7 rules for choosing the right family car whether MPV, SUV or Station Wagon

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Which type of vehicle is better suited for families?

There's no immediate preference between crossovers, station wagons, SUVs and MPVs for families, reason why we propose 7 rules to determine which vehicle better suits your own family needs.
In general however, AWD SUVs, 4x4 vehicles and PHEV vehicles will provide less space and more annoyance from their numerous and complex mechanical or electrical equipment, than simpler vehicles.
Crossovers often feature strange shapes that degrade the interior space.
See below our 7 rules for deciding on the best family car.

Family car rule No 1 | The wheelbase:

The wheelbase is the distance that separates the two axles of a car.
It is basically what limits the available space where the passengers sit thus its importance for a family.
The longer the wheelbase and the bigger the available cabin space.
Two vehicles with the same wheelbase do not offer necessarily the same space however. It still depends on the few centimeters that designers were able to grab on the engine compartment. As a general rule, a station wagon vehicle offers more space as a result of its generous wheelbase, followed by MPVs, FWD SUVs, then 4x4 and AWD vehicles.
In general, a family car should follow the below rule:

Rule #1: Wheelbase / overall vehicle length = not less than 62%
and preferred > 2700 mm

Family car rule No 2 | The car width:

Although all cars pretend to offer available space for 5 adults, it is unfortunately not always the case.
Seating 3 adults on the back seats remains the main challenge faced by all vehicles.
It is not necessarily the longer vehicles that offer the most generous shoulder space.
You should simply try the car and have at least two persons sitting at the back.
Be aware that in order to pass more and more stringent crash tests, many manufacturers are increasing the overall width dimensions for less inner space.
Do not fall in this trap!

Rule #2: A car should provide both a good side impact resistance
and a comfortable back seating for 3 persons.

Family car rule No 3 | The back seats:

There are a few features required for the back seat (or seats).
Apart from the available width as explained above, the following has to be tested prior to deciding on the purchase of a family car:

Available knee space once the driver is seated and its seat adjusted to his/her comfort driving position.
Visibility and ability of the back passengers to see the road to the front and to the sides.
Ideal vehicles are the ones having an elevated floor at the back which already provides an advantage to the back passengers being seated higher than the front passengers.
It is also important that the right and left back passengers see the road to the left and right of the front passengers.
Vehicles with 3 individual seats shall be preferred to vehicles with one seat

Rule #3: The back seat is to be ideally higher than the front seats and better, separated into 3 individual seats

Family car rule No 4 | The back angle of the vehicle

It's as simple: a family car has a 90 degree hatchback angle and a 90 degree back door upper rear corner angle !
Do not expect a lot from an SUV or a Station Wagon that has an inclined hatchback and an angular or fantasy shaped door!
You won't be able to fit and retrieve easily children car seats or even attach your kids to them.
The trunk will not accommodate strollers and small bicycles if the back door is inclined.
Such cars simply look like offering a lot of space from the exterior while being absolutely tiny and much less useful from the interior.

Rule #4: The car has to have a vertical hatch

Do not hesitate to carry a carpenter's square to the showroom prior to deciding on the car purchase !
Back door and hatch are to have right angles.

Family car rule No 5 | The door opening angle of a family vehicle.

A door should open to a minimum of 80 degrees or be of the sliding type at the back.
Even if your car is parked away from any vehicle, you won't be able to remove and fit easily a kid's car seat or disembarking your sleeping kid if the door does not open sufficiently.
Do not forget to try the ones of the vehicle you intend to acquire.

Rule #5: Wide doors opening especially at the back

Family car rule No 6 | Safety of a family car:

Observe and check the following:
That side and curtain airbags are available and do offer protection on all seats.
That the rear central seat belt is a 3-point belt. Latch only central belts are obsolete.
That the car has a pre-tensioning seat belt system on all seats.
That the car has a light indicator for the seat belts status (fastened/unfastened) on all seats.
That an alarm sounds in case a seat belt is unfastened while the car is moving and on any seat.
That enough space is still available behind the last seats especially between the back door / back glass and the heads of the back passengers. This is particularly true for 7-seaters and 8 or 9-seaters vehicles and in the unfortunate case of a rear impact.

You may also buy this break-glass hammer:

Rule #6: Airbags and safety belt detection for all passengers

Family car rule No 7 | Roof height:

Most SUV's especially the AWD and 4x4 ones have an elevated chassis in order to provide or at least simulate some off-road capabilities.
Be aware that this is not an indicator of generous interior space! Such vehicles shall have a similar inner height than regular cars while having a very high roof when measured from the road surface.
Such roofs have a major disadvantage: it makes it very difficult to use the vehicle's roof for carrying bikes or goods.
If you intend to use your roof for transporting leisure and recreational equipment, make sure to chose a modern MPV with a reasonable roof height or an elegant Station Wagon rather than an SUV.
In general a vehicle's roof is exploitable up to an absolute maximum height of 165 cm from road surface.

Rule #7: A roof with a reasonable height !