9 Best Cars for Moms Who Don't Want to Drive a Dorky Minivan

Families have distinctive needs when it comes to cars. We want vehicles that meet the highest safety standards and that are available with up-to-the-moment advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to help keep us out of dangerous situations. We want easy ingress and egress for people, pets and cargo, so we can minimize those all-too-familiar moments of standing in the rain, holding a shopping bag and trying to fasten the four-point buckle on a child seat in the third row of a too-high SUV. We demand fuel efficiency, to reduce the burning of fossil fuels and the climate-wrecking emissions they release into the atmosphere. And we need plenty of bins, holds and cubbies for all of the physical baggage we need to cart around every day.

But all of these factors alone don’t make a perfect family car. We also have to consider the cost and the driving experience: A car's ability to hold the road in all manner of weather and road conditions; the capacity to pass or maneuver around unexpected obstacles with ease; the comfort level of the seats as well as their placement (and especially separation) to minimize in-car conflicts; the ability to see clearly in all directions. And just because the car is good for moms and dads doesn’t mean that it can’t be stylish, cool, tech-forward, handsome and fun to drive.

Our top picks:

The good news is that the experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute test hundreds of cars every year in the real world, against these very criteria. So, to help you shop for a new vehicle, we’ve put together this thoroughly researched, fully-vetted list of our favorite family vehicles, complete with all the details on what makes them ideal picks for moms and dads.

*Base prices are listed