10 Best SUVs for Your Baby

2017 Honda CR-V ・ Photo by Honda

The arrival of a baby can often mean the need for a vehicle that’s ready to handle your new bundle of joy in the coming years. An SUV gives you plenty of room for all the stuff you need to carry as your family grows, and here we will present our picks for the Top 10 SUVs for Baby. In addition to great features and versatility, every SUV on our list is rated a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

2017 Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V is a compact SUV with plenty of room for a family with a new arrival. There’s seating for five passengers with a roomy rear seat that can manage two kids in booster seats and an adult in the middle. There are 75.8 cubic feet of cargo room with the rear seats folded or 39.2 cubic feet with the seats upright. That’s enough space for a stroller, diaper bag, and groceries.

Pricing starts at $24,045 for the base LX, so it won’t break the bank. Move one step up to the EX at $26,795 and Honda Sensing with important safety features becomes standard. These include collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control.

Photo by Honda

2017 Nisssan Rogue

The Nissan Rogue offers compact SUV sizing with the perks of a larger SUV and is priced from $24,420. It’s available with seating for five, or you can opt for a third row that brings seating up to seven. It might look small, but it has plenty of room for strollers and toys with a maximum of 70 cubic feet of cargo space.

There is a lot to bring along with a baby and the Divide-N-Hide cargo system makes it easy to store. It’s a great way to organize small things you need on hand while keeping them out of sight from prying eyes. On the safety front, every Nissan Rogue comes standard with forward emergency braking, blind spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Photo by Nissan

2017 Mazda CX-5

The Mazda CX-5 is all-new for 2017 with room for a growing family, with a starting price tag of $24,045 for the base model. Seating for five passengers with a 40/20/40 split-fold second row for greater versatility, means there are plenty of family road trips in your future. Adding to the road-trip advantages, the CX-5 will help you save money on gas with an EPA-estimated 31 mpg highway.

Take one step up from the base Sport to the Touring at $25,915 and additional safety features become standard. This includes blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert and smart city brake support. Even the luxurious Grand Touring trim is priced within reach at $29,395.

Photo by Mazda

2017 Subaru Forester

Standard all-wheel drive across the lineup and a starting price of only $22,595 for the base 2.5i model help the 2017 Subaru Forester earn a spot on our list. There is a maximum of 74.7 cubic feet of cargo room with the rear seats folded or an impressive 34.4 cubic feet if you decide to leave the second row upright.

There’s plenty of extra storage, too, including beneath the cargo floor. It’s ideal for tucking away things like extra changes of clothes or diapers to stay prepared for any length of a trip with the baby. Move up to the 2.5i Premium at $25,495 for added safety features including Starlink safety and security connected services, and available EyeSight driver assist technology.

Photo by Subaru

2017 Toyota Highlander

Looking toward a future when the family expands beyond a new baby, and plenty of friends, the Toyota Highlander offers three rows of seating with room for up to eight passengers. This is an SUV a new family can grow into over the years without worrying about suddenly running out of room.

In addition to its space, the Highlander has impressive safety ratings and every trim level also features Toyota Safety Sense P. This safety system includes pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, and radar cruise control. Pricing starts at $30,630 making this large SUV a budget-friendly choice.

Photo by Toyota

2017 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2017 Nissan Pathfinder is another great SUV for growing families. It starts at $30,290 with room for up to seven passengers in a comfortable cabin. There are 79.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded, and the Pathfinder can tow up to 6,000 pounds adding to its utility.

The third row in large suvs can be tricky to access, but Nissan takes care of that problem. The EZ Flex seating system lets the second-row slide and tilt, so it’s easy to climb into the back. Even better, it operates with an empty car seat still sitting in the second row. Lastly, the second row slides front to back by 5.5 inches for extra legroom.

Photo by Nissan

2017 Honda Pilot

Honda earns the second spot on our list with the Pilot for a good reason. It has room for seven passengers with a comfortable third row, and while you might not think you need the extra seating, the baby will grow and have friends, and you’ll want to be able to all head out together. That’s what makes a three-row SUV ideal for even smaller families.

The Pilot has up to 109-cubic feet of cargo room behind the first row, 55.9 behind the second row, and 18.5 behind the third row. There’s also a large storage compartment between the front seats for managing smaller items. At a starting price of $30,745, the Honda Pilot is attainable even for those on a budget.

Photo by Honda

2017 Mazda CX-9

The 2017 Mazda CX-9 offers three rows of seating with room for up to seven passengers and a starting price of $31,520 on the base Sport model. It features three-zone automatic climate control to keep everyone comfortable on family road trips and has lots of cargo room. There’s 71.2 cubic feet behind the first row, 38.2 behind the second row, and 14.4 behind the third row. Even with a full load of people, there’s easily room for strollers and bags.

The second row split-folds 60/40 while the third row splits 50/50. Access to the third row is made easy with a tilting and sliding second row. Even adults can climb in back with ease and will find enough room to be comfortable.

Photo by Mazda

2017 Hyundai Santa Fe

Seating for up to seven passengers and advanced safety features on the base model make the Hyundai Santa Fe a solid choice. Pricing starts at $30,800 for the 2017 Santa Fe SE with stain-resistant cloth seats to handle inevitable baby spills. A standard power driver’s seat keeps you comfortable on long trips, and extra storage under the cargo area makes sure you have everything you need for baby.

You don’t have to move to a more expensive trim only because you want added safety features. However, the Premium Package for SE at $3,650 adds blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change assist along with convenience features like a hands-free liftgate and leather trims.

Photo by Cherise LaPine Threewitt

2017 Toyota RAV4

The 2017 Toyota RAV4 has eight different trim levels including two hybrid models. Pricing starts at $24,410 for the base LE with room for five passengers. There’s also good cargo capacity with 73.4 cubic feet behind the front seats and 38.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats. It can tow up to 1,750 pounds making it a versatile choice for young families on the go.

Every RAV4 comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense P system. It includes pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, and dynamic radar cruise control.  These are safety features often reserved for only higher trims in other vehicles, and also, enhanced vehicle stability control, anti-lock brakes, and brake assist are also standard.

Photo by Toyota