The 10 Most Best Family Used Cars for 2023
Nov 22, 2022
10 best used cars for family in 2023
When you’re looking to buy a car for your family, you have so many choices to make. Add in the fact that you’re dealing with used cars, and your decision only gets more complex.
To help you find your next family vehicle, we’ve ranked the top 10 best family used cars for 2023. Our rankings of the best family cars have changed substantially over the past decade. After all, a car that is 10 years old can become a pretty good deal when compared to its younger version and the “newer” used cars up for sale on the market.
Why Families Are Buying Used Cars In 2022 and 2023
It’s no secret, families are becoming more and more cash-strapped as they struggle to make ends meet under the current economic conditions. However, a car, especially one for your family, isn’t a purchase that you can afford to put off. You probably need the car to go to work, run errands, and to complete several other essential tasks.
If you stick to a well-defined budget, you can wind up with huge savings on your next car purchase by opting for a used one. Compared to the alternative of overpaying for a new car that depreciates the moment you drive it off the lot, buying used ends up being extremely beneficial to a lot of families.
4 Things You Should Consider Before Purchasing A Family Car
Purchasing a used car for your family is a big step, and there are a lot of points you need to consider. Don’t stress out, we narrowed these points down to 4 salient ones.
When you first start your search, realize that you’re buying a used car for a reason. Perhaps you’re welcoming a new child into your world. Or, you could have just gotten a new job with a much longer commute. No matter what, make sure that you’re fully aware of your needs throughout the buying process. If you have any dealbreakers that make a car completely unsuitable for your circumstances, then feel free to avoid cars that have those dealbreakers.
Budget Properly
At the very beginning, you should account for all your expenses and determine how much you can afford to pay for your next car. And don’t neglect your monthly expenses either. You’ll need to pay for gas, which only seems to be getting more expensive, and monthly insurance payments on top of your regular car checkups. Plus, you might need to pay a monthly lease if you obtain financing for your car.
Of course, your monthly budget will also help you make conscious choices about what kind of car you get. If you have a tight monthly budget, then fuel economy will probably be one of your top priorities during your used car search.
How Many Seats Do You Need?
If you have a family, then you probably need a car that has a lot of space. Space both for your kids and for extra equipment if need be. Usually, a tiny coupe won’t do the job. You’re often going to look at minivans and SUVs.
Of course, your needs now might not be the same in the future. Maybe you only have one kid now, but are you planning on having more? A sedan with 2 kids and 2 parents can get kind of tight and usually gives you little space to stow things in the back. And if you’re planning on having more than two children, then you’ll surely need to look for a bigger car.
This is also the time for you to think about safety. You might need to get a car that makes it easy to install child seats when needed.
Consider Financing Options
If you have an urgent need for a car, then you might not even have any money saved up for one. Not to mention, it’s pretty common for your budget to fall short of the price of the car that best suits your needs. While you could try to obtain financing from a bank or a Credit Union, this can be tricky. Having a poor credit rating makes the experience even more challenging still.
Therefore, your best bet for financing usually comes from the car dealer. They often have financial experts working with them to help you find the best rates for your auto loan. Moreover, they could offer you the option of trading in your old vehicle to get a discount for your new purchase. This is all well and good, but keep in mind that you won’t officially own the car until your final payment has been made.
Car Safety
Above all, you want to keep your loved ones protected. You don’t want to put them at risk with a used car. Therefore, you should ensure that you get an auto inspection report from your dealership that accounts for the vehicle’s history and tells you whether any past drivers had an incident of note. It’s not uncommon for scams to pop up, CarFax and Autocheck are a couple of resources that check your vehicle’s history.
Moreover, you should read the car reviews to ensure that there are no common safety issues that stick out to you. Prudence is the best approach and if something feels off to you about a car, then don’t buy it.
How To Research Used Cars
Before you start your search, you might already have a few interesting cars in mind for the future. However, you should still keep an open mind and do your due diligence on each car. A good place to start your search is to look for customer-written used car reviews online. We often find that those reviews are the most honest because they’ve been written by people who have driven the car day in and day out for several years. That’s much more insightful than reviews from someone who took the car out for a day of driving.
There are plenty of car review websites for you to look at. The best type of review is usually the long one that gave the car about 3 or 4 stars. Those reviews will provide you with a candid description of the car’s downsides and alert you to any common issues. Meanwhile, they still hold back on any bitterness or vitriol that characterizes the angry, negative reviews.
Our Top 10 Used Cars For Families
To help you kick off your search for a used car, we’ve written up a list of 10 of the best used cars for families. All the criteria and standards we outlined should apply to the cars here. We’ve found some positives and negatives to each car, it’s up to you to set your standard features for what you should choose.
