With the seemingly infinite list of things new parents need to buy for
their bundle of joy, a suitable family car is often overlooked. Until the day
that the bouncing baby is brought home, the once spacious vehicle overflowing
with diaper bags, bottles, nappies and a pushchair, a car seat precariously
strapped into the back. If you find the paraphernalia of parenthood spilling
from the windows of your ride, it’s time to start the quest for a family car.
Size
The first issue to consider, and the easiest to resolve, is how big your
new vehicle will need to be. Most families can manage with four seats, but if
you’re looking at rapidly expanding your family or you regularly transport
friends and relatives you might need something bigger. The answer to your
question will be able to inform the type of vehicle you choose, whether that’s
a sedan or a people carrier.
Safety Features
Once your seating logistics are established, safety features should be
your next concern. You need to make sure that, wherever they sit, children are
safe in the car, so there should be lap and shoulder belts available in every
seat – especially the middle of the back seat where children are safest.
Many car seats for very young babies are rear-facing and have to be
strapped into the passenger seat. If you have such a carrier, it’s essential that you
choose a car with the option to deactivate the front left airbag. Although it’s
recommended that you avoid front-seat baby carriers and stick to ones which go
in the back, if you own one you need to be able to switch off the airbag
yourself rather than having to ask a garage or dealer to do it. You want to
make sure that it can be turned back on when other passengers are travelling
with you in the front.
Air bag technology has advanced rapidly in recent years. Most cars now
feature side air bags to provide additional protection in the event of a crash,
which minimizes the risk of injury to small children. Advanced air bag systems
are also available in some cars. These use sensors which detect the severity of
a crash, the occupant’s size, the use of a safety belt and the seating position
to determine the appropriate level of deployment. Place a real focus on finding
a suitable airbag safety system when viewing cars. For the optimum family vehicle,
the more advanced the technology the better.
Hatchback
vs Saloon
When picking your car, choose a hatchback model. At first instance, you
might be fooled into believing that saloon cars are bigger than hatchbacks and
therefore give you more room, but don’t be deceived into thinking that this
makes them a better family car. Saloons lack the flexibility of hatchbacks, and
can be a nightmare for loading pushchairs and prams, due to their narrow
openings and high load lips. It’s a good idea to take your pram or pushchair
with you when you view a car to make sure that it will fit.
We all know that second-hand options are better; after all, they’re
cheaper, don’t contain an oasis of spotless leather and clean fabric for little
hands to dirty and are generally easier to get hold of. For good, honest advice
and help choosing a suitable second-hand vehicle, it’s a good idea to buy from a reputable seller such as ExchangeandMart.co.uk rather than a private owner. They’ll know which models make perfect
family cars and can help you choose something to suit the whole family.
These are great pointers, size is of the essence. In our case, money would definitely be a factor in addition to what you wrote.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to learn of the Advanced Air Bags now being placed in cars. Particularly the feature that senses the seriousness ofthe crash but even more the one that senses the size of the person to be protected. Perhaps all new vehicles should have these airbags as a standard safety feature.
ReplyDeleteThese are all great tips for finding the perfect car, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSafety is #1. Especially when there are children. You give some excellent tips to consider. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteyou got to love family pics :) hehe love it, and yes picking out the right car for the family can sometimes be over whelming with so many vehicles out there to choose from, And yes size of the car should be first and then safety and so on... thanks for share :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this blog because I am looking for an upgrade on a family car at the moment. I am currently pregnant with #3. Size and reliability are definitely my main goals! :)
ReplyDelete