The best cars for kids

With new laws coming into effect all the time concerning appropriate restraints and safety features for children in cars, it can be useful to seek out the best child-friendly cars on the market if you're looking for a new vehicle for your family.



There is a common misconception among many parents that large vehicles such as SUVs guarantee the greatest safety for young passengers. While it's true that these cars offer greater protection in the event of crashes, you should also consider the high rollover risk of these hefty vehicles that could pose a secondary danger to younger occupants. While interior space is always a bonus when dealing with children, one of the main features you should look for is the ability to install multiple car seats, to ensure your children will be properly and safely restrained at all times.



Laws on child safety seats vary from country to country, but generally speaking it's advised that children up to the age of 12 are provided with some form of extra restraint when travelling. For younger and shorter passengers this means a full booster seat, which parents should learn to fit correctly, while older children could simply require a booster cushion or backless child seat.

You should always prepare for the worst when choosing your ideal family car, and while it can be upsetting to let your thoughts stray into the area of road accidents, making sure your car has all the necessary safety features could have enormous safety benefits, meaning all you'll have to worry about in the event of a collision is dealing with maintenance such as car windscreen repair. Just as important as making sure your car is fitted with essential safety features is deciding which of these could in fact present a danger themselves, such as back seat and passenger seat airbags that could cause severe injury to young children if deployed.



Many cars are designed with families in mind, meaning you should find a wide range of options suited to your budget when shopping around for your new vehicle. The Honda Odyssey is a particular favourite of many parents for its expansive interior, which includes the option to form a central aisle by shifting around the second row of seats, facilitating the installation of car seats in the back. You don't have to go quite that large even if you have a big family though, with more compact options such as the Mazda 5 still featuring sliding doors and three rows of seats.