If you are starting a family, making room for another or your family are just growing up, you may well find it’s time to update your car.
Buying a family car can be tricky as it needs to fit your lifestyle and be reliable for every kind of journey – whether it’s a cross-country trip to see nana and grandad, daily school runs, sports trips or a quick zip to the supermarket.
Here we take you through the 7 most important things that you need to look out for when you’re in the market for a family car.
7 Important Things to Look for in a Family Car
1. Vehicle Size
Looking for the right sized vehicle starts with the number of people in your family. The ideal family car would be one that has enough space and seats to fit everyone comfortably, and more if you’re thinking about growing your family.
Different types of cars have different seating configurations and body shapes. Hatchbacks and sedans usually have 5 seats, SUVs have between 5 and 7 seats depending on their size, and 7 to 9 fit in a people mover or van. Each type of vehicle offers various combinations of headroom, legroom and seat adjustment for the comfort of you and your family. While they may look sporty, avoid 3 door vehicles. It can get really annoying having the kids constantly climbing in and out behind (or over) your seat as well as buckling a car seat from the front can be a nightmare.
SUVs make the perfect family cars - thanks to their ample headroom and legroom, you can have a good stretch and not feel like you’re trapped. They also come in a wide range of shapes and sizes to choose from thanks to their popularity in New Zealand.
Whether it’s for regular grocery shopping or a holiday road trip, Suzuki has a range of family-friendly SUVs. The new Suzuki S-Cross will come with heaps of space to store any bags and will sit everyone comfortably without constantly being kicked in the back while driving.
2. Storage Space
Between strollers, portable cots, nappy bags, and toys, you might think that you’ll only need a bigger car while your children are small. However storage space is an important factor no matter how old they are. Push-chairs become hockey gear, nappy bags become backpacks and sleeping bags, and toys turn into wakeboards and wet suits.
It’s also good to have space for your drinks and snacks in the front and the back of your car. When you’re feeling peckish or you are caught out and about and you need to feed the kids on the run, having easily accessible places is a must-have.
3. Entertainment System
Travelling in the car with kids can be stressful, but with the help of a built-in infotainment system, you’ll be able to focus on the road and keep them entertained. A fully integrated system with smartphone connectivity such as Bluetooth, Apple Carplay and Android Auto lets you display your maps on the touchscreen, make calls to home or the school handsfree and sing (and drive) along to your favourite tunes.
With an entertainment system, you can play your children’s favourite songs or audio books and some even let you play movies in the rear seats to keep them preoccupied. If any of your smart devices are running low, you can use the USB ports to charge them and your kids can carry on watching their favourite shows.
4. Safety Features
It’s always good practice to buy the safest car you can afford to protect you and your precious cargo. Coming fully equipped with the latest car safety technology and a 5-star safety rating is the Suzuki Vitara - an excellent SUV for action-packed adventures with the family or the week-day school-runs.
Check the safety rating and also the safety features the vehicle has, such as the number of airbags. Front, side and curtain airbags are a must and play an important part in minimising the effects of the impact if you have a collision.
Here are the some of the safety features you may find useful to have in your next family car:
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- Auto-lock and child-lock - stops young children opening the car door while you are driving.
- Seatbelt warning system - helps let you know if anyone in your car has removed their seatbelt while you’re driving.
- Remote keyless entry - lets you keep your key in your pocket or bag and unlocks the door as soon as you touch the handle which is handy when you have your hands full.
- ISOFIX child restraint system – internationally compatible system that ensures your child’s car-seat is fitted securely to the car.
- Reverse camera & reverse sensors – helps let you know if something or someone is behind your vehicle while reversing.
- Collision detection technology - it’s easy to get distracted when there are lots of people in the car so features like automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring are very useful at alerting you of dangerous situations.
Safety is always a top priority when you’re driving around town with your family, but many car accidents happen on your very own property. Cars are constantly pulling in and out of your driveway, so it’s essential to make sure your kids are safe around moving cars. We’ve put together a few helpful tips and tricks about driveway safety and a checklist you can use to make sure your kids are safe.
5. Extra Cargo Space
If you’re into the outdoors and adventure, then your ideal family car needs the ability to add on extra cargo space when you need it. While long objects won’t be able to fit in the boot of your car, finding a vehicle that you can attach a roof rack or tow bar to will let you tie down the snowboards, install a bike rack, or tow a caravan or trailer.
6. Economical
You’ll most likely be using the family car running back and forth to the same places - school, sports fields or courts, shops and back home again, so you really don’t want a vehicle that’s a gas guzzler. When you’re looking for a family car, you should keep an eye out for one that fits all your size requirements and has good fuel economy. You don’t want to be making short frequent trips and burning a hole in your wallet at the petrol station.
7. Reliability and Cost
The last thing you need in the morning when you’re taking the kids to school is for the car to break down, so it’s wise to look for a reliable newer car. Newer cars are less likely to require major repairs and are most likely covered by a manufacturer’s warranty such as Suzuki’s 5 year warranty programme.
Having children is far from cheap. Before going down to the dealership, it’s a good idea to run through a financial check to see how much you can put towards a budget for the family car. While the actual price of the car may fall into your price range, the insurance, accessories, mechanical warranty and on-road costs can significantly bump up the total cost, so it pays to have all the information in front of you before making your decision.
Finding the right car for your family is by no means an easy task, but with these 7 important considerations you’ll know what you need to look out for. If you’re on the hunt for a new car that’s right for you, download our Complete Guide to Buying a New Car today!
