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16 Best Family Cars Of 2016 From KBB


KBB (select to view enlarged photo)

SEE ALSO: 2016-2017 Cars and Minivans Ranked By Seating Capacity

EDITORS NOTE: For complete specs, prices, reviews and comparisons of every car listed below, just click on the brand name for its own Research and Buyers Guide.

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 4, 2016 -- The vehicles deemed the 16 Best Family Cars of 2016 were announced today by Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. After extensive testing and evaluation, with a keen focus on safety, comfort, convenience, spaciousness for both passengers and cargo, and fit of various rear-facing and forward-facing child safety car seats, the KBB.com expert editors recommend their choices for a diverse group of vehicles that best meet the needs of today's modern families.

"For two weeks' time we drove, lived-with, folded-down-seats-of, paired-phones-to and installed-baby-seats-in each and every one of the contenders," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst of Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. "We loaded cargo, contorted ourselves into third rows, watched movies on rear-seat screens, toted rowing teams to marinas – in short, we did everything that you and your family might do with a vehicle day-to-day. And we did all this with a certain sense of what a family needs and wants, since many of our testers are simultaneously parents of kids ranging from mid-twenties to newborn. So this wasn't just a cursory exercise, but instead it drew heavily upon our family-car experiences, needs and wants."

After extensively testing two dozen Best Family Cars finalists, the KBB.com editors decided upon a list of 16 vehicles that they feel are befitting the title Kelley Blue Book Best Family Cars of 2016. While 16 might seem like a high number, the goal is that these vehicles can be divided into logical subsets that will make each family's new-car shopping much easier. The list contains three minivans, six sedans, three two-row crossover/SUVs and four three-row SUVs.

Kelley Blue Book's 16 Best Family Cars of 2016

Vehicle Type

Year

Make

Model

Model's Best Family Car Highlights

Sedan

2016

Honda

Civic

All-around great car, KBB.com's Overall Best Buy of 2016, generous standard equipment, loads of safety features, cool new redesign.

Sedan

2016

Honda

Accord

Roomy, high-quality interior, added style and safety from recent refresh, solid drivetrain, good economy.

Sedan

2016

Kia

Optima

KBB.com's Midsize Car Best Buy of 2016, stylish, feature-packed, family friendly.

Sedan

2016

Chevrolet

Malibu

All-new redesign, additional safety and efficiency, comfortable and accommodating interior makes it easy to stay connected.

Sedan

2016

Chevrolet

Impala

Roomy cabin and trunk, technologically sophisticated, contemporary looks, multiple drivetrain choices.

Sedan

2016

Hyundai

Sonata

Value pricing and class-leading warranty combined with solid resale value and refinement all can take on class leaders.

Two-Row Crossover/SUV

2016

Honda

HR-V

All-new nameplate in hot segment, surprisingly roomy second row, great for a small family in the city.

Two-Row Crossover/SUV

2016

Honda

CR-V

Versatile, enjoyable and practical, makes excellent use of space, one of the roomiest small SUVs available, enviable resale value.

Two-Row Crossover/SUV

2016

Subaru

Outback

Outstanding room for both passengers and cargo, benefits of both wagon and SUV, excellent AWD and capable off-roading abilities provide peace of mind.

Minivan

2016

Kia

Sedona

Style and function, modern interior, impressive available safety features at affordable price, less bulky feel compared to other minivans.

Minivan

2016

Honda

Odyssey

Unparalleled combination of flexibility, seating, on-road dynamics and features, Wide Mode easily fits three car seats across second row.

Minivan

2016

Toyota

Sienna

Versatile, flexible, capable, only minivan to offer optional AWD, high resale value and IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for minivans.

Three-Row Crossover/SUV

2016

Nissan

Pathfinder

Available around-view monitor, no child seat hassle with EZ Flex & Glide system, pitch-perfect on the road.

Three-Row Crossover/SUV

2016

Toyota

Highlander

Solid combination of comfort, quality, space and convenience features, unsurpassed level of powertrain choice.

Three-Row Crossover/SUV

2016

Honda

Pilot

Totally redesigned, "the family-friendliest midsize SUV in existence," sophisticated suite of available driving technologies, all-star accommodations.

Three-Row Crossover/SUV

2016

Chevrolet

Tahoe

Truck-based SUV offers towing and off-roading capabilities, recent redesign, various connectivity features, carries up to nine people and gear.

In addition, all-new for the 2016 KBB.com Best Family Cars list, this year the editors took specific notes about how three different types of child safety car seats (a rear-facing infant seat, a convertible seat that can be installed either rear-facing or forward-facing, as well as a forward-facing booster seat) fit specifically into each of the vehicles on this year's list. This section details helpful information for parents who have children of car-seat age (which typically is from birth through the elementary school years), including ease of installation, how leg room and passenger fit is affected in each vehicle when using various types of car seats, and more.

The KBB.com editors extensively tested 24 potential Best Family Cars contenders for 2016 over a two-week period. Runners-up for this year's KBB.com Best Family Cars list included the 2016 Ford F-150, 2016 Ford Explorer, 2016 Hyundai Tucson, 2016 Kia Soul, 2016 Ram 1500, 2016 Subaru Crosstrek, 2016 Toyota Avalon and 2016 Toyota Camry.

For more information about Kelley Blue Book's 16 Best Family Cars of 2016 winners and for additional details about this year's runners-up, please visit http://www.kbb.com/car-news/all-the-latest/best-family-cars-2016/.