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CARLOS LAGO: Will, what do you look for in a family car?
WILL KAUFMAN: Old animal crackers and the lingering
aroma of spit up.
CARLOS LAGO: So the modern family vehicle
has a diverse set of needs because the modern family can
range in needs, right, whether it's income,
whether it's where you live, whether it's
the size of your family.
Blah, blah, blah.
In this video, we're going to talk about our favorite family
vehicles--
SUVs, cars, trucks, and yes, minivans.
Each one of the vehicles that we're going to mention here
has gone through Edmunds rating process, which
includes standardized road loop, includes performance testing,
includes interior measurements with the family in mind.
If there's a vehicle here that you're interested in,
go to edmunds.com for more information.
If your favorite vehicle is not mentioned in this video,
you could leave a comment below, or you could just
go to the site and find out why it's not
listed because all the information's there.
WILL KAUFMAN: We do love your comments, though.
CARLOS LAGO: Let's start with the most popular segment
of vehicles right now, SUVs.
WILL KAUFMAN: I mean, it's obvious
why SUVs are so popular for families.
They're big boxes on wheels.
You get a ton of space for passengers
and for stuff, which is what you need if you're
looking for a family SUV.
CARLOS LAGO: And because they're so popular,
there's a wide range of SUVs, which
means there's a lot of versatility
and features depending on your price
point and the size of the vehicle that you're looking at.
You get a lot for your dollar in this segment.
And let's start with our best small family
SUV, which is the Honda CR-V.
WILL KAUFMAN: I mean, this is our top rated compact SUV.
But it has a lot of features that you
want when you're looking for a family SUV, you know,
large back seat with plenty of space
for putting in even rear-facing car seats, tons of cargo space.
You fold down that backseat, you get 76 cubic feet of cargo.
CARLOS LAGO: Which is massive.
I mean, we did the math.
That's like 25 TSA carry-on packages.
It really shows the benefits of the CR-V's interior.
And it's not just the cargo capacity, too.
It's how you can configure it.
The center console has some really neat configurations
with a sliding tray and a couple other things going on there.
And the load floor in the trunk can
be adjusted for height, too, depending
on what you're carrying.
Couple of other SUVs have that as well,
but no one really blends it as nicely as the Honda does.
WILL KAUFMAN: And for 2020, they've improved the base trim.
You now get the Honda Sensing safety suite
with Forward Collision Avoidance, Lane Keep
Assist, things like that.
That's standard across the whole range.
You get the better engine.
The 1.5 liter is now standard across the whole range as well.
CARLOS LAGO: Yeah.
They dropped the base engine, which is always
the one we were like, eh, you can probably just skip that one
and move up to the-- to the next step.
But yeah, the CR-V's really smart for a lot of families.
And, you know, for next year, there'll be a hybrid as well.
WILL KAUFMAN: And we like Honda's hybrid powertrain.
In the other vehicles, we've driven it.
So we're looking forward to trying this one out.
CARLOS LAGO: Yeah.
We haven't rated or reviewed it, so check back
to see our thoughts on that.
Let's move up to our best large family SUV,
which is the Kia Telluride.
WILL KAUFMAN: This is our top rated mid-size three-row
overall.
And there's a reason for that, right?
CARLOS LAGO: Yeah.
It's a really, really well done SUV
on a lot of-- on all the fronts, essentially.
The interior space, again, very large, comfortable
seats, easy to access seats.
But really, what sets the Kia apart is the value.
This is a near premium experience at not,
like, a premium price point.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah.
I mean, if you get this in high trims,
it's near luxury for the same money,
sometimes even a little bit less than you'd spend,
for a comparably equipped SUV from a different brand.
CARLOS LAGO: Absolutely.
V6 power is adequate, totally fine.
You do get a 5,000 pound tow rating, which, you know,
is strong amongst--
I'd say mid-pack maybe amongst this level of SUV.
But in combination with the rest of the Telluride's attributes,
it makes for a really robust package.
You've got good phone integration.
The power outlets are smart.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah.
The power outlet design is nice.
For the second row, the charge ports
are in the back of the front row seats.
So the kids can reach them more easily
without having to sort of lean out of their seat belts
to try and get down to the back of the center console
where a lot of other SUVs put their power ports.
CARLOS LAGO: Yeah.
Overall, the Telluride is a really smart SUV
with a lot of nice things going for it.
We like the Telluride because of its near premium look and feel,
but let's actually talk about premium SUVs now.
Our best small luxury SUV is the Volvo XC60.
WILL KAUFMAN: This is our top pick for families.
It is not our top pick overall in the segment.
That goes to the Mercedes-Benz GLC.
But we decided to go with the Volvo
when it came to picking something specifically
for families.
CARLOS LAGO: Yeah.
What the Volvo does that few other SUVs advertise
as successfully, or offer as much as well,
the Volvo delivers some really attention
to family-specific options, specifically
like having the available second row booster
seats in both like heated and not configurations.
It's a really nice little touch.
