Wisconsin’s Best Family-Friendly Cars
September 6, 2017
The 7 safest, most efficient, and affordable rides for Northeast Wisconsin families.
Getting ready to step out onto the lot to look for a new family car? Before you do, take a virtual test drive with us. We’ve done the research on pros, cons, safety ratings, fuel efficiency, and fair Northeast Wisconsin purchase prices—and ranked our picks—to save you a ton of time.
Most Affordable
2016 Kia Soul
Young families with little ones will love the Soul’s top safety rating, ample cargo room, spacious cabin, memorable design, and low price.
- Safety: 5-star4
- Efficiency: 24 city / 31 highway5
- KBB Fair Purchase Price: $16,8681,2
Most Efficient
2017 Honda Accord (Sedan)
According to Car and Driver, Honda’s “bread-and-butter” mid-size car offers “excellent packaging, a comfortable ride, engaging handling,” and great build quality. Apart from being well-made, the 2017 Accord has the best fuel economy of our picks and offers great visibility and essential safety features.
- Safety: 5-star4
- Efficiency: 27 city / 36 highway5
- KBB Fair Purchase Price: $21,5281,2
Most Spacious
2014 Honda Odyssey
If you’re hoping to haul several kids and their stuff, the Odyssey is a great pick. It packs a cargo volume of a whopping 38.4 ft³ (148.5 ft³ with seat area) so you can carry pretty much whatever you want. The 2018 model’s MSRP3 is $30,930, so try stepping back a few model years to cut your purchase price in half.
- Safety: 5-star4
- Efficiency: 19 city / 28 highway5
- KBB Fair Purchase Price: $17,4331
Best Overall Pick
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen
The editor-favorite 2016 Golf gets a backend extension to create the best of both worlds: the Golf SportWagen. It offers 30.4 ft³ of cargo room driven by a powerful 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. In other words, it’s the perfect blend of hot-hatch zip, family-friendly spaciousness, and stellar fuel economy.
- Safety: 5-star4
- Efficiency: 25 city / 36 highway5
- KBB Fair Purchase Price: $20,0251,2
Honorable Mentions – Other Great Family-Friendly Cars
2017 Honda CR-V
With its 5-star safety rating and an IIHS 2017 Top Safety Pick status, the 2017 Honda CR-V is a sporty, small SUV perfect for families on the go. The comfortable, durable CR-V offers lots of luxe features at an impressively affordable price.
- Safety: 5-star4
- Efficiency: 28 city / 34 highway5
- KBB Fair Purchase Price: $23,6581
2017 Subaru Outback
The rugged and versatile 2017 Outback’s high ground clearance, generous interior space, and lower roof are must-have features for outdoorsy families that load up lots of gear to go off-road for hunting or hiking in the Wisconsin wilderness.
- Safety: 5-star4
- Efficiency: 25 city / 32 highway5
- KBB Fair Purchase Price: $25,0321
2017 Kia Sportage
Well-rounded and smartly designed, the 2017 Kia Sportage is an affordable compact SUV with lots of perks, including a quiet, refined cabin, sporty handling, and comfortable ride.
- Safety: 5-star4
- Efficiency: 23 city / 30 highway5
- KBB Fair Purchase Price: $22,9361
Now that you’re primed on the best family-friendly cars for Wisconsin clans, take the next step and get approved for an auto loan at one of our locations. We’re in Kaukauna (North), Kaukauna (South), Little Chute, Grand Chute, Wrightstown, and De Pere.
Need more info? Check out our vehicle loan options—they come fully-equipped with 5-star rates and the support of your very own Member Advisor.
1 The Kelley Blue Book® Fair Purchase Price was calculated at www.kbb.com using the base model and a Wrightstown, Wisconsin zip code.
2 Calculated using automatic transmission model (versus manual).
3 MSRP: manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
4 Safety ratings via NHTSA.
5 Fuel efficiency information via Edmunds.com.