Thinking about buying a car?
You’re in good company. According to research
compiled by Media Audit, 21.4 percent of parents
in Atlanta are planning to purchase a vehicle in
the next 12 months. 8.4 percent plan to buy new;
11.3 percent plan to buy used; the rest are
undecided. New or used, minivan or SUV,
gas-powered or hybrid – our readers need help
finding the perfect car for their families.
So we asked six national experts
what makes a great family car. And we got six
very different answers. Kristin Varela, founder
of MotherProof.com, paid a lot of attention to
safety, but she also noted that parents can
drive fun cars, too – that’s why she recommended
a convertible! In these days of high gas prices,
Keith Turner, who writes nationally syndicated
column "The Family Car," focused on fuel
economy. And for Joanne Helperin, an editor at
Edmunds.com, it was the little things that
mattered. If those back seats are contoured, she
said, you’re going to have trouble getting a car
seat in there.
Professional race car driver
Lauren Fix is also an award-winning automotive
and lifestyle expert, as well as an author and
regular magazine contributor. Joe Wiesenfelder
was one of the first members of cars.com,
joining the site in 1997, and has been an
automotive journalist more than 10 years.
Consumer Reports experts run the most
comprehensive testing of automobiles of any
magazine or website in the country, analyzing
and compiling data on more than 1 million
vehicles annually.
Our experts’ opinions represent a range of
car styles and features that are just as diverse
as our readers’ needs and interests. We
encourage you to read through their comments and
find the recommendations that ring true for your
family.
Coming in
November: Sedans and Going Small
Minivan or SUV?
Style and stereotypes aside, both kinds
of cars offer great family-friendly options.
by Keith Turner
The minivan-SUV debate covers a lot of
territory. Safety, price, versatility and
reliability are all topics that come up in the
sometimes-heated conversation. But both vehicle
categories have plenty to offer in those areas,
so what it really comes down to is this: Do you
see yourself as a minivan driver or an SUV
driver?
There are some basic differences, of course.
Traditional SUVs, such as the Toyota Land
Cruiser, Ford’s tremendous trio of the Explorer,
Expedition and Excursion – and don’t forget the
highly popular Hummer H2 – offer the advantage
of high-rise seating to give the driver an
extended view of the road ahead. They also offer
4-wheel-drive capability for off-road or
extreme-weather driving safety.
On the gadget side, luxury SUVs offer some
pretty innovative options. The 2007 Cadillac
Escalade, for example, has a package that
includes a full-color back-up camera that
flashes and beeps when an object comes near the
rear bumper. DVD players, seat heaters, cup
holders and storage compartments are plentiful
in SUVs.
What’s the drawback, then? Economy, for a start.
Most owners of conventional SUVs are ecstatic to
get anywhere near 20 miles per gallon; their
minivan-driving counterparts routinely enjoy 15
to 20 percent better mileage. And the low-rise
configuration of a minivan gives children easier
access, whereas some SUVs almost require a
stepladder to access the passenger space.
Kia Sedona minivan
Furthermore, driving a minivan is easier than
piloting a big SUV. In fact, both the Mazda MPV
and Nissan Quest ride more like a sedan than a
van. And although SUVs may appear to be a safer
choice due to sheer size, many minivans, such as
the 2007 Hyundai Entourage, are being equipped
with side curtain airbags to protect all the
occupants in a crash.
In all likelihood, however, you’ll probably make
your choice based on where you picture yourself
in the driver’s seat. If you can’t make up your
mind, of course, you may decide to compromise by
picking a mid-sized SUV such as the Honda CRV,
Toyota RAV-4 or the Ford Escape.
What Do All Those
Stars Mean?
Understanding vehicle
safety ratings
by Kristin Varela and Sara Lacey
Car-buying checklist: dependability, fuel
consumption, features and, of course, safety,
safety, safety!
Nobody enjoys the arduous process of buying a
car. Sure, we like the clever websites where we
can pick the color of a car (metallic oceanic
sea breeze or candy apple, eye popping,
almost-forgot-I-had-two-kids-in-the-back red).
But like most people, we’re slightly less
enthusiastic about perusing crash-test ratings.
What do all those stars mean, anyway? In a
nutshell, the more stars the National Highway
Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA)
gives a car, the safer it is.
The NHTSA rates cars in five categories: front
impact driver, front impact passenger, side
impact front seat, side impact rear seat, and
rollover resistance. For the front impact test,
a five-star rating translates to a 10 percent or
less chance of serious injury. Five stars for a
side impact test means that there is a 5 percent
or less chance of serious injury. In the
rollover resistance ratings (between one and
five stars), the more stars, the less likely a
rollover is.
