Crucial Things to Consider when Buying a Family Car

You might have had a sport car or a convertible before you had kids, but now you realise it is not suitable for transporting your young one(s). Once a newborn arrives, your life changes completely and all you can and should do is adapt to the new situation. That means you need to either buy a second car that you’ll use to transport the family or sell your old car in order to get one that would suit your needs as a parent. Here is a list of things you should definitely consider when it comes to purchasing a family car that will make your life a lot easier

One of the most important things is to have a car that is big enough for the whole family. That means you need to have both enough seats and space for all your kids and your spouse. Seven-seater SUVs and MPVs have been popular for quite a while now and they are probably the best option you should take into account. However, make sure you have easy access to the third row to personally climb in and buckle up the kids.

Folding seats and spacious trunk

The bigger the family, the more stuff you have to carry. That means you’ll occasionally have to fold down the back seats if your trunk is not big enough. Needless to say, your trunk should be large enough to hold the stroller(s) and groceries. Also, if you need to carry sports equipment, such as hockey gear or like going camping and skiing, the importance of the trunk size increases exponentially.

Car seats and boosters

There is little point is having the safest car seats and boosters if you can’t install them securely. Car seats need anchors and you should make sure you can safely fit all the car seats and boosters you need. Also, make sure the seatbelt system is fully functional.

Cleanliness

Having kids means you have to deal with mess both at home and in your car. Since you can’t control what they are doing 24/7, you need to regularly inspect your car and clean it. What’s more, you should teach your kids not to make unnecessary mess. Finally, applying quality automotive clear coat is always a good idea if you want your car to be easy to clean on the outside, which is something every family car deserves.

Air-bags

Depending on where you live, there are different requirements related to air-bag safety. So, check the local requirements and make sure you obey them. Modern cars often come with an option to turn off the air-bag device and that might be the way to go, since side air-bags and little children can be a dangerous combination. In a nutshell, the best option is to have a car with as many air-bags as possible, but also with an option to turn them off.

Other safety features

Most parents opt for a family car with a five-star safety rating. That includes issues such as crash tests, rollover statistics and specific child safety issues, such as air-bags. One feature that often gets overlooked in the blind spot detection system, which is extremely useful and may provide additional safety.

Number of doors and sliding automatic doors

Many family cars and vans now allow you to automatically close the doors, without having to unbuckle your seatbelt. That is quite handy once you are ready to start driving, but notice that one of your kids hasn’t closed the door properly. It goes without saying that you need four doors, especially if your kids are still young.

Luckily, there are now more models to choose from than ever and they boast various family-friendly features, which means all you need to do is set certain standards, i.e. choose the vital features and see which car you can afford. After all, your family car needs to be both safe and practical if you wish to get from point A to point B safely and without unnecessary hassle.