"Family car" is a definition that is most capable of bringing a feeling of absolute doom into the minds of car enthusiasts. After all, what comes to one's mind upon hearing those dreadful words? Crumbles of Cheetos embedded into the cheap, ugly cloth upholstery of the rear seats? Being late for the math class because of the school's neverending carpool line in front? Soccer practice?
Point being, for most people, a family car is an antipode of a fun car. But what if we told you that family cars don't have to be boring? After all, there are more cars in the world that could potentially fit that definition apart from the usual minivans and SUVs. In this article, we've compiled a few very different vehicles that have one thing in common - they all make for incredibly cool family cars.
10 Hyundai Veloster N
If you think that the Veloster N is too insane to be even considered for a family car, wait until you see what else this list has to offer. But let us not get ahead of ourselves. While the normal Veloster is a perfectly good hatchback, we just love the performance N version.
It really balances performance and practicality. 275 hp while getting 29 mpg on the highway. Sporty bucket seats in front and a side door for easier back-row access. A sizeable trunk and a 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds. Sign us up.
9 Kia Stinger
Even though the hype that followed the release of the Stinger has now subsided, everyone still seems to agree that it's one of the most exciting cars to ever come out of Kia's R&D labs. In the GT version, it offers a 3.3l turbo V6 with 365 hp that allows the striking liftback to sprint from 0 to 60 in only 4.7.
But our focus here is on the word "liftback" - thanks to the spacious design of the cargo area, the Stinger can fit a large portion of a young family's belongings. For under $40,000, that's quite a steal.
8 BMW 3 Series Wagon
For some unknown reason, the N0rth American division of BMW has a love-hate relationship with the wagon versions of their cars. And this is a shame because they are amazing. In Europe, the 3 Series and the 5 Series wagons are among BMW's bestsellers. In the US, however, you can no longer buy one new - but there is plenty of 5-door 3 Series on the used market.
If you want a family car that is compact and practical, but sporty and good-looking at the same time, we don't know what else to recommend you but the 3 Series. Not counting the other cars on that list, that is.
7 Audi A5 Sportback
Audi's reputation for making capable, practical luxury cars stems primarily from their A4 and A6 Avant models. However, for this article, we'd like to point out another model in their lineup that we believe is extremely underrated and could be a great family car. We're talking about the A5 Sportback.
Sure, it's not really loved among Audi fans for being a four-door version of a two-door car - and that's silly, we admit. But then again, it does feel the slot between the more mundane, simple A4 and the more luxurious, stately A6. Sure, the rear bench is only roomy enough for a pair of child seats - but the voluminous trunk makes up for that.
6 Jaguar XF Sportbrake
The wagon version of Jaguar's XF executive sedan is, perhaps, best known in its crazy fast XFR-S model from a few years ago. And "known" is a strong word - as far as we are concerned, seeing one of these wagons on the street is about as likely as witnessing the creation of a black hole in real-time.
The same applies to the newest XF Sportbrake - it's about as cool as it is rare, even though it's available for sale in the US. It might not be the most obvious choice when shopping for a family car, but it is definitely the most unique one. Not to mention how gorgeous the XF Sportbrake is, and how exhilaratingly the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 from the S version sounds.
5 Volvo V90 Cross Country
If there is one car company that really knows a thing or two about making a great station wagon, it's Volvo - sorry, Audi! And the latest V90 is as great as a Volvo wagon could ever get. It's got the sleek exterior styling, the comfy, inviting, unmistakably Scandinavian interior, and some decent off-roading capabilities in the Cross Country version.
And yes, we know how much car enthusiasts love to complain about Volvo only offering four-cylinder engines in their cars nowadays. But slamming the Swedes from dropping the crowd-pleasing straight-sixes and V8s from their lineup means missing the point. In a car like the V90 Cross Country, the driver or the passengers aren't supposed to even think about what's happening under the hood. All that matters is loading the trunk to the brim, making sure your kids are comfy in the rear seat, and enjoying the ride.
4 Genesis G90
Genesis G90 in the context of this article is where things get interesting. No, we're not kidding - a full-size luxury sedan with reclining and massaged rear seats can be a great family car. Mainly, due to its value. For around $75,000, you can become a happy owner of an elegant automobile that is absolutely loaded with luxury features.
It is an amazing choice for the families who love covering long distances - the interior will feel like an opulent fortress with tons and tons of room. Sure, $75,000 is a lot of money - but the G90 is a real steal when compared to its competition. Or the three cars that are left on this list.
3 Porsche Panamera
Ignore the Porsche purists - the reason why the Panamera is loved by many around the world is that it's the Swiss army knife of luxury cars. It's a full-size sedan, it's a sports car, it's a grand tourer - so why can't it be a family car?
Whether you pick the liftback (sedan?) or the Sport Turismo wagon body style, you'd be surprised how much cargo you can stuff in a car that can go from 0 to 60 faster than the Lamborghini Murcielago. And if it's good enough to beat supercars, it's good enough for your family.
2 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe
We know what you are probably thinking right now - sure, the regular S-Class can probably work as a family car, but the Coupe? Hear us out. It might only have two doors, but it was designed to comfortably accommodate four adults. In case you weren't able to tell that from the sheer size of this Autobahn destroyer, of course.
Yes, the pricing starts at around $130,000. But there is just something about the exterior lines of this gorgeous grand tourer that make us think that it's worth every penny. It's got the comfort, the tech, the refinement, the huge trunk. Besides, you won't get confused for a hired driver while taking your kids to school - something that could happen with an S-Class sedan.
1 Ferrari GTC4Lusso
No, we're not crazy or ironic - because as far as Ferrari is concerned, the GTC4Lusso is nothing short of a true family car. Because unlike most Ferrari models, it has AWD, four seats, and a real trunk. It also has a 690 hp 6.3l V12 - but we wouldn't recommend it as an engine choice. After all, a true family car should get good gas mileage. So, perhaps you should opt for the twin-turbocharged 3.8l V8 that puts out 80 hp less but gets you 4 mpg more.
All jokes aside, we do believe that the GTC4Lusso could be a perfectly capable family car aside from a few obvious limitations, such as its $260,000+ price tag. Then again, it's supposed to be the practical Ferrari. And what better place for it to prove its practicality than the drop off zone in front of your children's school? They will probably have trouble climbing out of the rear seats, but they'll definitely make all their classmates jealous.