Sounds simple, right? Not so fast, says Dan
Johnston of Volvo Cars of North America.
According to Johnston, it’s good to use crash
test data as a measurement tool for consumers
and manufacturers, but it’s impossible to
replicate real-world crashes in a lab. NHTSA may
test a front impact collision, but in the real
world a front impact collision might be followed
by a rear collision at 60 mph, followed by five
rolls down an embankment off the side of the
highway, followed by a fire. How will your new
car handle all of the scenarios together?
Certain manufacturers – Volvo is one – implement
safety features above and beyond what’s measured
or listed by NHTSA or the Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety (IIHS). Other cars may be
built simply to pass the lab tests. When
researching your next car purchase, take the
test data into account, but don’t stop there.
Delve into the manufacturer’s safety record. It
may make the difference between life and death.
Wagons
Subaru Outback
Subaru Outback
Base price: $24,795
Fuel economy: 22/28 MPG
Recommended by: Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports likes the upscale features
brought in for the 2005 redesign of the Outback,
including automatic climate control and an
oversized sunroof in Limited trim. The magazine
calls the ride “supple, controlled and quiet.”
This is a popular wagon with some of the size
and feel of an SUV.
Ford Freestyle
Base price: $25,805
Fuel economy: 20/27 MPG
Recommended by: Joe Wiesenfelder
The Freestyle doesn’t get a lot of attention –
maybe because it has an identity crisis: Some
consider it a wagon, some call it an SUV. Wiesenfelder says he likes it either way, noting
that it’s based on a Volvo platform and has the
safety ratings to prove it. “It makes excellent
use of interior space, seating six or seven
people very comfortably,” he says. “Even the
third row can accommodate the tallest of teens.”
Ford Freestyle
Dodge Magnum
Base price: $23,335
Fuel economy: 21 MPG (city)
Recommended by: Joanne Helperin
What do Edmunds.com editors want in a mid-price
wagon? This is it. Helperin calls the Magnum “a
real head-turner.” This family car, she says,
“provides serious fun for
driving-enthusiasts-turned-parents. A cross
between a family hauler and a 1950’s chop top,
the Magnum’s low-slung roof and dark tinted
windows give it iconic good looks.” She likes
the ride and handling qualities, which measure
up to many sedans. “Add in an optional
Hemi-powered V8 engine and more than 70 feet of
cargo space,” she says, “and we say leave the
SUV in the garage.”
Minivans
Chrysler Town & Country
and Dodge Caravan
Chrysler base price: $21,985
Chrysler fuel economy: 19/26 MPG
Dodge base price: $18,630
Dodge fuel economy: 20/26 MPG
Recommended by: Keith Turner
“When it comes to family-friendly
functionality,” Turner says, “nothing quite
compares to the Chrysler Town & Country and its
twin, the Dodge Caravan.” What separates this
minivan from the rest of a pretty strong pack,
he says, is the “show-stopping” Stow ’n Go
seating system, which turns a seven-passenger
carpool cruiser into a wide-open cargo carrier
in a matter of seconds. This is the kind of
versatility active families need, he says.
Kia Sedona
Base price: $22,995
Fuel economy: 18/25 MPG
Recommended by: Joe Wiesenfelder
Wiesenfelder calls the Sedona the “best value in
minivans.” It holds the top crash-test rating
from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
and has a laundry list of standard equipment –
including some high-value safety features that
are optional on other vans – all for a lower
starting price.
2007 Toyota Sienna
Base price: $23,625
Fuel economy: 19/26 MPG
Recommended by: Lauren Fix
Lauren likes the Sienna’s five-star crash-test
rating and the fact that it’s low-maintenance
and has a great resale value. This all equals
lower lease payments and a great all-around
family car.
Honda Odyssey
Base price: $25,345
Fuel economy: 19/25 MPG
Recommended by: Consumer Reports, Lauren Fix,
Joanne Helperin, Joe Wiesenfelder
Everybody loves the Honda Odyssey. It inspires
our raters to use words like “ultimate” and “one
of the best-executed vehicles of any style.”
Wiesenfelder likes the gas mileage, the great
crash-test ratings, and all the safety features,
including “power doors that reverse at the
lightest touch.”
Fix likes the value you get with the Odyssey,
because it is low-maintenance and has a great
resale value.
Experts at Consumer Reports call this “a very
slick vehicle that is every bit as capable as a
mid-luxury sedan.” They like the flexibility of
the interior and finishes in the cabin, as well
as the agile handling.