2016 Hyundai Tucson
A compact SUV like the 2016 Hyundai Tucson is the perfect fit for families looking to ferry their children to and fro in a secure environment. The Tucson does well on all the reliability ratings when compared to the rest of its class. Plus, it’s a comfortable ride by all standards since it combines excellent driving with a spacious interior.
What we like about this vehicle
A reliable long-term option
Great value for all its features
Powerful engine for its class
Comfortable, quiet interior
What you should consider before buying
2014 GMC Terrain
While the 2014 GMC Terrain is a bit pricier than we’d like, it makes for an exceptionally comfortable ride. This SUV is known for its spacious cabin and sophisticated style. Not to mention, it’s one of the safest cars you can buy too. The base engine can be a bit weak, but with a sport package, you can get a more powerful V6.
What we like about this vehicle
Ample space inside the cabin
A great choice for safety
Reliable over the long term
Four-wheel drive
What you should consider before buying
The base engine is slow
Poor handling
2019 Chevrolet Equinox
The Equinox is the perfect SUV for drivers on a budget. Combined with its extremely affordable price and high fuel economy, you’ll be able to save a lot of money both in the short term and the long term with this model. The interior of this SUV does indeed leave much to be desired. However, it’s still a very safe option for you and your family.
2019 Chevrolet Equinox (Continued)
What we like about this vehicle
Great handling
Comfortable cabin
Excellent fuel economy
What you should consider before buying
2018 Chevrolet Tahoe
Combining an assortment of family-friendly features like third-row seating, the 2018 Tahoe is one of the best family cars on the market. We like that the Tahoe gives you plenty of options, you can utilize the 3rd row to accommodate your child’s friends. Alternatively, you can fold down the back seats and capitalize on the extra cargo room.
What we like about this vehicle
What you should consider before buying
2014 GMC Yukon
Sure, the 2014 Yukon is one of the older cars on our list, but it’s an SUV that does the job regardless of what the exterior looks like. If you’re looking for utility, then this SUV has it in spades. Imagine being able to fit 9 people into one vehicle! At that point, it’s practically a bus. Especially when you realize how much this car can store. The Yukon is a bit of a gas-guzzler but it handles pretty well for an SUV of its size.
What we like about this vehicle
Ample seating
Powerful engine
What you should consider before buying
2016 Kia Forte
By now, you might be a little tired of hearing about SUVs. Fortunately, the Forte provides a compact and economical option for smaller families. And despite being so compact, the Forte packs a surprising amount of cargo room in the trunk. The cabin is quite relaxing too, though it’s hardly the best in its class in this regard.
What we like about this vehicle
Safe for its size
Extremely affordable
Good for small families
What you should consider before buying
2018 Hyundai Elantra
In the interest of affordability, we thought we’d include the Elantra in our rankings. It’s hardly some luxury car with leather seats, but it’s a functional sedan that does the job for most of your daily needs.
What we like about this vehicle
What you should consider before buying
2017 Jeep Cherokee
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the Jeep Cherokee – a great choice for sporty families. Your whole family will love that you get a truckload (or SUV-load?) of interior features. However, the Cherokee is a bit lacking in terms of serious features such as fuel economy or even overall safety.
What we like about this vehicle
2017 Jeep Cherokee (Continued)
What you should consider before buying
2017 Ford Fusion
The 2017 Ford Fusion is probably the largest sedan we have on our list. Like the other sedans, it’s perfect for small families, and it’s pretty fun to drive too. The advantage to this car is that it’s a little roomier all around since it gives both your legs in the cabin and your cargo in the trunk more breathing room. That said, the Fusion lags behind its competitors when you look at its other features.
What we like about this vehicle
What you should consider before buying
2017 Mitsubishi Outlander
We decided to include the Mitsubishi Outlander because it’s one of the tiniest SUVs to have third-row seating. However, outside of its well-insulated interior, the Outlander trails behind the rest of this list. It matches its compact size with a rather compact engine that performs quite poorly on highways.
What we like about this vehicle
What you should consider before buying
Find Your Next Used Vehicle At Eagle Motorsport
Choosing a family car isn’t quick, nor is it easy. However, it’s something that must be done.
At Eagle Motorsport, we offer some of the best cars available in the Hobart area at extremely affordable prices. Our accounting department works hard to find you the best possible terms for your vehicle. Plus, our friendly customer service staff treats you with kindness and respect no matter what kind of car you’re looking to buy. Bring your vehicle in for a test drive.
