Looking for your first family car that also fits your lifestyle comes with so many questions. Things you may ask yourself could be, which car:
- Would have a good safety rating
- Would be able to fit a baby seat and a pram in
- Can offer good fuel economy
- Fits under my budget of $25k
- Comes with a long warranty so I have less to worry about
To make it easier, we have shortlisted 3 cars that come under $25k and can offer great features for a small family without giving up on safety.
The 3 cars that we put head to head are:
- Honda HR-V
- Hyundai Kona
- Suzuki Vitara
What’s good about them?
These 3 cars are all SUVs which means that they are full of practical features for your family. SUVs are also higher than other cars which makes is much easier to get the kids, prams and baby seats in and out of the car.
How safe are they?
For a young family with a baby, having a car with a high safety rating is a no-brainer.
Safety in cars should be one of the first things that pops into the mind of any parent. For a young family with a baby, having a car with a high safety rating is a no-brainer. All of the three cars get the highest 5 star ANCAP safety rating which means that they are very safe for you and your family.
Are they fuel economical?
The fuel economy on all three cars which the car maker claims is good. In the real world, these might be a bit higher but not my much. Suzuki Vitara takes the top spot for best in fuel economy.
- Suzuki Vitara – 6.0 litres for every 100 kilometers
- Honda HR-V – 6.6 litres for every 100 kilometers
- Hyundai Kona – 7.2 litres for every 100 kilometers
How long is the warranty?
Both Honda and Hyundai come on top with a 5 years/unlimited kilometers warranty while the Suzuki only comes with 3 years/100,000 kilometers warranty.
What about boot space?
You can fit a small pram in the boot of all 3 of them without much trouble. Honda HR-V though comes on top as the best out of the 3 family cars when it comes to boot space. You could always pack more if the rear seats are folded down in any of these cars.
- Honda HR-V – 437 litres in the boot with back seats folded up
- Suzuki Vitara – 375 litres in the boot with back seats folded up
- Hyundai Kona – 361 litres in the boot with back seats folded up
How about child/baby seats?
All 3 cars come with securing points for car seats for babies and young kids. All 3 cars come with 3 tether points and 2 ISOFIX points to securely fit the child seats in.
Rear-facing child seats will take a bit of fiddling around to get inside all 3 cars without having to push the passenger seats forward. We suggest taking your seat with you to the dealership to make sure it fits when test driving the car.
How much do they cost?
All 3 cars come under $25k in Automatic transmission and with non-metallic paint. Suzuki Vitara is the cheapest out of the 3 but not by much when you consider what the other 2 offer in terms of space, warranty and practicality.
- Suzuki Vitara – starts at $23,990
- Hyundai Kona – starts at $24,500
- Honda HR-V – starts at $24,990
On costs, you may also find the article on car buying tips that can save you money helpful.
Our Pick – Best first family car
Honda HR-V would be our pick for the best first family car. It might be more expensive than the other 2, but you get a lot of value for money. The boot space it packs is the biggest out of all 3 cars. Now with a 5 years warranty, this car will suit any small family that’s looking for a great all rounder.
