Start your engines, sit back and be comforted by the thought that Andrew Chesterton, of Top Gear Australia magazine, is here to take you through the latest and greatest options on four wheels.
Defining exactly what constitutes a family car is about as easy as defining exactly what constitutes a family. Are two kids the norm? Four? Or 19 offspring and still counting?
No two family’s needs are exactly the same – and there are more than 50 different vehicles on sale in Australia that meet the broad parameters of a family car. So to make your decision-making easier, we’ve trimmed the list to our pick of the five best family-friendly cars on sale today.
Whatever your family’s needs, safety is non-negotiable, so every car on our list has been awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating. And there are other, lesser-known features that can be the difference between ownership bliss and a budget-busting nightmare.
A manufacturer that offers long-term fixed servicing costs mean you’ll never have to worry about bill shock, while fuel efficiency and a comprehensive warranty will help to keep you sleeping soundly. So let’s see how our pick of the bunch measure up…
HYUNDAI IX35
Price: from $26,990
Engine: 2.0-litre four cylinder
Seats: five
Storage: 1579 litres
Fuel efficiency: 8.5L/100km
Warranty: five years, unlimited kilometres
WHY? Hyundai has undergone a transformation over the past few years, rocketing from the cheap choice to the smart one. Lots of free extras, one of the best five-year warranties on the market and low running costs keep the Korean brand near the top of the bestseller list. The ix35’s $26,990 price means it’s one of the cheapest ways into a small SUV in Australia. For the money, you get a touch screen radio, reverse parking sensors, cruise control and bluetooth for your phone. The five seats are spacious and boot space is generous, too.
KIA GRAND CARNIVAL
Price: from $38,990
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Seats: eight
Storage: 1770 litres
Fuel efficiency: 10.9L/100km
Warranty: five years, unlimited kilometres
WHY? The Grand Carnival has hovered at the top of the bestselling people-mover list for the past decade, due largely to keen pricing and the ability to cart eight people around in safety. It was dogged by reliability and quality misses in the early years, but has improved immeasurably over the past few years. A generous inclusions list and plenty of cargo space keep the Carnival’s sales rolling in. A new model is expected late next year or early 2015 and is probably worth waiting for, as the current version will be almost eight years old.
HOLDEN CAPTIVA 7
Price: from $32,490
Engine: 2.4-litre four cylinder
Seats: seven
Storage: 1565 litres
Fuel efficiency: 9.0L/100km
Warranty: five years, free roadside assist
WHY? Probably the cheapest way into seven seats, value for money here is outstanding. The third and middle rows fold flat when not in use, freeing up a huge amount of space for carting groceries, while the interior trim, touch points and the stereo system are all fantastic. It looks rather nice, too. Fuel efficiency isn’t great, though, and it can ride rough over bumps in the road. But in all, it’s a well-priced and well-equipped package.
VOLVO XC60
Price: from $55,490
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder
Seats: five
Storage: 1455 litres
Fuel efficiency: 8.7L/100km
Warranty: four years, or 80,000km
WHY? Yes, the brand is synonymous with safety, but over the past decade Volvo has rediscovered its design mojo and emerged as a ‘cool’ choice for modern parents. Volvo is consistently at the forefront of safety innovations – the XC60 will brake for you in emergency situations. And there are integrated child booster seats in the back seat, plus six airbags.
PEUGEOT 5008
Price: from $36,990
Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four cylinder
Seats: seven
Storage: 2104 LitresFuel efficiency: 7.6L/100km
Warranty: two years, unlimited kilometres
WHY? Showing the French knack for making the ordinary seem sexy, the Peugeot 5008 is a trés chic, seven-seat people mover. The three middle seats can fold flat individually or all together, while the two rear seats fold away when not in use. The entry-level model comes stacked with extras like reversing camera, sat nav, parking sensors and twin DVD screens with headphones. Peugeot offers fixed-price, $330/year servicing for the first three years.
This article was written by Andrew Chesterton, deputy editor of Top Gear Australia and first appeared in Mother & Baby magazine.
