When buying a family SUV, parents know what they need. Usually, safety tops the list of needs. But beyond that, a parent’s list gets more complicated. Some might be thrilled with a cheap car that fits the family and offers decent trunk space. Others may prefer comfort above all else and a third row. Or, perhaps it comes down to where you live. For example, if you live in the city vs. mountains.
To help you navigate the SUVs built for families, we enlist the help of Kelley Blue Book experts, parents of kids (and pets) spanning the age spectrum, who test-drive vehicles for a living. We want to help you view SUVs through the lens of those we would choose. With this in mind, we list our picks for the best SUVs for families to help you buy the car that best suits your needs.
Best Family SUVs: What Our Experts Choose
1. Chevrolet Traverse
All-new for 2024, the Chevy Traverse is one of the most family-friendly options in a crowded field of midsize 3-row SUVs. It boasts a roomy third row and a class-leading maximum cargo volume of 97.6 cubic feet. Its new turbo 4-cylinder engine makes more power and torque than the outgoing V6 while getting the same fuel economy rating. The rugged Z71 model and sporty RS trim give a nice variety to the Traverse lineup with something for everyone. Finally, the killer app of the Traverse is the available Super Cruise hands-free driving system. With first-hand experience in a Cadillac Escalade, I can confirm that Super Cruise takes a lot of fatigue out of long family road trips. It’s always nice to see hands-free driving at a lower price point than an Escalade. — Eric Brandt, senior editor
2. Chevrolet Trax
Not every family wants to spend $40,000 on their ride. The 2024 Chevy Trax is an intelligent alternative, offering an impressive interior space for a modest base price of $21,495, including destination charges. Average-sized adults fit comfortably in the rear seats. Move rearward, and you’ll find 25.6 cu-ft of cargo space, a massive number for a subcompact vehicle. The Trax is billed as an SUV, and the title fits based on an easy step-in height. But keep in mind that all-wheel drive is not available on the Trax. If your family adventures demand all-wheel traction, consider the Subaru Crosstrek as a budget-priced alternative. — Micah Muzio, video manager, vehicle reviews
3. GMC Yukon
If comfort combined with toughness is what you need, the GMC Yukon is the perfect solution. Off-road versions are capable, and they have serious towing abilities, yet the Yukon is comfortable and spacious inside. — Brian Moody, executive editor
4. Honda CR-V Hybrid
If your family doesn’t need three rows of seats (yet?), there’s a good chance it doesn’t need much more than a Honda CR-V Hybrid. The CR-V is our highest-rated compact SUV for 2024 — the one we think is the best choice for most people — and the gas-electric hybrid version is rated to deliver a rather remarkable 40 miles per gallon. It’s even quicker and more enjoyable to drive than the gas-only CR-V. Honda’s best-seller is among the roomiest compact SUVs on the market and exceptionally accommodates child car seats. Finally, strong resale values help future family finances because recouping more money when you sell a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on your next one. A 3-row SUV, perhaps. — Jason Allan, principal editor
5. Honda Pilot TrailSport
The Honda Pilot checks all the boxes for family duty, offering ample cargo space, an adult-worthy 3rd row, and agreeable road manners. However, in TrailSport trim, the Pilot’s adventure potential expands wonderfully. It doesn’t just look rugged. The Pilot TrailSport’s torque-vectoring rear differential, off-road tuned suspension, all-terrain tires, and underbody skid plates enable it to confidently venture onto intermediate off-road trails that would leave lesser SUVs spinning their tires. — Micah Muzio, manager, video production
6. Hyundai Tucson
Of Note: The Tucson got a few votes from Kelley Blue Book editors (skip down to see the second vote)
As the author of this article, I didn’t want to let this chance pass without offering up that I recently purchased a 2024 Hyundai Tucson over Labor Day weekend last year. As a mom of one teenager, it was a practical choice and decision. It’s an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety pick. My soon-to-be 18-year-old teenager will start college soon and is learning how to drive (finally!). I did not want him getting behind the wheel of our previous vehicle, a large pickup truck. You see, my son (who would be embarrassed if he knew I was saying this) is height-challenged. As a result, I picked the family-friendly Hyundai Tucson SEL. It offers a suite of safety features, a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, and a decent price ($30,985, including destination fees) for a parent soon sending a kid to college. I would have paid more for the hybrid version. However, I purchased the car when none were readily available. The Tucson works for the family because it fits all our camping gear and our dog when we go out looking for outdoor adventures. The seats may not be as comfortable as other vehicles I’ve driven, but this compact SUV fits our family and our current needs. Another plus: It gets an EPA-estimated 28 mpg combined city/highway. — Renee Valdes, lead Advice editor
7. Kia Sorento
Of Note: The Sorento got a few votes from Kelley Blue Book editors
In between 2-row compact SUVs and 3-row midsize SUVs is a Wild West of vehicles mixing up elements of each. For instance, the compelling Kia Sorento has three rows of seats, but it’s not as big as the automaker’s Telluride midsize SUV. Families that need seating for more than four people regularly will be better served by a proper midsize SUV (or a minivan). But for the many families that only need three rows on occasion, for smaller humans and shorter trips, the Kia Sorento is a more affordable, more efficient, well-appointed alternative. It’s also available with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains and receives a range of upgrades for 2024. — Jason Allan, principal editor
The Sorento is right-sized, great-looking, competitively priced, and has a foldable third row. It has excellent driver assistance features and off-road features like hill descent control. It’s just missing underbody protection. Regardless, it’s my top pick. — Rob Nestora, senior editor
