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Subscribe to RSSParenting magazine's Shawn Bean shows TODAY's Ann Curry three cars that are smart buys if you're looking for a family vehicle, equipped with sliding second-row seats, extra storage space and multimedia centers.
Chauffeuring kids around amid all the other responsibilities that parents face can be exhausting duty. To ease nerves and boost sales, automakers are offering vehicle-shopping parents an array of conveniences. Sifting through the latest models, Parenting magazine has come up with seven to suit just about everyone's taste — even those underage back-seat drivers.
Two of the seven featured in the magazine are:
Courtesy of GM Company
The Chevrolet Traverse can easily carry half your kid's soccer team.
Chevrolet Traverse
By the numbers: Three rows, up to eight seats, 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway
Carpool 2.0: Sliding second-row seats that children as young as 7 can operate. Play tunes on your smartphone through the sound system using wireless Bluetooth.
Mommy, I can do it: The seat belts are easy for kids to snap themselves into.
No sticky seats: The cup holders can accommodate juice boxes and sippy cups.
Price: From $29,510; chevrolet.com
Courtesy of Toyota Motor Corp.
The Prius V has plenty of room in the back — just don't forget the kids.
Toyota Prius V
By the numbers: Five seats, 67 cubic feet of storage with the rear seatbacks down (that's approximately 98 paper grocery bags), 44 mpg city/40 mpg highway
Appy family: The dashboard doubles as a tablet. Toyota's Entune multimedia system lets you use the in-dash touchscreen to tune in to The Muppets station on Pandora, search Bing for the nearest Pinkberry, or get live traffic reports.
Price: From $26,400; toyota.com
Of course, now you just have to find that middle ground between the wheels you want and the one the kids want.
More from Parenting.com:
10 best cities for families
Common car seat mistakes you may be making
17 convertible car seats with extended rear facing
Leave a Comment:
The Prius V is awesome but I am waiting for the next logical step ( either an all-wheel drive Prius for up north or a Rav4 Hybrid )
The Sienna ia slready all-wheel drive so they just need to make a Sienna Hybrid with all-wheel drive.
I would love to get a new car, however it's not anywhere close to being in my budget. I will have to drive my car until wheels fall off. I however can't wait for the day when I can afford more gas effiecient or hybrid car..
Kjosee, shop around for what you like then wait for the leases to expire.
Example: The new 2012 Prius starts at $26 to 30K depending on options. A 2010 Prius will go for about $14K (older smaller 2006-2008 are even less)
All of these cars are boring and my 13-year old would be TERRIBLY embarassed to ride in them!
I think you are missing out on all the fun. Buy one of these cars and if your kid is late when you go to pick them up from school wear your bathrobe and slippers and walk to their homeroom and get them.
This also works if you have to pick them up from the mall or movie theater - they will never be late again...heck sometimes they will already be walking halfway home and meet you on the way.
Mean Girl, you ought to try the Traverse. I rented one a while back. Like Kjosee I can't afford a new car and rent when going on long trips (I can't afford to break down in nowheresville with the family onboard either !). It's good looking, absolutely huge inside and still gets decent mileage. The direct injected, variable valve timing V6 is the same engine as in the base Camaro. This engine has the same HP as the SS Camaro's of the Seventies with half the cubic inches, less than one hundredth the pollution and four times the mileage in a behemoth of a kid/object mover. I could get the 24 mpg easily on the highway but passing cars at over 70 was too much fun :). The interior having large swaths of same colored plastic was the only drawback for me but not a deal breaker and could of had something to do with it being a low budget rental. If i won the lotto it would be on my list.
thanks
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