Best Family Car in Australia This Year

According to our census data, driving is the most popular way to get to work in Australia. A whopping 69% of us (over 6.5 million people) get behind the wheel every day to get to work. Just add kids or pets to the mix and getting the best new family car available in Australia becomes necessary.

Whether your definition of family is ‘me, my friends and I’, or a full house of kin, one of the main features of a great family car is safety. It’s perhaps one of the priority features in any car, soon followed by capacity.

If you’re in the market for a new car and want to get a head start with where to look, we’ve rounded up some great family car options to choose from.

Safety – key feature of the family car in Australia

According to the Australian Government Road Safety Statistics, passenger vehicles are involved in more than 50% of fatal accidents. When you consider this statistic it makes sense to put safety front and centre of your driving experience.

Therefore we’ve included our selection of the best family cars to buy in Australia based on their car safety ratings. Safety ratings are carried out by ANCAP (Australasia New Car Assessment Program) on new cars each year.

Additionally, SUVs are fast becoming one of the most sought after vehicle choice for Aussies. This is unsurprising, as these days they come in an array of suitable sizes from small and medium to large. Perfect for small, medium and large families.

That’s why this article rounds up our top picks of the best family SUV cars in Australia right now…

Compact SUV – a decent sized family car

The small SUV is one of Australia’s favourite family vehicles. With two rows and seating for five, they’re more economical and somewhat cuter in size than standard SUVs, making them a great family car. They’re also easier to manage in terms of parking and petrol… and we all know what petrol prices are like right now!

Two small SUVs that get the most recent five star safety ratings from ANCAP are the Toyota Yaris Cross and Cupra Formentor. While the Cupra Formentor runs on petrol, the Toyota Yaris Cross is available in petrol and hybrid.

Hybrid uses a combination of fuel and petrol, allowing you a go-between of conventional fuel and electricity. However, it’s worth noting that even ‘green cars’ may only make a real difference when the source of electricity comes from renewable energy too. Read more about hybrid cars and how they work.

Now let’s take a quick look at what these two family sized cars score in terms of safety:

Medium SUV – a good sized family car

For Aussie families who need more cabin and cargo space, a midsize SUV is the way to go. With a balance of either two or three rows, this car is spacious enough for most families. They also have a bit more power in the engine which means greater towing capacity (just in case).

ANCAP’s most recent safety ratings for midsized SUVs offer up three great options among others. In no particular order, they are the Lexus NX, the GWM Haval H6 and the Mitsubishi Outlander, which each get a five star rating.

The Lexus NX comes in petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric. If you aren’t yet familiar with which fuel type you’re after, read our guide to different types of electric cars. While the GWM Haval H6 comes in standard petrol, you can select between petrol or plug-in hybrid for the Mitsubishi.

Now let’s check out how these family sized cars score on the rating card:

Large SUVs – great for bigger families

When it comes to style, right now we like large SUVs for large families. They’re elegant, powerful and spacious, often boasting room for up to nine passengers. That’s great for daily city living and for taking a good chunk of time away to enjoy the ultimate Australian road trip.

The most recent large SUVs to get full five star safety ratings are the Hyundai Palisade LX2, the Kia EV6, and the Toyota Land Cruiser Australia.

The safety rating for the Hyundai Palisade LX2 is for diesel variants only. (Their slogan for this vehicle is ‘kidults approved’; gotta love it!).

The Kia EV6 is exclusively electric so be sure to read our five fast facts about buying an electric car. And the Toyota Land Cruiser comes in standard petrol and diesel options.

We love each of these family cars, and their safety ratings:

What else makes the best family car?

If you’re looking for the best family car you can buy in Australia, there are a couple of other factors you might want to consider. We’ve rounded them up here:

• Manual vs automatic. Find out what’s best for you and, by extension, the family
• Most fuel efficient cars. Always a bonus
• Safest car colours. Believe it or not, some are in fact better than others
• Best small cars. Just you and the open road? Try these out for size
• Most popular car in Australia. Which brands stand the test of time then and now

Car insurance for added peace of mind

We’re all about safety, and the peace of mind that comes with it. Whether you’re driving an SUV, ute, or sedan, having comprehensive car insurance can help safeguard your finances.

Car insurance helps pay the bills for damage from road accidents, weather events like floods and fires, and vandalism, and can even pay for car replacement if it’s stolen or written off.

If you travel with pets knowing you have pet insurance can be a bonus way to keep them safe too (in and out of the car). You’ll be able to get them the medical care they need when they need it most. Rather than looking at the digits in your bank account, you’ll be looking at their well-being.

Click below to look into a PD Insurance pet plan or car plan today.