8. Kia Sportage
Of Note: The Sportage got a few votes from Kelley Blue Book editors
Kia deserves credit for taking big swings with exterior design. Take the 2024 Kia Sportage, for example. The previous generation Sportage looked like an amorphous blob. Now, the Sportage brings strikingly modern style to the compact SUV category. Behind its daring face, the Sportage offers three different engine choices: a hybrid (up to 44 MPG on the highway) and a plug-in hybrid (34 miles of electric range). Efficient and spacious for a compact SUV, the Kia Sportage smartly blends style with pragmatism. — Micah Muzio, manager, video production
When you become a parent, something changes in your brain, and considerations like strong safety scores and light long-term financial impact start to control your car shopping decisions. The Kia Sportage and the Hyundai Tuscon make this list because they share two qualities — the highest possible safety certification from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a 10-year powertrain warranty. Ideally, you want a car that did well in government and insurance industry safety tests. However, automotive industry veterans will tell you that the IIHS is a stricter grader. Government testers can’t make their safety tests harder without a long, complex public review process the car companies can influence. But car insurance companies fund the IIHS. The institute’s only financial interest is in making cars safer; no one can influence it otherwise. Its tests get harder all the time. These compact SUVs earn IIHS’ high award badge, the Top Safety Pick. They also protect you from expensive repairs for a decade (warranty). That’s a lot of money going into college savings instead of car repairs. The Sportage or Tucson you buy when your child is eight could still be under warranty when they’re 18. — Sean Tucker, senior editor
9. Kia Telluride
The Kia Telluride is probably the best midsize 3-row SUV you can get. It’s good-looking, comfortable inside, has excellent road manners, and an assortment of interior and exterior colors that make you feel like you have something unique. — Brian Moody, executive editor
10. Mazda CX-90
It’s not typical in many ways, but the Mazda CX-90 is one of the best-looking midsize SUVs on the road. A premium interior, a bias toward rear-wheel drive, and a turbo straight six under the hood make it a great family vehicle for those who see driving as a privilege, not a chore. –– Brian Moody, executive editor
11. Subaru Crosstrek
The Subaru Crosstrek is an absolute mountain goat of a compact SUV. It has excellent off-road features and many safety features, and it’s super easy for the dog to get in and out of. Plus, the smaller size makes it easy to park — Rob Nestora, senior editor
12. Subaru Forester
According to a National Highway Transportation (NHTSA) study in 2020, almost every parent thinks they have installed their child’s safety seat properly, and 46% are wrong. Installing a car seat seems self-explanatory, but nearly half of us assume we have it right … and don’t. The Forester is one of my favorite SUVs for parents of young kids for a straightforward reason. The rear doors open rrrrreeeeeeeaaaaaaaalllllly wide. It’s easy to get your whole self in there to jam that safety seat down as hard as possible and yank up hard on those LATCH straps. The Forester is also affordable, holds a lot of gear for its size, and holds its value well for when it’s time to trade it in. And a parenting plea. Please, once you have that safety seat installed, have a pro check it. Most local sheriff’s departments or fire departments have someone on staff certified as a Child Passenger Safety Technician by Safe Kids Worldwide. They’ll check your work for free and walk you through tightening it up if it needs that. It takes ten minutes and might save your child’s life. — Sean Tucker, senior editor
13. Toyota 4Runner
A beast off-road, the Toyota 4-Runner brings bulletproof reliability and a great suite of standard safety features. It’s getting long in the tooth, but a 4Runner is always a great choice. — Rob Nestora, senior editor
14. Toyota Highlander
It just works. Reliability, excellent resale value, and varying levels of luxury make the Toyota Highlander an easy choice for families wanting to pick a great car and then enjoy years of trouble-free driving. — Brian Moody, executive editor
15. Toyota Sienna
Wait, isn’t this a list full of SUVs? Yes. But maybe you should look beyond that. SUVs are so popular in America today that manufacturers effectively charge an SUV tax. They can use the same parts to build an SUV and a minivan and charge thousands more for the SUV because…? Style, I guess? The Toyota Sienna rides on the same chassis as the Toyota Highlander and Grand Highlander. But it costs less. You can even get one with all-wheel drive if that’s important to you. And sliding doors really are more convenient for kids. Do yourself a favor and test drive the four-time winner of our Best Buy Award among minivans before paying the SUV premium. — Sean Tucker, senior editor
16. Volkswagen Atlas
The Volkswagen Atlas has long ranked as one of the roomier midsize 3-row SUVs on the market. For 2024, VW has updated the Atlas, consolidating the engine lineup to a single 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. The results are nearly as powerful as the previous V6 with the efficiency of the former 4-cylinder. Powertrain aside, the Atlas offers roomy quarters plus simple folding seats that make ingress and cargo hauling a breeze. Just be sure to test the infotainment system before you buy. The lack of physical controls could be a deal-breaker. — Micah Muzio, manager, video production
Luxury SUV Pick
17. BMW X7
A 2023 BMW X7 recently replaced one of my family’s Chrysler Pacificas. I have a 4- and 7-year-old at home. I proudly admit to being a fan. But my wife recently decided she wanted an SUV to replace one of our two Chrysler Pacificas (also a fan of these). The SUV would be her primary vehicle, and it wasn’t hard for me to accept the thought of a carpool-capable automobile in the driveway that’s a bit more stylish than my beloved vans. SUVs with three rows of seating — a “must-have” for us — are plentiful. My wife evaluated them and narrowed her choices based on their looks.