And there's a couple other accessories,
too, you can option when you get the Volvo XC60 that are smart,
like having a kick protector on the back of the seat back.
So, you know, you don't get those seats,
those beautifully tailored seats,
all scuffed up in your premium luxury SUV.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah.
That's what you want to do, is teach your kids
it's fine to just kick wherever they are.
Just kick the seat in front of you.
It's cool.
CARLOS LAGO: So overall, the XC60's
a solid premium luxury SUV from its attention
to design to the tech and interior features.
I mean, you do get solid phone integration.
You do get the-- you get the power ports,
and you get a lot of safety stuff, too.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, Volvo still really heavily pushes
that reputation for safety they built the brand on.
And that's something they still really care about.
CARLOS LAGO: There's a lot of trim levels with the XC60.
We recommend the T6 specifically because the base engine
feels a little overworked.
And the hybrid at the top end doesn't feel that great
when you roll on the gas pedal.
But so, choose the T6.
That one really works.
The Volvo XC60 when you--
XC60, when you option it correctly,
is a really solid vehicle for the family.
WILL KAUFMAN: But if what you need is just everything--
you want all of the space, you want all the towing capacity,
you want just more--
and you have the money for it, there's
our top best large luxury SUV for this segment, the Lincoln
Navigator.
CARLOS LAGO: Yeah.
The Navigator is the big family vehicle.
I mean, this is kind of the old school of American SUVs where
it's this massive, massive shipping container with wheels
that also looks good.
And you can fit a ton of stuff in it.
It has a powerful engine, a strong towing capability,
like up to 8,300 pounds, which means
you can carry the family and a lot of the toys
behind the truck as well.
And it feels like a luxury car, which is really important, too.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah.
And it also has a Wi-Fi hotspot.
You have tons of charging options.
There's lots of storage space.
Even the third row get some nice storage options.
And if you don't want your kids relying
on their personal tablets, if you still
want a built in in-car entertainment system,
you can get up to 10-inch displays for rear seat
entertainment from the factory, which
is-- that's a pretty hefty screen for an SUV.
CARLOS LAGO: That's big.
And overall, the Navigator just delivers all the stuff
you'd expect from a luxury SUV of this size, especially
one for the family.
Be it the power, the capability, the space inside,
this is just an all-around good pick
for a vehicle of this type.
WILL KAUFMAN: Speaking of very large vehicles,
you know, somebody asked me recently,
what happened to all the big, giant, thirsty American station
wagons that they grew up with?
They became trucks.
CARLOS LAGO: There's an argument for it.
The modern pickup truck has become a really robust family
vehicle because they now have the interior comfort,
the technology features, the safety equipment, and lately,
too, the ride quality that makes--
that kind of gets rid of the old classic old truck experience,
where you're bouncing around over bumps and stuff
with an empty bed.
Our favorite family truck is the Ram 1500.
The Ram delivers all these things.
I mean, I'm sure you can get the Tradesman with the rubber
floor mats and probably a bench seat
and all that in a single cab.
But when you option the Ram upright,
it really becomes a pleasant family sedan.
WILL KAUFMAN: That mega cab configuration,
the second row is huge.
The seat can recline, so slightly older kids
can make themselves comfortable.
And of course, you get a bed.
You can throw whatever you want in the bed.
And you can tow an astounding amount.
CARLOS LAGO: The large back seat area
means you can fit car seats really easily,
especially like the really bulky reverse-facing ones.
And then there's a ton of interior storage, too.
The center console, it's almost Honda-like with how much space
and storage you have in there.
You have under floor storage, right, where who knows what'll
end up there over the life of the vehicle with families.
WILL KAUFMAN: And you also have the technology features.
There's the Wi-Fi hotspot available.
There's tons of charging ports.
The second row has a lot of interior storage options
as well.
The Ram has the best ride.
CARLOS LAGO: Yes.
Yeah.
The coil spring rear suspension really sets the Ram
apart in terms of ride quality because it's
so comfortable when there's nothing in the bed.
And let's be honest, that's how these trucks are driven
the majority of the time.
WILL KAUFMAN: I don't believe you.
No, can't be.
CARLOS LAGO: And when you have that comfortable of a ride,
especially in the pickup truck, it
gets rid of a lot of the complaints
that you would otherwise hear from backseat passengers
over bumpy surfaces.
And that's really what sets the Ram apart and makes it
our favorite truck overall, especially for families.
This is just solid.
Will, do you remember cars?
Cars are declining in popularity versus SUVs, of course,
but they still remain a very formidable force
in car sales and car shopping.
And they're still really strong options
for families who don't really need
the size and price of SUVs.
WILL KAUFMAN: And our top pick for a family
sedan goes to the Honda Accord.
Full disclosure, when my wife and I
decided we were going to start a family,
this is the car we bought.
CARLOS LAGO: So you're biased.
WILL KAUFMAN: I would love it if Honda had paid
me to take one of these cars.
Instead, I gave them money--
CARLOS LAGO: To Honda.
