First-Time
Parents: What to Look for When Buying A Family Car
Expecting
a new baby is exciting -- and a lot of work! With all the health monitoring and
wellness checks and important issues like what color to paint the baby’s room,
have you started to consider how you’re going to haul that little bundle of joy
around? After all, it’s likely that the little tiger will be going with you
almost anywhere you go, along with the assortment of diaper bags, stroller,
playpen, blankets, bottles and other sundry goods. The days of your sporty compact
coupe may be over, but here are some considerations that should play a role in
the selection of your new family vehicle.
Safety
Having a safe car, for yourself and your precious cargo, is
imperative. Not only do most new passenger vehicles offer airbags, anti-lock
brakes, traction control and electronic stability control, there are a whole
host of new collision-avoidance technologies that can help prevent an accident
before you may even be aware something bad is happening.
These features include pedestrian and forward collision
detection; automatic braking; adaptive cruise control; rear obstruction, rear
cross-traffic monitoring and blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warnings
and lane keep assist systems. These systems work in a variety of ways depending
upon the vehicle, but are amazing technologies proven to prevent even minor
accidents before they occur.
One such system is the Honda Sensing safety technology. This
includes lane and road departure mitigation, frontal collision prevention with
automatic braking and adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. Rear
cross-traffic alert and blind spot warning systems are also available depending
on the trim level and option packages selected.
Car Seats
Not only must you consider the ability of a child seat to fit
comfortably – and correctly -- in your new car, you may want to think about how
many car seats might fit (if you’re planning on having more children), the type
of car seat that fits in the vehicle and even if the doors open wide enough to
easily wiggle a car seat into the vehicle.
New car seat standards require rear-facing infant seats, two
levels of front-facing child seats and lastly, a booster seat, as your child
grows. The seat type used depends on the age and size of the child being
secured in it, and not all types and brands of seats fit in all vehicles. Also,
if you need to switch the car seat between vehicles, getting the seat in and
out conveniently is of utmost importance.
New cars are also required to be equipped with the Lower
Anchors and Tethers for Children (“LATCH”) system. This requires lower built-in
child seat anchor and a top attachment for new LATCH-compatible child safety
seats. This results in a more secure installation with far fewer problems than
the old safety-belt securing system.
Be sure to read information
on choosing a new baby car seat, the different types of seats that
are available, how they function and what to look for when purchasing a child
seat.
The Ability For Your
Car To Grow With Your Kids
It’s easy to focus on that darling newborn and imagine the first
trip to Grandma’s house, but average drivers keep a new vehicle nearly six
years, and the average age
of vehicles on the road is over 11 years. Chances are that in that time, your
newborn will have outgrown all of their car seat adaptations and will be
sitting upright in a normal seatbelt. Your errands will have changed from
running to the warehouse club for bulk discounts on diapers to shuttling
classmates to soccer and dropping them off at birthday parties. Your darling
newborn may even end up with brothers and sisters, too!
When shopping for a new car, you should consider how the
vehicle can change with your family’s needs over time. Whether a sedan, sport
or compact utility vehicle or mini-van, think about the space and flexibility
you may need over the next six years to a decade. Is on-board video or WiFi
something you may want down the line and how will rear seat legroom and storage
play into your future?
Storage
Speaking of storage, how important is the ability to haul all
this kid “stuff” around and keep it organized? Is having ample storage bins and
nets, cupholders and other considerations important to you? The flexibility of
cargo room and storage is an important consideration, as is the ability to
reconfigure the storage as your use of the vehicle changes over time.
For example, does your favorite coffee cup fit in the
cupholders? How about your preferred type of baby bottle, juice boxes and your
occasional “big gulp,” without falling out or spilling? Is the trunk large
enough for the diaper bag, bassinette, stroller and your suitcases? How about a
bag full of soccer balls, pads and other equipment?
Cleanup
Let’s face it, children -- and even adults -- make messes. A
major consideration is the ability to easily clean up your new vehicle to keep
it pristine. Are the seats water and stain resistant and can they be wiped down
to remove spills, vomit and other messes (yes, it sounds gross but car sickness
is generally unavoidable with children.) Can the floor be easily vacuumed or
are there many obstacles that create little pockets that can’t be vacuumed out?
These are all things to consider.
Fun
Lastly, while you add the new responsibilities of being a
parent, it doesn’t mean you automatically enter the realm of stodgy old adulthood.
Fun and sportiness may still be a factor in your decision, and you don’t have
to give up the pleasure of driving to find a suitable and safe family vehicle
that meets your needs.
Enter the Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey
Depending on what you are looking for in a new family
vehicle, consider the 2019 Honda CR-V
or 2019 Honda Odyssey. Both feature Five-Star safety ratings from the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration and both feature Honda Sensing safety
technology.
If small sport utility vehicles are your preference, the
Honda CR-V is the family SUV of choice. It features a fuel mileage rating of 26
miles per gallon (mpg) city and up to 32 mpg highway and starts at only
$24,350.00. The CR-V comfortably fits two car seats in the rear seat and has an
“A” rating for child seats by Cars.com. The CR-V
also features a family-friendly interior, with wide-opening doors, a low cargo
height in the rear, a huge cargo bin between the front seats and lots of
storage. It also features a 5- or 7-inch multimedia entertainment system and a separate
volume control for the rear (depending upon the model).
The Honda Odyssey, consistently rated the
best family minivan, is probably the best choice for a family vehicle.
Offering the most features and most flexibility for your family long term, the
Odyssey is loaded with family-related (and parent-friendly) features. Starting
at only $30,090, and featuring fuel mileage starting at 19 mpg City and 28 mpg
Highway, the Odyssey is also a 2018 KBB Best Buy award winner.
The Odyssey features wide-opening side doors, “Magic Slide” second-row
seats that convert and slide sideways for maximum seating flexibility, ideal
car seat placement and easy third-row seating access. The Odyssey features
LATCH accommodations for up to five (5) car seats and also has options
including onboard 4G LTE WiFi, wireless cell phone charging, a multitude of USB
ports and cupholders and an overhead monitor with an HDMI port, allowing for
the most adaptation for the use of the monitor as your family grows.
If you would like to monitor your family members in the rear
seats, Honda Odyssey features an available CabinWatch rear-facing camera, and
CabinTalk microphone and speaker system, which allows you to talk to passengers
in the back without yelling or turning around.
Odyssey also offers second and third row sunscreens that
allow your passengers the same comfort as front seat occupants.
For storage, in addition to the simple spaciousness of a
minivan, the Odyssey features a multitude of bins, trays, drawers and a
multi-function center console. This console even offers a sliding cover that is
“grooveless” -- making it super easy to clean!
As far as cleaning, the Odyssey even offers HondaVac, a
built-in vacuum cleaner that makes it simple to clean up messes when they
occur.
“…the
Odyssey's second-row seat technology and configuration options make it the king
of kid-friendly travel.”
As you prepare for your new bundle of joy, be sure to take all
these things into consideration as you shop for your first family vehicle.
Enjoy this time – and congratulations!!
If you’re ready to shop for your family car and are
interested in the Honda CR-V or Honda Odyssey,
Neil Huffman Honda in Clarksville, IN, is the place
to go to look for your growing family’s first vehicle! We look forward to
showing you our new and used cars, safety features and fun options that will make
driving your little one around enjoyable.
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