Parents’ Best Family Cars Include Civic Hybrid, CR-V and Odyssey
When the staff at Parents magazine was putting together their list of “Best Family Cars for 2012,” they naturally turned to some experts for help. And those experts—from Edmunds.com—turned to Honda for three standout choices for families of all sizes: The Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey.The Civic Hybrid was picked as a “Best Family Car” in the High Mileage category, which is appropriate for a vehicle that has posted marks of 44 mpg in all three EPA driving categories. Parents also noted that it’s “a pleasure to drive and is sleek inside and out.” In addition, while its MSRP starts at a family-friendly $24,200, “the loaded version, with on-board navigation and leather seats, clocks in at under $27,000, making it among the most affordable full-feature hybrids.”
For bigger families, Honda also offers the CR-V as a “Best Family Car” solution from the Crossover class, featuring a cabin that’s “reminiscent of a minivan, with a slew of cup holders and a gear shifter situated on the dashboard.” The best-selling crossover in America is packed with standard features, too, with Parents calling out its “backup camera, a rear armrest to keep warring siblings apart, and rear seats that fold flat with a single touch.” Helpful as well: For the first time ever, the CR-V offers an optional rear-seat entertainment system.
Finally, in addition to the CR-V with its minivan-like interior, an actual minivan from Honda made the roster in the Large Vehicle segment. Regarding the Odyssey, Parents praised its car-like cornering abilities and stable ride, and singled out advantages like its “endless storage compartments and second-row captain’s chairs that slide forward (to get closer to you) and sideways (to put extra real estate between siblings or make room for three car seats in the row)” along with an “optional middle seat in the second row [that] transforms into a cool beverage and snack tray when no one’s using it.”
Finally, in addition to the CR-V with its minivan-like interior, an actual minivan from Honda made the roster in the Large Vehicle segment. Regarding the Odyssey, Parents praised its car-like cornering abilities and stable ride, and singled out advantages like its “endless storage compartments and second-row captain’s chairs that slide forward (to get closer to you) and sideways (to put extra real estate between siblings or make room for three car seats in the row)” along with an “optional middle seat in the second row [that] transforms into a cool beverage and snack tray when no one’s using it.”
The current Accord is in the last few months of its lifecycle, with the new 2013 model launching later this year, but “its reputation for quality and reliability are legend,” according to KBB.com, and it supplies an “uncanny combination of handling and ride that are uncommonly good for a car in its class.” The 2012 Accord also boasts an MSRP of $21,480, which is lower than the starting price of rivals like the Chevrolet Malibu and Toyota Camry. In fact, all four-cylinder Accord models start under KBB.com’s $25,000 ceiling, even the Accord EX with its 190-hp i-VTEC engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, one-touch power moonroof, halogen reflector-style headlights and rear-seat climate vents.