WILL KAUFMAN: --to able to say this.
Yeah.
CARLOS LAGO: The Accord has been our favorite midsize sedan
overall, and especially for families,
because it gives the thing that we really
value for family vehicles, which is that interior space
and trunk space.
This is like the CR-V, and we've already mentioned for SUVs.
There's a lot of space in here and especially in the trunk.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah.
You're not going to have a problem fitting child seats
in the back.
You're not going to have a problem throwing
a stroller into the trunk.
But you also get something for you, for the driver.
I mean, this is a refined, nice car.
I mean, this is a pleasant thing to drive day to day.
CARLOS LAGO: From the engine options, to the interior space,
to the tech and all that stuff, the Accord
really delivers a robust set of features for the modern family,
for everybody inside the car, too.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah.
And now, you know, if you guys would pay me a little more,
I could step up to our top luxury car pick.
CARLOS LAGO: The E-Class, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class,
which we have to give special mention
to because the E-Class is available in both
a sedan and a station wagon.
The sedan is like one of our favorite midsize luxury sedans,
of course, but the wagon is just cool.
I mean, it's a good-looking wagon
that happens to be a Mercedes as well.
I love this thing.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah, but stepping up to the E-Class
gets you more than just luxury, right?
There are actually features here that families
are going to appreciate.
You get 3-zone climate control, which is nice to have in a car.
It's not something you see really in mainstream cars
certainly.
You also get technology features,
like their Traffic Jam Assist which is available,
which is really nice.
If you're a parent, and you're stuck in traffic,
it'll just help you deal with that if your kids are
demanding your attention.
CARLOS LAGO: Yeah, because it slows you down to zero
and then will resume acceleration with the traffic
again.
And that is just nice even by yourself
because you don't have to deal with rush
hour as much, or at least put as much thought into it.
But you still should be paying attention.
But I can imagine what happens when kids are back there
yelling and screaming at you.
Overall, the E-Class is still a really nice luxury car
that happens to have a lot of family features,
especially in the wagon trim.
We also need to call out, though, if you
want to be the raddest parents on the block,
you need to get the AMG E 63 S wagon because nothing says
"cool parents" like a 600 horsepower station wagon
with seat massagers and a drift mode.
WILL KAUFMAN: Yeah.
It's the only car that comes from a factory with a call
to Child Protective Services for endangerment.
CARLOS LAGO: Well, and I love it.
You could drop the kids off and then leave
the school two turning, two burning, you know,
in the station wagon.
That is just-- that is just as cool as it gets.
WILL KAUFMAN: Edmunds does not condone
doing drifts after dropping your kids off at soccer practice.
CARLOS LAGO: I do.
I do.
Edmunds doesn't.
The E 63 wagon is of course an enthusiast car.
But we've saved the most serious enthusiast cars for last,
and that is minivans.
WILL KAUFMAN: I need you to justify that.
CARLOS LAGO: Minivans get used for their intended purposes
more than any other car out there, any other vehicle
out there.
You know, a E 63 wagon can do a quarter mile in 11 seconds,
right, let's say.
A truck, that Ram, can tow a gazillion pounds.
None of them actually do that.
Sure, there's a small percentage of people who actually do that.
But the majority of people don't drive their sports cars
in the Nürburgring.
Van owners use their vans the way
they were intended to be used and use
that capability to the maximum.
They use the Stow n Go seats.
They use the vacuum in The Odyssey.
They do the thing that these vehicles are intended to do.
And that's my spiel.
WILL KAUFMAN: I'm not convinced.
But the Honda Odyssey remains a very good minivan,
our top rated minivan.
And a lot of that has to do with how good it
is for families, the purpose for which it was intended.
You mentioned the vacuum cleaner, of course.
That's a nice feature.
A lot of people love that.
You also get things in certain trims,
like the infrared camera.
So you can see what's going on in the backseat
even when it's dark.
You get the intercom system.
CARLOS LAGO: Some of it's a little gimmicky,
but they're nice effort.
They're nice gestures that show that Honda is paying attention
to family use.
We also like the sliding-- lateral sliding second row
seats, which make ingress and egress from the third row
easier.
Of course that means you can't stow the second row.
But again, we're talking about families,
not for like pure cargo hauling needs for the van,
because the van's about hauling people.
The Odyssey also has a strong V6 engine
that we like quite a bit.
It's genuinely pleasing to drive,
although we don't often think about drivability in minivans.
But when it's good, it's more of a bonus for a minivan.
WILL KAUFMAN: I mean, the one sticking point
for the Odyssey here in this segment might be pricing.
But considering all the features and how good
this is as a family vehicle, we tend to think it's worth it.
CARLOS LAGO: Yeah.
You get what you pay for with the Odyssey.
Thank you for watching this video
on the best family vehicles, SUVs, trucks, cars, minivans,
and so on.
Oh, wagons too, right?
If you want to find out more about a vehicle here,
go to edmunds.com.
Be sure to hit subscribe.
And we'll see you on the next one.
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