How We Picked Our Family Car

Within the first month of having a newborn, we realized we would need more space when traveling to see our families to pack all the things to make our routine away from the house feel normal.

I had a smaller SUV and Nick has a sedan, so we decided to look at replacing my SUV to one with a 3rd row option (and more trunk space). At first we felt overwhelmed by the thought of finding the right car because of how many different models, brands, styles, technology packages, etc exist. After deciding what we didn't want and prioritizing what we did, the process became much easier and we found the car that perfectly fits our family needs!

What we wanted to avoid:

• Manufacturer with higher costs for parts and repairs. My husband had a Volkswagen and the inflated cost anytime he had a service made us decide against a few brands, such as BMW or Volkswagen.

• V8 Engine. We drive to see both of our families (2-3 hours) and knew we would have an increase in our local trips, so wanted to maximize gas mileage. Unfortunately, this car would be difficult to be completely electric but when we replace Nicks, we did discuss that being an EV.

What we wanted to find:

• Efficient heating and cooling. This was probably one of the biggest for me living in the South where it gets HOT in the Summers. Several vehicles we looked at only had vents from the center console for the entire backseat! The vehicle we purchase had vents in the ceiling for both middle and 3rd rows.

• Low APR offer to be able to purchase new (and Luxury brand) and include maintenance coverage.

• MPG 20 or above.

• 2nd & 3rd row seating with plenty of legroom for kids and adults, and ease of folding seats.

What's been "nice to have":

• built in sunshade for windows in backseat (adds additional cooling for baby)!

• Technology specs such as smart cruise control, parking aids, Carplay.

Ultimately, these tips helped us remove a lot of the stress for such a large purchase and feel confident we found the right option for our family!