Here are some parent-oriented features we like in the BMW X7. They aren’t necessarily unique to this brand or model, but collectively make it a good SUV for our family.
- Its dimensions are very similar to the measurements of our familiar Pacifica, making it preferable to massive Chevy Suburban-sized SUVs.
- A suite of advanced safety features and driving assistance features help keep everyone safe.
- Power-adjustable seats in the middle row help provide ample room for rear- or forward-facing car seats and boosters.
- You can easily access the lower anchors and tethers when swapping out car seats, even on the third row.
- The driver can raise the rear window shades with the touch of a button to keep the sun out of the eyes of car seat-bound passengers.
- Third-row seats have enough legroom for kids or other petite passengers, and they can enjoy dedicated climate control, reading lights, and charging ports to help make a comfortable space.
- A seat map in the instrument cluster indicates who has their belt fastened.
- The dashboard reminds the driver to check the rear seats when the car turns off.
- Soft-close doors eliminate slamming that might awaken napping passengers or annoy jittery parents.
- The quiet interior makes it easier to have conversations throughout the cabin.
- A split tailgate helps prevent groceries and soccer balls from rolling onto the ground when unloading the back end.
Here Are Some Trade-Offs:
- Unlike an awesome minivan with fantastic sliding rear doors, backseat passengers risk bumping their door into a neighboring parked car when exiting any SUV.
- Similarly, parents must be careful not to ding the vehicle in the next spot while buckling and unbuckling children from their car seats.
- The X7 lacks rear-seat entertainment screens. I used to frown on using them in the Pacifica, but long trips are much more enjoyable and seem shorter if the kids can watch TV.
- Cargo space is limited with the third-row seats up, which might be problematic if we still used strollers.
Power-tilting middle-row seats provide access to the third row. Their movement is very slow, and it’s nearly impossible for kids to scoot between the captain’s chairs or step over the armrests to get to the back row. I can see this trade-off being a deal-breaker if we needed to use the third row daily.
— Chris Hardesty, senior editor
Pro Tips
Kelley Blue Book executive editor Brian Moody suggests researching vehicles before you buy and checking the number of USB ports in the vehicle, among other tips. Read on for more of his pro tips.
- Don’t buy more car than you need. Many parents buy a 3-row SUV they may not need. I did this: I purchased a 3-row Nissan Pathfinder and did not need the extra space. My thinking was that if one of my two kids wanted to bring a friend to a movie or excursion, we would need the third row. It rarely happened. As a result, I was paying a price, depreciation, and fuel economy penalty for a thing I simply did not need. It was a nice family car, but I could have done just as well with a 2-row crossover like a Toyota RAV4 or a Nissan Rogue.
- Look for second-row captain’s chairs. If you regularly bring a grandparent on family outings and have small children, it can be difficult for older adults to get in and out of that third row when the second row is a bench seat.
- Today’s minivans are luxurious. Not so long ago, families used to have more than 10 minivan choices. Today, there are four. If you’re looking for a minivan, be aware that today’s minivans are pretty luxurious and, therefore, on the pricier side. Be prepared to spend $50,000 for a new, nicely equipped minivan. And don’t expect much of a discount. Minivans are usually in high demand.
- Power matters. We could debate the age at which kids should have their own phones. It’s safe to say the longer you delay that, the healthier your child will be. However, even if you closely monitor your kids’ phones, as you should, they still need to communicate with you and other kids and even apply for jobs. A smartphone is part of modern life. That means rear seat power points are a must for any family vehicle. New cars are switching to USB-C ports, but some still have larger USB-A ports. Know what devices you need to plug in and ensure you have the right cables to go with it.
- Research brands. The average used car on the road today is 12.5 years old. A lot has changed in that time. For example, the Kia Telluride is an excellent family-friendly SUV. If you think Kia is mainly a low-priced economy brand, look again. Today’s Kia vehicles are stylish and functional, with many compelling options. The same goes for Buick. The brand’s Avenir trim provides Lexus-like luxury.
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