If you want a vehicle that is ideal for the family and still fun to drive, take heart! You can now skip the minivan and take advantage of all that the newest SUVs have to offer. Family SUVs offer the ideal combination of performance, safety, size, and comfort, providing everything that each member of the family needs. While there are dozens of choices, we've picked the best family-friendly SUVs that will make you forget that the minivan ever existed. The top three incredible family SUVs that make the minivan a distant memory include the Mazda CX-9, the Honda CR-V, and the Ford Edge. Read on to find out what you need to know about the newest family SUVs.
A bigger SUV, the CX-9 is one of the most stylish, refined, comfortable, and powerful vehicles available for growing families. The third row provides plenty of seating for passengers, there's enough cargo space for whatever needs to be transported, and the CX-9 is simply a blast to drive.
The latest Mazda CX-9 is offered in four trim levels: Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and Signature. The base trim level comes with tri-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 60/40-split folding second-row seats, 50/50 split-folding third-row seats, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, and Mazda's Connect infotainment system with a 7-inch display.
Redesigned in 2017, the CR-V offers a range of updates, including extra ground clearance, a body that is wider and longer, a modernized interior, more rear legroom, more cargo space, and impressive fuel efficiency that goes as high as 34 miles per gallon on the highway, which is amazing for an SUV of any size.
The CR-V is offered in four trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L and Touring. The base LX comes with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, along with automatic climate control, a 5-inch color LCD dashboard display, and a four-speaker audio system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity.
This midsize SUV is small but packs a might punch, great for family and easy to maneuver around town. While this family-friendly SUV doesn't have a third row, there is still plenty of space for passengers and cargo, even when transporting them at the same time. Compared to larger models, the Edge gets superior gas mileage and is easy to park, especially in tight spaces.
The Ford Edge comes in four trim levels: SE, SEL, Titanium and Sport. The SE is outfitted with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine with 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, along with remote locking and unlocking, rear privacy glass, a 4.2-inch central display screen, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, voice controls, and a USB port.
The Mazda CX-9 provides blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a low-speed automatic emergency braking system standard, even on their base trim package. Advanced safety features include automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and intervention, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and can be added to trim levels. Safety features can be added to the Edge, including forward collision warning, a lane departure warning and intervention system, blind-spot monitoring, a 180-degree front camera, and an automated parking system.
These vehicles have added a wide range of technologically advanced and family-friendly options in the last few years, including USB ports, rear window sunshades, entertainment systems for the back seat passengers, and hands-free power lift gates that open by themselves.