A New Age in Family Vehicles

While families vehicles of the past simply served as a means of transportation to get from one place to the other, family vans, sedans, wagons, and SUVs of today do much more than ever imagined.

Entertainment

Especially on long drives, entertaining the kids is all important. Rear-seat DVD entertainment systems now come in a variety of vehicles.  Typical entertainment systems come with a centrally located fold-down screen, a pair of headphones and auxiliary input jacks that can accommodate video-game systems. Some systems have a screen in the back of each front headrest, and Chrysler offers dual screens, one for each rear seating row. SIRIUS Backseat TV makes a rear-seat entertainment system even better. Offered exclusively by Chrysler, it comes with three child-friendly channels: Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel.

Seating

Third row SUVs are widely available and come from a variety of automakers. There is finally an alternative to the minivan, and for some the style of an SUV is much desired compared to the minivan. Seating options in minivan, meanwhile, have become advanced.  Chrysler and Dodge offers the ‘Stow ‘n Go’ system , where the seats can be folded directly into the floor.  When the seats are up, the bins they fold into can be used for storage space. The third-row seats also fold into a well in the back of the van, leaving a flat, useful load floor.  Other companies have developed the same rear seat/rear well configuration, but nobody else has Stow ‘n Go-style second-row seats.

Safety

Safety has become one of the most advanced technologies in the auto industry.  And family vehicles, naturally, make it a priority.  Rearview cameras and/or rear park assist can prevent you from backing over items or even kids in the driveway. Other safety technologies to look for are anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC) and side-curtain airbags. Similar to the way ABS prevents a vehicle’s brakes from locking up, ESC sensors detect loss of traction. All-wheel or four-wheel drive can also be helpful in a family vehicle. Both systems will get you through the snow when front- or rear-wheel drive may not.