The Best Family Cars of 2008

Are you in the market for a new car? We teamed up with Edmunds.com to rate the safest, most kid-friendly, comfortable, affordable, and cool-to-drive cars out there this year.

Courtesy of Honda





Best Crossovers: Honda CR-V

Buying a new car is one of the most important decisions you'll make for your family. It's also one of the toughest. There are hundreds of models on the market. How do you find a vehicle that's safe, kid-friendly, comfortable, affordable, and cool to drive?

Simple: Read our guide. This year, Parents has joined with Edmunds.com, the leading online resource for car buyers, to make your selection easier. The 15 vehicles on our list cover a range of sizes, styles, and price points. What they share is a commitment to safety: These crossovers, SUVs, minivans, sedans, and best-value cars rank at or near the top in government and industry crash tests*, and all offer cutting-edge technologies to protect you and your kids. Our winners also have a strong track record for reliability and performance. But just to be sure, we asked parents who own these models to weigh in on factors like storage space, ease of car-seat installation, and handling. Ready for your test drive? Check out our slideshow.

Best Crossovers: Honda CR-V

It's easy to see why these versatile models are gaining popularity: They provide a carlike ride, the roominess of a wagon, and impressive standard safety features.
Price: $20,700 to $29,035

Mileage: 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway

Family features: Don't be fooled by its slick styling. This crossover has everything you need for a young, growing family: spacious and reclining rear seats, comfortable captain's chairs, eight cup holders, and more than a dozen storage nooks for your kids' gear (and yours). Stability control, antilock brakes, and side-curtain air bags are standard. Affordable options include a moon roof and a cool cargo organizer in the rear. The perky four-cylinder engine gives you good gas mileage, and the ride is so smooth your kids will fall asleep quickly at naptime.

Owner feedback: "The CR-V drives as crisply as my old Accord did. Putting in car seats is a breeze. And I like that the rear seats shift forward when we need extra storage space in back."
-- Jennifer F.; Houston, Texas

Safety ratings NHTSA: 10 out of 10 frontal, 10 out of 10 side, 4 out of 5 rollover. IIHS: Good frontal, good side; also listed as a Top Safety Pick.




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Courtesy of Nissan




Best Crossovers: Nissan Rogue

Price: $19,250 to $21,870

Mileage: 22 mpg city/27 mpg highway

Family features: The brand-new Rogue has two irresistible qualities: a sleek, modern design and a very modest sticker price. The interior is bland but functional, with lots of storage compartments, easy-to-use controls, and room for three car seats in back. The advanced transmission makes for a quiet ride and quick acceleration, so it's a blast to drive. Stability control and side-curtain air bags are standard, and the option list is long, including all-wheel drive, a hands-free Bluetooth phone system, steering-wheel controls, storage organizers, and a high-tech audio system.

Owner feedback: "This is the family car to own. The handling is superior, the seats are roomy, the car-seat system was easy to use, and the rear climate control keeps my boys comfortable -- while the outlet for their DVD player keeps them happy."
-- Colleen H.; Deptford, New Jersey

Safety ratings: NHTSA: 9 out of 10 frontal, 10 out of 10 side, 4 out of 5 rollover. IIHS: Not tested.


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Courtesy of Toyota




Best Crossovers: Toyota RAV4

Price: $21,250 to $27,505

Mileage: 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway

Family features: The RAV4 has lots of storage space, cushy front seats, and great standard safety features (including side-curtain air bags and stability control). But what really sets this crossover apart is its agility in traffic jams and crowded parking lots. The reclining rear seats slide forward and back, so you can move your baby closer to you or give adults extra legroom. Toyota has even managed to shoehorn in an optional third row, which is handy for carpooling. And if you want a little extra power on the highway, you can spring for the powerful V-6 engine.

Owner feedback: "The drive is smooth, with a terrific turning radius for its size and great stopping ability. The cargo area is very easy to load. My son's car seat installs easily on either side, but fitting three in back is a squeeze."
-- Adam R.; Mansfield, Connecticut

Safety ratings NHTSA: 9 out of 10 frontal, 10 out of 10 side, 4 out of 5 rollover. IIHS: Good frontal, good side.




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Courtesy of Saturn




Best SUVs: Saturn Outlook

Do you have a big crew? These safety-packed models have a standard third row, making them nearly as practical as a minivan (with more style). Each also offers all-wheel drive for better traction on bad roads.

Price: $28,995 to $33,405

Mileage: 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway

Family features: If you think Saturn doesn't make stand-out cars, this one is bound to change your, well, Outlook. It handles like a midsize sedan yet has all the space you'd expect in a full-size SUV: There's room for eight (with a middle-row bench seat), the third row is big enough for grown-ups, and the storage options are seemingly endless. The second-row seats slide forward, so you can comfort your infant without straining your neck. Stability control, side-curtain air bags, and rear-seat temperature controls are standard. And if you want a plusher cabin, you can try the Outlook's upscale cousin, the GMC Acadia.

Owner feedback: "After owning two vans, we worried about the interior space. But there's plenty, even in the third row. My kids love the excellent DVD system and the glass roof, and I'm happy with the responsive steering and nice ride." -Craig A.; Roanoke, Virginia

Safety ratings NHTSA: 10 out of 10 frontal, 10 out of 10 side, 4 out of 5 rollover. IIHS: Not tested.