You want a car for your family, but you’re not crazy about minivans. Family sedans are the perfect alternative to that go-to minivan and are usually cheaper than crossovers and SUVs. Not only that, sedans are practical, flexible, and get great gas mileage. These attributes have made family sedans popular, meaning you’ll have a variety of models to choose from when shopping around. We’ve rounded up the best five family sedans available.
If you’re looking for a sensible car, then the Altima is what you’re after. The car gets close to 40 miles per gallon on the highway, and has enough power to get you and anyone—or anything—you can fit in the car there as fast as you need to. Everything about this car was well thought out and well designed. You’ll be hard pressed to find a car that makes more sense as a family sedan.
The Ford Fusion, a stylish second on this list, comes in many different trim levels, and you’ll need to know the subtleties of each one before you pick your car. Having said that, all of the trim levels make for one heck of a nice family sedan. You can get anything you want from a four-cylinder supercharged engine to a plug-in hybrid.
The Mazda 6 is new for 2014, and it’s one of the best cars you can own if you’re interested in a family sedan. The Madza 6 beat out the Honda Accord in a head-to-head Car and Driver road test. The Mazda 6 has everything you want in a family sedan: it’s fun to drive, with its 184-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that gets 32 miles per gallon on the highway.
The TL looks nice and drives even nicer. It feels like a luxury sedan, and with all-wheel drive you’ll feel confident on the road no matter what the weather is like. While the V6 engine tends to sip a little more gas, it still manages respectable fuel economy.
The Malibu features quite a bit of interior space, making for a comfortable ride. It’s a great choice for families that like to take trips, and with the Malibu getting 37 miles per gallon on the highway, you’ll likely be able to do a little more traveling in the future.