The perfect family car: what is important?

Starting a family is probably the biggest decision in life, one that can turn the usual daily routine upside down. With all the family commitments, the choice of a new car is also relevant. Efficient, safe, spacious & reliable? Learn in this article how to find the right family car with these tips.

The car subscription adapts to your family

For families, the requirements for a car are constantly changing. When the family grows, the small car has to be exchanged for a larger car, such as an wagon or SUV with space for child seats. Maybe even a van is needed. When the children are older, you can switch back to a more compact car. With the car subscription, you can choose the duration of your all-inclusive subscription between 3 and 48 months and thus change flexibly at any time if the family situation changes. But what needs to be taken into account when the family grows?

Security is a must!

Of course, safety should always be an important selection criterion when you want to buy a car. For a family car, this is even more important because you are also responsible for the safety of the rest of your family. The following aspects should be considered when comparing the different models you have in mind.

• Safety systems such as airbags, ABS and ESP are a must in a family car.

• Do you have a toddler who needs more care? If you want to secure it in a child seat in the front passenger seat and against the direction of travel, take a look at the front passenger airbag system. You have to be able to switch this airbag off!

• Children like to push buttons and play with the electric window lifter. Make sure that you can lock the controls in the family car from the driver's seat.

• The rear doors must be lockable with a child lock. Ideally, you can switch them on and off conveniently from the driver's door.

• It's also worth buying and installing an extra mirror where you can see the kids in the back seat.

• Parking sensors or rear view cameras are not a luxury in a family car, because especially small children can sometimes only see poorly or not at all from the driver's seat. With this warning system, you are warned when entering or leaving a parking space, even if the children jump behind a ball.

Space for children

A classic family car is the wagon. Many families buy this type of car because it offers many advantages over other types of family cars.

A station wagon offers plenty of storage space for families in the rear loading area. When folded up, the pram easily fits in when you go out for a walk in the countryside at the weekend. And thanks to the folding door at the rear, the stroller can be loaded and unloaded quickly. But the wagon also shows its strengths when shopping for a family for the whole week. A family of four normally consumes a lot of food and drink. Even when travelling on holiday, there is a lot to be stowed away in the family car.

Equally important is the number of seats in the family car. Especially with larger families - or when more children are on the road - you'll be happy if the number of seats can be extended. You should also make sure that these seats can be installed and removed as easily as possible and with little effort.

The width and height of the doors also contribute to the comfort of a family car. Children up to their 12th birthday - or until they are no taller than 1.50 metres - must ride in the child seat. This is prescribed by law for the safety of young people. If the doors are too small, then the strapping on of the offspring in the seats becomes a torture that you would rather save yourself. Make sure you have enough space when buying the family carriage. If you have already purchased a child seat, take it with you when you choose the future family car. Here it is worth comparing different models on the market.

If you don't have a child seat yet, you can subscribe to one - just like your car. GAIA Children is your online shop with selected products for your baby and toddler for monthly rental. There you can rent car seats, such as the Joie Baby, among other things. You can even get a 15% discount with the code "Carvolution15"*. When choosing a child seat, you should also first check a few points about the seats with the vehicle's operating instructions. Which seats are approved for use with universal child seats? Is the belt length sufficient? Is the belt buckle accessible? How many child seats fit on the rear seat?

*This discount code is only valid for residents of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Legal action and cash payout are excluded. Not cumulative and only applicable once.

A child-friendly interior

Where there are children, dirt is often not far away - a sometimes painful experience for parents. Even in the car, the children do not always hold back. When buying a family car, you should also pay attention to the design of the interior and the materials used. How easy is it to clean them?

Especially on longer journeys - for example on holiday - you will be grateful if the family car offers further amenities. First of all, of course, it should offer enough space for the legs so that everyone can sit comfortably. But you should also consider the height of the seat. If it is rather low, it is difficult for small children to look out of the window while driving. Especially when going to unknown places, the curiosity of the offspring is great to see a lot. If you want to buy a family car, the children should also have the opportunity to try it out before buying it.

In addition, other details can make all the difference whether longer journeys are fun or torture. For example, are there holders for water bottles? With them you don't have to stop often to take care of your son and daughter.

A multimedia and entertainment system can also relax the holiday trip in a family car, if the offspring can also deal with themselves and watch their favourite film on DVD. Of course you can buy a system to install afterwards, the best thing is that the multimedia system is already permanently installed when the family car is purchased. Then it's already firmly installed and won't fly through the passenger compartment during a strong braking manoeuvre and becomes a potential risk for the safety of the passengers.

Alternatives to the station wagon

If you have more than two children, the wagon might not be the right family car for you, because there is not enough space for everyone. Alternatively, you can look at a van or even buy an SUV. For larger families, you should compare which type of car suits you and your family best as a family car. In recent years, SUVs in particular have become increasingly popular with families. Discover all the cars on subscription and find your new family car.

Which family car is right for you?

These tips will give you a few pointers to help you choose your new family car. The Carvolution car subscription offers you flexible solutions that adapt to your circumstances. If you still have questions, please feel free to contact us.