Think ahead to the possibility of a new addition to the family. Don't be forced to upgrade by having a four-door sedan with two children and one on the way. If you plan on keeping the vehicle into the children's teenage years, it would be wise to have third-row seating, which can fit six to seven passengers.
Don't overlook comfort of enter/exiting and loading/unloading the vehicle, particularly for younger families. While SUVs are popular for their roomy interiors, they are not very practical. Small children will find it next to impossible getting into larger SUVs by themselves. They usually sit more than 3 feet off the ground and sometimes have large, clunky door handles that take some strength to operate. SUVs' high height also makes loading groceries, strollers and other items more difficult because the cargo area is also higher off the ground.
If your family takes long road trips, you should look into various entertainment options. A rear DVD player is a must-have. Watching the latest animated movie release will keep the kids engaged and make the trip much smoother. Some set-ups are even compatible with video-game systems. It's no secret that siblings fight on road trips, forcing dad to threaten to pull over and dole out discipline. By playing video games, their arguments can be settled with friendly competition with no need for parental intervention.
