KBB.com Editors Conduct Extensive Real-World Tests, Determine Vehicles that Best Fit Various Family Needs; All-New Car Seat Section Details How Rear-Facing & Forward-Facing Child Seats Fit in Each Winning Car
IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The vehicles deemed the 16 Best Family Cars of 2016 were announced today by Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. After extensive testing and evaluation, with a keen focus on safety, comfort, convenience, spaciousness for both passengers and cargo, and fit of various rear-facing and forward-facing child safety car seats, the KBB.com expert editors recommend their choices for a diverse group of vehicles that best meet the needs of today's modern families.
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"For two weeks' time we drove, lived-with, folded-down-seats-of, paired-phones-to and installed-baby-seats-in each and every one of the contenders," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst of Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. "We loaded cargo, contorted ourselves into third rows, watched movies on rear-seat screens, toted rowing teams to marinas – in short, we did everything that you and your family might do with a vehicle day-to-day. And we did all this with a certain sense of what a family needs and wants, since many of our testers are simultaneously parents of kids ranging from mid-twenties to newborn. So this wasn't just a cursory exercise, but instead it drew heavily upon our family-car experiences, needs and wants."
After extensively testing two dozen Best Family Cars finalists, the KBB.com editors decided upon a list of 16 vehicles that they feel are befitting the title Kelley Blue Book Best Family Cars of 2016. While 16 might seem like a high number, the goal is that these vehicles can be divided into logical subsets that will make each family's new-car shopping much easier. The list contains three minivans, six sedans, three two-row crossover/SUVs and four three-row SUVs.
Kelley Blue Book's 16 Best Family Cars of 2016
| Vehicle Type |
Year |
Make |
Model |
Model's Best Family Car Highlights |
| Sedan |
2016 |
Honda |
Civic |
All-around great car, KBB.com's Overall Best Buy of 2016, generous standard equipment, loads of safety features, cool new redesign. |
| Sedan |
2016 |
Honda |
Accord |
Roomy, high-quality interior, added style and safety from recent refresh, solid drivetrain, good economy. |
| Sedan |
2016 |
Kia |
Optima |
KBB.com's Midsize Car Best Buy of 2016, stylish, feature-packed, family friendly. |
| Sedan |
2016 |
Chevrolet |
Malibu |
All-new redesign, additional safety and efficiency, comfortable and accommodating interior makes it easy to stay connected. |
| Sedan |
2016 |
Chevrolet |
Impala |
Roomy cabin and trunk, technologically sophisticated, contemporary looks, multiple drivetrain choices. |
| Sedan |
2016 |
Hyundai |
Sonata |
Value pricing and class-leading warranty combined with solid resale value and refinement all can take on class leaders. |
| Two-Row Crossover/SUV |
2016 |
Honda |
HR-V |
All-new nameplate in hot segment, surprisingly roomy second row, great for a small family in the city. |
| Two-Row Crossover/SUV |
2016 |
Honda |
CR-V |
Versatile, enjoyable and practical, makes excellent use of space, one of the roomiest small SUVs available, enviable resale value. |
| Two-Row Crossover/SUV |
2016 |
Subaru |
Outback |
Outstanding room for both passengers and cargo, benefits of both wagon and SUV, excellent AWD and capable off-roading abilities provide peace of mind. |
| Minivan |
2016 |
Kia |
Sedona |
Style and function, modern interior, impressive available safety features at affordable price, less bulky feel compared to other minivans. |
| Minivan |
2016 |
Honda |
Odyssey |
Unparalleled combination of flexibility, seating, on-road dynamics and features, Wide Mode easily fits three car seats across second row. |
| Minivan |
2016 |
Toyota |
Sienna |
Versatile, flexible, capable, only minivan to offer optional AWD, high resale value and IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for minivans. |
| Three-Row Crossover/SUV |
2016 |
Nissan |
Pathfinder |
Available around-view monitor, no child seat hassle with EZ Flex & Glide system, pitch-perfect on the road. |
| Three-Row Crossover/SUV |
2016 |
Toyota |
Highlander |
Solid combination of comfort, quality, space and convenience features, unsurpassed level of powertrain choice. |
| Three-Row Crossover/SUV |
2016 |
Honda |
Pilot |
Totally redesigned, "the family-friendliest midsize SUV in existence," sophisticated suite of available driving technologies, all-star accommodations. |
| Three-Row Crossover/SUV |
2016 |
Chevrolet |
Tahoe |
Truck-based SUV offers towing and off-roading capabilities, recent redesign, various connectivity features, carries up to nine people and gear. |
In addition, all-new for the 2016 KBB.com Best Family Cars list, this year the editors took specific notes about how three different types of child safety car seats (a rear-facing infant seat, a convertible seat that can be installed either rear-facing or forward-facing, as well as a forward-facing booster seat) fit specifically into each of the vehicles on this year's list. This section details helpful information for parents who have children of car-seat age (which typically is from birth through the elementary school years), including ease of installation, how leg room and passenger fit is affected in each vehicle when using various types of car seats, and more.
The KBB.com editors extensively tested 24 potential Best Family Cars contenders for 2016 over a two-week period. Runners-up for this year's KBB.com Best Family Cars list included the 2016 Ford F-150, 2016 Ford Explorer, 2016 Hyundai Tucson, 2016 Kia Soul, 2016 Ram 1500, 2016 Subaru Crosstrek, 2016 Toyota Avalon and 2016 Toyota Camry.
For more information about Kelley Blue Book's 16 Best Family Cars of 2016 winners and for additional details about this year's runners-up, please visit http://www.kbb.com/car-news/all-the-latest/best-family-cars-2016/.
To discuss this topic or any other automotive-related information with a Kelley Blue Book analyst on-camera via the company's on-site studio, please contact a member of the Public Relations team to book an interview.
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About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new and used cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com ranked highest in its category for brand equity by the 2015 Harris Poll EquiTrend® study and has been named Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year for four consecutive years. Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a Cox Automotive company.
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