10 Best Cars for Families with Three Kids

2018 KIA Optima red side ・ Photo by Kia

The family sedan isn’t what it used to be, but there are still millions of families with three kids who rely on a car — not a minivan, truck, or SUV — as their family vehicle of choice. The good news for these people is that today’s sedans are better-built, more feature-packed, and more safety-laden than they have ever been.

The bad news is that the days of big, roomy family cars that would accommodate six in comfort have gone the way of the laserdisc. In their place are smaller, more fuel-efficient sedans that deliver excellent comfort and conveniences a family would never have dreamed of a decade ago. The tradeoff: some interior room, especially in the width of the rear seat. That said, our 10 selections for families with three kids should give you plenty to think about. 

1. 2018 Honda Accord

The Honda Accord is the 2018 North American Car of the Year for good reason — it takes the family sedan to a new level of sophistication, convenience, and driving enjoyment. The Accord sedan checks all the boxes in terms of efficiency, dependability, and out-of-the-showroom quality, but it really hits it out of the park in terms of driving prowess. As evidenced by a J.D.Power study, Accord owners love their vehicles.

All new from the ground up for the 2018 model year, the Accord’s more rigid unibody is lower and wider than the previous generation. It offers three high-tech powertrains: a 1.5-liter direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder, a 2.0-liter direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder, and the third-generation Honda iMMD two-motor hybrid power unit. Comfort, convenience, and safety features are up to North American Car of the Year standards.

Photo by Honda

2. 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

There was a time when Chevy sedans offered room and comfort, but their quality and dependability left something to be desired. Now those days are in the rear-view mirror. The Chevrolet Malibu topped the midsize segment in J.D. Power’s most recent Vehicle Dependability study and also turned in an above-average Initial Quality performance.

The Malibu offers a hybrid model, but the vast majority of the sedans are powered by turbocharged four-cylinder engines: a 1.5-liter with a six-speed automatic transmission or a 2.0-liter with nine-speed automatic.  Ten airbags and a rearview camera lead the list of standard safety features. Also standard are electronic stability control, all-speed traction control, and a hill-hold feature. Two available packages comprise the broadest array of safety equipment in the family-car segment.

Photo by General Motors

3. 2018 Kia Optima

With its mix of chiseled international exterior styling and a feature-filled interior, the 2018 Kia Optima offers a great deal to families with three children. It is continually praised for its easy-to-use UVO infotainment system. Standard electronic driver assistance features include a blind-spot monitor, a rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking assist. Optional safety equipment includes autonomous emergency braking, a forward collision warning, a lane departure warning, and smart cruise control. 

The Optima offers a choice of three four-cylinder engines: a 185-horsepower 2.4-liter, a 178-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter, and a 245-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter. The 2.4-liter and 2.0-liter turbo are teamed with six-speed automatics. The 1.6-liter turbo is mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Be aware that an updated 2019 Optima will come to market by the end of the year.

Photo by Kia

4. 2018 Volkswagen Passat

One big plus the Volkswagen Passat offers to families with three children is its expansive rear seat. It is one of the most accommodating among all family sedans, and it is accompanied by a a trunk that will hold 15.9 cubic feet of luggage. Lest you think the Passat is a lumbering large car with all the road manners of a pachyderm, you will be pleasantly surprised. It delivers European-grade precision in its handling while maintaining good ride quality.

For the 2018 model year, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine replaces the 1.8-liter. It delivers 174 horsepower, while an optional 3.6-liter V6 engine has 280 horsepower. The Passat offers a standard rearview camera, and its available driver assistance systems include a forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking and active cruise control.

Photo by Volkswagen

5. 2018 Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai continues to add improvements to the Sonata, because the midsize family sedan has been one of its mainstays, selling well year after year after year. One of the keys to its success is its reliability, as evidenced by a strong showing in J.D. Power’s most recent Vehicle Dependability Study.

The Sonata offers international style inside and out, and its layout and controls win high marks for clarity and ease of operation. It uses a 2.4-liter normally aspirated engine that delivers 185 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of peak torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Standard safety features include blind-spot detection with a rear cross-traffic alert and lane change assist. Smart cruise control with stop/start and lane-keeping are optional on some trim levels.

Photo by Hyundai

6. 2018 Chevrolet Impala

The Chevrolet Impala is an iconic nameplate among family sedans with decades of history riding in its two ample rows of seating. It offers many features and packages similar to the mid-size Malibu but in a larger, even-more-accommodating package. Three kids will love the interior space. While the majority of mid-size sedans have ditched their V6 engines, the full-size Impala continues to offer a 305-horsepower 3.6-liter V6. The base engine is a 197-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder.

As with the Malibu, 10 airbags and a rearview camera lead the list of standard safety features. Also standard is electronic stability control, all-speed traction control, and a hill-hold feature. Two available packages offer an impressive collection of safety gear, but some of the equipment is only available in the top-level Premier trim.

Photo by General Motors

7. 2018 Ford Fusion

The Ford Fusion is a good-looking mid-size sedan that is offered in a variety of variants from mild to spicy hot. Its V6 Sport trim level is one of the few vehicles in the segment that can be purchased with all-wheel drive, a boon in inclement weather. Additional available safety features include adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, and blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert.

The three engine choices are a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a 2.0-liter EcoBoost (turbocharged) four-cylinder, and 2.7-liter EcoBoost (turbocharged) V6. With 325 horsepower on tap from the V6, your family of five can high-tail it down the highway. The Fusion doesn’t have the biggest back seat area in the class, but the Sync 3 infotainment interface might make up for it.

Photo by Ford

8. 2018 Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry has won renown for its dependability, and that is validated by its five-out-of-five score in J.D. Power’s most recent Vehicle Dependability Study. The Camry also has an excellent resale value history, which will help the family pocketbook. The roomy mid-size sedan is completely redesigned for 2018. It offers five trim levels, and the sportier SE and XSE trims have exterior style to match their personas.

At the same time, even the sporty trims are very appropriate for a family with three kids. The three new powertrains include a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a 3.5-liter V6, both paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. A gas-electric hybrid is also available. The Camry's Toyota Safety Sense P suite is one of the most comprehensive sets of standard safety technologies offered on any family sedan.

Photo by Toyota

9. 2018 Dodge Charger

On this list of predominantly front-wheel drive cars, the Dodge Charger sedan is an outlier. It is one of the last of the front-engine, rear-drive American family four-doors that used to dominate the family-car conversation. You might view the Charger as a muscle car, but with the standard 292-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 engine, it's both economical to purchase and operate. And even if you specify a Hemi V8...Well, who says a family car can’t also be a blast to drive?

Available safety and security features include a full-speed forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with full stop, and a lane-departure warning with lane keep assist. In place of rear-wheel drive, some Chargers can be equipped with all-wheel drive. The rear seat is roomy and the trunk holds 16.5 cubic feet of luggage, enough for a family of five.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

10. 2018 Toyota Avalon

In its first generation, the Toyota Avalon full-size sedan was often viewed as a “stretched Camry.” But the car has outgrown that early description to take on a personality of its own, and that personality is growing more sophisticated with time. Two powertrains are available: a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 that produces 268 horsepower and the hybrid model combines output from a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to deliver 200 horsepower.

With either powerplant, your family will feel like they’re being chauffeured in a limousine. The handsome Avalon four-door is equipped with 10 standard airbags and a Toyota Star Safety System that includes vehicle stability control, traction control, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, and brake-override technology.

Photo by Toyota