Best Family SUV
A good majority of consumers these days want the best family SUV they can find. For those who want to take trips or cart the kids to various after school activities sometimes, an SUV is what is needed. It offers much more room than a car and is more appealing for most than the traditional minivan.
For some, a more compact SUV or crossover is just fine and other families want to go all out and get a full size SUV. It just depends on the size of your family, how much stuff you haul on a regular basis and how much vehicle you want to drive.
Kia Sorento
In 2011, the Kia Sorento was re-engineered making it new and improved. The result was one of the best family SUV classifications on the market. The Sorento is known to have a spacious and comfortable interior and is user friendly when it comes to controls and features. As far as SUVs go, this is also a fairly fuel efficient option. You get 29 highway miles per gallon and 21 for city driving.
Not to mention the price is right. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices starts at just $21,195. You get an optional third row of seating, which makes it suitable for seven passengers, although reviews claim the third row is a tight squeeze. Feedback also offered praise for the smooth ride and power you get from the Sorento’s V6 engine. For the great starting price, you actually get plenty of standard features too.
Nissan Rogue
For those looking for a more compact SUV, the Nissan Rogue is a good crossover vehicle option. Under the hood, you will find a 2.5 liter I4 with 170 horsepower. This is appropriate for smaller families as it is strictly a five seater. The gas mileage is comparable with the Kia Sorento at 22 city miles per gallon and 28 for highways. The price is also along the same lines with a starting MSRP of $21,460.
The sporty looks of both the Rogue and the Sorento make these popular choices for those families who want to stay as far away from the minivan image as possible. Consumers love the use of creative planned storage space and of course, the price and fuel economy got rave reviews. On a sour note, many drivers felt the ride lacked any desired smoothness and that the power was not up to par with much of the competition.
GMC Acadia
For families on a stricter budget, the Nissan or Kia would certainly be more appropriate. The reason for this is the GMC has the drawback of a MSRP starting at $32,000. There are reasons, such as the ability to seat eight passengers, but it is still a bit steep compared to much of the market competition. Lift the hood on this one and you will see a 3.6 liter V6 that generates 288 horsepower. This increase of power over the others is another reason for a higher price.
For fuel economy, the GMC Acadia does not fare as well as the Toyota or Kia. The GMC delivers 17 city miles per gallon and 24 highway miles per gallon. Praise was given for the fact that the third row can actually accommodate adult size passengers and still leave room for a spacious interior. Also for the price, you get a many more standard features than some other makes and models in the SUV industry. However, for the price many felt the GMC should have much better towing capabilities then it does.
Hyundai Tucson
For the best price in family friendly SUVs, the Tucson takes the cake. The starting MSRP is $ 18,895. The standard transmission is a five speed manual and the engine is a 2.0 liter I4 that gets you 165 horsepower. The fuel efficiency is good for the price too at 20 miles per gallon on surface streets and 27 for the highways. Be warned though, this is only a four seater vehicle so is more appropriate for smaller families.
However, he Hyundai Tucson does get high marks for creating a spacious interior for those four passengers. In addition to a good price, the lengthy warranty is also a bonus. Another reason this is a popular SUV choice is it offers passengers a smooth ride. The main drawbacks for the Tucson are the less than spacious cargo storage areas and the engine that lacks any real pizzazz. Still with all the other bonuses involved, if you can use a smaller SUV with not as much power, the Tucson may be the best family SUV for you and your loved ones.
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