreen and advanced voice recognition that can control many car functions through natural voice commands. A full complement of driver assistance tech also comes standard. At up to 21 mpg combined, fuel economy is decent given the GLS' size, and its brawny V6 gives the Mercedes impressive quickness and can tow up to 7,700 pounds. The price for comfort and performance isn't cheap, but neither is it unreasonable for a large luxury SUV.
Starting MSRP: $90,350
Edmunds Rating: 8.6 (out of 10)
Picking the right family car means matching your needs with the best cars out there. Longtime favorites like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V don't make this list not because they're not good cars—they are—but because others have outpaced them in features, comfort, and technology. There are more choices than ever for a family car, whether that's a sedan, SUV, or EV, and that's a good thing for buyers.
This story was produced by Edmunds and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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