For car manufacturers, 2018 is the year of safety and technological advances in their efforts to create the best car for a small family. When you are looking for a small family car, there are a number of factors to consider. First and foremost is safety. Your family is the most precious cargo you will ever carry. Your vehicle should also be a good value, meeting your family’s needs on your budget. With kids comes cargo, so you want plenty of room for backpacks, sports equipment, and the ever-needed groceries. Easy handling and comfort while driving and riding are a must, and in today’s media-manic society, technology now ranks high on the list of priorities. Use this list of 2018 models as a starting point when deciding which is the best car for your small family.
Honda Odyssey Minivan
According to US News & World Report, the 2018 Honda Odyssey ranked #1 in minivans, and with its incredible safety and convenience features, you will certainly understand why. It is fuel efficient getting 19 mpg City/28 mpg Highway. The Cabin Watch Rear Seat Monitor helps you keep an eye on the little ones without turning in your seat. The Honda Sensing Suite provides Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Lane Keeping Assist System in this wonderful small family car.
The Magic Slide 2nd seat allows parents to pull the seat closer to the door for ease of getting the kids in and out of their car seats. It also has a rearview camera for safety and ease of backing. Advanced Rear Entertainment system with a 10.2-inch monitor is available and supports most external media. It has mobile hotspot capability, so you can stay connected at all times, and its SmartPhone Audio allows you to play music from your phone.
One more feature that makes this the perfect small family car is the optional vacuum to clean up dog hair and those Cheerios and french fries! The Odyssey was selected by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as a Top Safety Pick for minivans in 2018.
Nissan Rogue
The Rogue is a comfortable 5-passenger compact crossover vehicle. It has the comfort of a minivan with the capacity of an SUV, and incredible gas mileage for a small family car at 26 mpg city/33 highway. LED running lights and headlights are available for better visibility both night and day. The Rogue has Nissan Intelligent Mobility options that help it meet Insurance IIHS requirements and is one of their 2018 Top Safety Picks, making this one of the best cars for small families.
Ford Edge
The Edge has won the 2018 US News & World Report Best Car for the Money Award and the Best Car for Small Families Award. The 180-degree front grille camera provides greater visibility, and not only assists in seeing around corners or down alleys, but the front radar predicts slowing traffic ahead and adjusts speed through the Adaptive Cruise Control. The Edge also has lane keep assistance, to alert you if you are drifting right or left.
You can monitor the driving habits of your young drivers, with the data sent to an app on your phone, so you can relax a little bit when they are away from home. This small family car gets excellent gas mileage at 21/29 mpg, so it is easy on the pocketbook.
Volkswagen Atlas
The Atlas is a little bit more expensive, but its performance and safety make it a great value and one of the best small family cars. This car is great for the more adventurous family who may have to drive steeper or more rugged roads. Volkswagen’s 4Motion technology interprets weather conditions and ensures that power is distributed between all 4 tires equally, giving you better traction.
The Volkswagen Atlas has earned a 5-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Atlas is also a techie’s dream car. It can store profiles for up to 4 drivers, Driver personalization can automatically adjust driver seat position, exterior mirrors, temperature settings, radio station and sound, lights, and driver assistance features.
Kia Cadenza
An IIHS 2018 Top Safety Pick for large cars, the Kia Cadenza is a great car for a small family. The Kia Cadenza Technology has multiple driver assist options available, including lane keep and front crash prevention, advanced smart cruise control, electronic parking brake with auto-hold, and LED headlights and fog lights. The Smart Welcome System adds safety at night as it turns on vehicle lights when it detects your Smart Key. The headlights also have auto-leveling so they are correctly aimed at all times.
When you bring that new car home, you want to protect it from the rigors of family life. Check out the Wade Auto website for all of your auto accessory needs. We have floor mats, cargo mats, headlight covers, tail light covers, wind deflectors, bug deflectors, and so much more to keep your small family car looking new and driving efficiently.
If you liked this blog post, check out our post on The Safest Cars to Drive in 2018.