What to look out for when buying a family car

Many of us have fond memories of the family cars from our youth. Many of us might have even had a nickname for it! But if you’re looking for a new family car to transport your own young family safely and in comfort, what should you be looking for in 2023? 

Size

Family cars were always traditionally massive hulking tanks, but the size isn’t necessarily everything. If you only have a small family, for example, you might not necessarily need 6 seats and can instead focus on boot space and leg room. Most families will probably need around 300 liters of boot space and if you have a larger family, a used BMW with suitable room may do the trick,

Always remember that more space comes at a cost though, in terms of tax and running costs.

Running costs

Petrol costs are at an all-time high and it doesn’t look as if things are going to change any time soon. While they are generally more expensive to invest in initially, electric cars are much cheaper to run as you can charge them at home and might never need to visit a motorway service station again. So, going electric is certainly something you should at least consider.

Safety 

When it comes to your family, safety is paramount. Modern cars are built with so much more consideration as far as safety is concerned and must pass rigorous tests before being unleashed on public space. The European NCAP rating is a great litmus test. If any car has a 5 NCAP rating, then it’s good to go. Reliability is also a major aspect of safety as more reliable and economical films are always going to be safer.

Entertainment

With the advent of companies like Tesla, our cars have almost become like extensions of our smartphones. Kids today are also attached to their phones in a significant way, so you’ll probably want lots of USB charging ports, hands-free technology, and maybe even space for tablets in the headrests. All these things and more are possible in today’s cars. 

 

Budget

With the current cost of living crisis, budgetary concerns have never been so relevant but where is the balance between cars that keep you safer and offer more comfort but are also affordable? That is the ultimate question, and your budget will play a major part. Remember that larger families will also need larger cars and larger cars are going to be more expensive. Our recommendation would be the do lots of research and always shop used.