How to Choose a New Family Car

Before kids, before family, it may have been easy to choose a car. Coupes were no problem, in fact they were probably pretty cool! Having a sun roof was a must, and of course you had to have that 6-disc CD changer. But now that you have other family members to consider, you may wonder how it will affect your decision-making process when it comes to selecting a vehi-cle. Well fear not, here are some tips for choosing a new family car that everyone will love. 

1. How many doors does it have? As nice as coupes look, they just aren't practical for eve-ryone. The hard truth is that the more doors a vehicle has for your family, the better. In time, you'll also find that the type of door also makes a big difference. Small children tend to push doors open regardless of what is on the other side of them. This can lead to a few too many door dings, and a few too many unhappy parking space neighbors. Sliding doors (such as on a mini-van) are a great solution to this problem. 

2. Is there enough room for cargo? Depending on the size of your family, you may require more or less room than others when it comes to cargo space. If you frequently take longer trips out of town, or carry large sports equipment, then a SUV or truck might be your best op-tion. However, if you take many trips and don't carry much, you may want to utilize a sedan that offers the top gas mileage. 

3. What type of entertainment does it have? Some kids are plenty entertained with a sound-track or CD. Other children like to watch a movie as they travel. Determine what is important to your family when it comes to entertainment, as it will likely make or break how well your trips go!

4. How easily do car seats fit? If you have an infant or small child, you're likely in the prime car seat years and that isn't changing anytime soon. Make sure that your vehicle gives you adequate access to the car seats to load and unload. Not only that, but that the vehicle has a safe place for them to sit as well. 

5. Does it have a good safety rating? Of course your children's safety is going to be one of your biggest concerns. So it's important to check Consumer Reports and do your research to make sure the vehicle is going to be a safe choice for your family. 

The list could go on and on, but the ultimate deciding factors will vary based on your family's needs. What is the biggest factor for your family when choosing a new vehicle? Leave a comment below, we'd love to hear!

About the Author: Sarah C is the owner and author of the blog //realhousewivesofmn.com/, where she writes about family, food, health & fitness, and more! Follow her on Facebook.