(June 8, 2017) NEW YORK — Parents magazine and car shopping and information network Edmunds today revealed their list of the 10 Best Family Cars for 2017, a reliable resource for families considering a new car purchase. For the 10th consecutive year, the parenting and car experts partnered to examine and assess hundreds of vehicles, narrowing down the list to the 10 models that offer the best combination of value, performance, safety and family-friendly features.

"It's so important that families feel safe and comfortable while on the road as well as confident in the price they paid for the car's features," says Parents magazine Editor-in-Chief Liz Vaccariello.

"Between school drop-offs, playdate pickups, sports-practice shuttling and carpools, we spend so much time in our family vehicles. This year's top picks highlight features that support the needs of Mom and Dad, and also kid passengers of all sizes — from our newborns to our preteens."

The list includes a vehicle for every type of family, from those looking for fuel efficiency to those needing room for many passengers. "The 10 Best Family Cars of 2017" appears in the July issue of Parents magazine and online at parents.com/best-family-cars.

"Edmunds has the most in-depth vehicle evaluation program of any third-party automotive-shopping site, and a critical part of our process is determining how a car will fit into someone's lifestyle," says Ed Hellwig, Edmunds senior editor.

"Many of us on the Edmunds editorial team are parents ourselves, so we know how hard it can be to find vehicles that are safe, affordable, fun to drive, and have all the features a busy family needs. This year's list offers parents a wide range of choices designed to suit a variety of budgets and tastes."

According to Parents magazine and Edmunds, the 10 "Best Family Cars of 2017" are:

BEST ECO-FRIENDLY CAR

    Chevrolet Bolt EV ($29,995, after $7,500 federal tax credit)
    Connect up to seven devices at once and benefit from a Wi-Fi hotspot in this electric car that can travel up to 238 miles on one charge.


2017 Kia Soul

BEST BUDGET VEHICLE

    Kia Soul ($16,100)
    Enjoy cavernous cargo capacity, a six-speaker audio system, as well as XM satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity in this budget vehicle fit for five.

BEST HATCHBACK

    Subaru Crosstrek ($21,695)
    Change the tunes without taking your eyes off the road in this all-wheel-drive hatchback, equipped with infotainment you can control with voice commands. Extra packages include adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking and more.

BEST SMALL SEDAN

    Honda Civic ($18,740)
    With enough trunk space for two strollers, this vehicle offers the room that many families need and comes with a multi-angle rearview camera, keeping safety a top priority.

BEST SEDAN

    Hyundai Sonata ($21,950)
    This sedan offers a roomy backseat that can hold a trio of teens comfortably, as well as luxury features such as Apple CarPlay and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel.


Mazda CX-5

BEST MIDSIZE CROSSOVERS

    Mazda CX-5 ($24,045)
    Stay connected with Bluetooth and enjoy the 7-inch infotainment touchscreen in this redesigned crossover, which also offers a top-notch and affordable safety-upgrade package.

    Honda CR-V ($24,045)
    New in this year's hot-selling model are a large storage bin, roomy door pockets and two device-charging ports.

BEST WAGON

    Subaru Outback ($25,645)
    Designed for off-roading family adventures, this wagon has moved up in luxury features by adding user-friendly touchscreens and plush seating. Upgrade packages offer EyeSight safety features including automated reverse braking.

BEST MINIVAN

    Chrysler Pacifica ($28,595)
    This minivan brings enhanced style to the category and fits up to eight passengers. Additional features include active noise cancellation for a quiet cabin and the Uconnect infotainment system.


2017 Toyota Highlander

BEST SUV

    Toyota Highlander ($30,630)
    With a V6 engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission, this powerful SUV also includes five charging ports and a safety bundle that includes a collision-avoidance system and pedestrian detection.

This year, Parents and Edmunds experts were impressed by these winners for their generous amounts of cargo space, infotainment options and voice-command systems, smartphone connectivity, surround-view cameras, automated emergency braking, and lane- and road-departure warning systems.

The partners also awarded five honorable mention designations to:

    Nissan Rogue ($23,820)
    Mazda 3 ($17,845)
    Mercedes-Benz GLC300 SUV ($39,150)
    Hyundai Santa Fe ($30,800)
    Honda Odyssey ($29,990)