The 5 best used vehicles for families with young children
There's no shortage of choice for families with young children, given the proliferation of utility vehicles and crossovers offering practical size and generous space. Safety, access to the rear seats, ease of installation of a baby seat and trunk space for transporting the necessary equipment (including strollers!) are all criteria to be evaluated.
If you're on a tighter budget, a pre-owned vehicle is the obvious choice. To guide you in your shopping, here are five models we think are worth considering. We've chosen them from among five different types of vehicle, to better reflect the range available.
Kia Forte5
Let's start with compact cars, appreciated by small families who don't want to pay a big price when buying a car or when filling up the tank. It goes without saying that a hatchback will be much more practical with young children than a simple sedan.
Here, we suggest the Kia Forte5, a Korean car whose most recent generation stands out for its build quality, price/equipment ratio, average fuel consumption of less than 8 L/100 km (2-liter engine) and, above all, its immense 741-liter trunk - as big as that of a subcompact SUV. What's more, it'll be more affordable than a comparable Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla, and its maintenance costs shouldn't worry you.
Volkswagen Golf SportWagen
A list of the best used vehicles for families with young children must inevitably include... a wagon! A model like the Subaru Outback immediately springs to mind, but let's go with the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen.
The Audi Q3's now-defunct cousin is a wagon that can compete with many crossovers, thanks to its large, practical trunk. This ranges from 861 to 1,883 liters, depending on the position of the rear seats. What's more, a good-sized access hatch lets you fit equipment (such as skis) for four people between the rear seats. The Golf SportWagen is also a solid car, fun to drive and relatively reliable. Consider the high-clearance Alltrack variant if you need to get away from asphalt roads.
Toyota RAV4
There's a reason why this is the best-selling SUV in the country. It's reliable, well-built, spacious, fuel-efficient and practical for young families. Its lower depreciation, however, means it costs more than the average to buy.
The Toyota RAV4 also reassures parents with its numerous safety features and convincing crash test results. Installing baby seats in the rear seats is, as they say, child's play. At the back, trunk capacity exceeds 1,000 liters, which is excellent for a compact SUV. Admittedly, the “Cablegate” saga imposes caution in the case of hybrid versions, but Toyota has extended the warranty on the rear high-voltage cable for 2019 to 2022 models.
Honda Odyssey
Minivans are the ultimate family vehicle. The Toyota Sienna is a safe bet, while the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Pacifica are models of versatility with their Stow 'n Go folding seat system. Our choice, however, is the Honda Odyssey.
In addition to its reliable V6 and above-average driving pleasure, it offers remarkable comfort and impressive silence on the road. Each of its eight seats is spacious, even the rear ones. The omnipresent technologies are both useful and innovative, although many are reserved for the more expensive Touring version. The CabinWatch system lets you keep an eye on children in the back without having to turn around, while CabinTalk lets you speak to them through the rear speakers. There's also a function called How Much Farther? which displays the remaining journey time in the navigation system on the infotainment system screen. And let's not forget that the Odyssey was the first minivan to integrate a vacuum cleaner right in the trunk. Easy cleaning!
Honda Pilot
Need three rows of seating without it being a minivan? Let's stick with Honda, because a used mid-size SUV like the previous-generation Pilot will definitely do the trick. With this Japanese manufacturer, the optimization of space is always to be emphasized, from the small HR-V to the Pilot.
In the latter, the cabin can carry up to eight people comfortably. Its easy-access third row and load area are by far among the most spacious in the segment. When the two rear rows are folded, the cargo volume is in the region of 3,000 liters! What's more, the very square silhouette and generous glazed area provide excellent visibility. As for the 3.5-liter V6, it's a proven, hard-working engine.