Helperin and her colleagues at Edmunds.com call
the Odyssey their “Editors’ Most Wanted” minivan
of 2006, and their readers agree, naming it the
“Consumers’ Most Wanted.” They like the
comfortable seating, plentiful storage, car-like
ride, and windows that open in the second row.
SUVs
Hyundai Tucson
Base price: $17,845
Fuel economy: 22/27 MPG
Recommended by: Kristin Varela
Hyundai Tucson Varela calls the Tucson “a great small SUV for
families on a budget”; its base price is nearly
$3,000 less than others in its class, like the
Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CRV. She likes its
safety features, including a total of six
airbags, and the thoughtful family-friendly
features. The second-row seats, which fold
forward and recline, are roomy enough to
accommodate adult passengers and rear-facing
infant seats. There’s also plenty of storage,
right down to both round and square cup holders
in the rear armrest.
Suzuki Grand Vitara
Base price: $19,199
Fuel economy: 19/24 MPG
Recommended by: Keith Turner
Surprised to see a Suzuki on the list? Turner
says, “The Japanese automaker has made great
strides in securing a deserving space in any
American driveway.” He also says the Grand
Vitara deserves to be considered a top pick for
families. “In its second generation, the Grand
Vitara is a compact SUV that offers great
handling, perky performance and a very strong
list of safety features to help keep loved ones
out of harm’s way,” he says.
Toyota Highlander Hybrid
and Lexus RX400h Hybrid
Toyota base price: $24,530
Toyota fuel economy: 33/28 MPG
Lexus base price: $48,535
Lexus fuel economy: 31/27 MPG
Recommended by: Keith Turner
Turner calls this “a toss-up between kissing
cousins.” The Lexus RX400h was the first luxury
SUV to utilize gas-electric synergy, he says,
and the Highlander soon followed with the added
advantage of a third-row seat, providing room
for seven passengers. Miles per gallon in both
vehicles is roughly 30, which is an
extraordinary number for any SUV.
Honda Pilot
Base price: $26,995
Fuel economy: 18/24 MPG
Recommended by: Joe Wiesenfelder
“Not all parents are ready to be seen in a
minivan,” Wiesenfelder says. For them, the Pilot
offers the best of the SUV and minivan worlds.
Based on the Odyssey minivan, he notes, it has
eight seats, all-wheel drive and a high seating
position, but it lacks sliding doors. It looks
like an SUV, but it’s more fuel efficient and
less likely to roll over.
Chevrolet Suburban
Base price: $36,990
Fuel economy: TBD
Recommended by: Joe Wiesenfelder
According to Wiesenfelder, “Truck-based SUVs
make poor use of interior space.” For large
clans, he says, “minivans are a better
choice…but there’s little cargo room when all
seats are filled. If you want to carry nine
people and their hockey gear, the Suburban is
the only choice.” The fuel-conscious should note
that the all-new 2007 gets better gas mileage
and can run on E85 ethanol.
Ford Explorer
Base price: $26,530
Fuel economy: 15/21 MPG
Recommended by: Joanne Helperin
“A practical SUV with few faults” is what Helperin calls the Ford Explorer (and its twin,
the Mercury Mountaineer). She likes its
spacious, comfortable cabin and versatile
layout. She notes that front-seat side airbags
and stability control (which includes roll
stability control) are standard across the line.
“Performance is solid all around, with strong
powertrains, excellent tow ratings and a
well-controlled ride that feels good on pavement
and can handle the off-road bumps,” she adds.
Mercedes R350
Mercedes R350
Base price: $48,000
Fuel economy: 16/21 MPG
Recommended by: Kristin Varela
The style-conscious R350 blends characteristics
of minivans, wagons and SUVs, according to
1Varela. It’s easy to get in and out of, thanks
to wide-opening doors and a low step-in height.
And it’s easy for the whole family to find
comfortable places to sit, with sliding
second-row captain’s chairs and full-size
seating in the third row (the “way back” is not
just for little kids anymore!). The reinforced
and shatterproof panoramic roof extends from the
front of the car to the third row, giving
everyone a sense of the wide-open road.
2007 Audi Q7
Base price: $49,900
Fuel economy: 14/19 MPG
Recommended by: Lauren Fix
Fix calls the Q7 “a very impressive
seven-passenger luxury SUV with the Audi
performance, safety, design and versatility.”
She likes the high seating, spacious interior,
off-road capability and, of course, the
“flexibility that you expect from an Audi.”
|
