Top Picks for Small Families

Legions of suburbanites — including some on our staff — need a quality family car. Small families often look at sedans, hatchbacks, station wagons, SUVs and minivans, so our shortlist — compiled from a pool that included our 2008 Best Bets and all the newer cars we've driven since — included dozens of contenders. Our experts looked at safety features, gas mileage, interior comfort and driving refinement to pick the winners.

Best New Car for Small Families 2009 Subaru Forester Starting MSRP $19,995 With great visibility and a boxy cargo area, the Forester is one of the more practical small crossovers on the market. With its 2009 redesign, Subaru moved the once-quirky five-seater closer to the mainstream with the sort of congenial styling a Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V owner could appreciate. The second row now has room for adults or teenagers, and conveniences like a flip-out storage console and push-button reclining backrests should keep them happy, or at least quiet. Throw in top crash-test ratings, a reasonably fuel-efficient four-cylinder and a sub-$20,000 starting price — with standard AWD — and the Forester presents a terrific small-family value.

Best Deal for Small Families 2009 Mazda Mazda5 Starting MSRP $17,995 If you're looking for an affordable car that can meet a number of family needs, like hauling the kids to school and carrying the dog to the vet, the Mazda5 is a good choice. It provides the functionality you need in a compact package that, at least for a van, is easy on gas; it gets an EPA-estimated 22/28 mpg city/highway with the manual transmission. There's seating for six in three rows, but if you need room to carry all the stuff that comes with a family, you can fold the second and third rows flat to create 89.3 cubic feet of total cargo room. When you factor in the low $17,995 starting price, it's easy to see why the Mazda5 is our value pick for small families.

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Chevrolet Malibu (2009) Starting MSRP $21,605 While Honda and Toyota weren't looking, the six-speed, four-cylinder Malibu came and kicked their butts with an impressive 22/33 mpg city/highway. Midsize sedans are a staple of small families, and this is the most competitive one out of Detroit in ages. It has a quiet, quality interior, and you can get a four-cylinder without forgoing upscale features. Research this car      Build this car

Ford Edge (2009) Starting MSRP $26,130 If you don't need more than five seats but want more space than you'd get in a compact SUV or wagon, give the Edge a look. It has room to install a child-safety seat or two, its ride is uncommonly comfortable, its drivetrain is impressive and it's rated a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. With a decent starting price, the midsize Edge is a well-kept secret. Research this car      Build this car

Honda Accord (2009) Starting MSRP $20,755 Fresh off last year's redesign, the Accord is a strong contender thanks to its teen-friendly backseat, healthy list of standard safety features and relatively thrifty four-cylinder and V-6 drivetrains. Ride quality should satisfy frequent road-trippers, and the car's precise handling and high-quality interior stand out in the field. Though certainly not an original choice, the Accord remains a smart one. Research this car      Build this car

Hyundai Sonata (2009) Starting MSRP $18,700 If you have a family, you probably know what it's like to keep your household budget balanced. The Sonata gives you a way to make that task easier by keeping car expenses down. The Sonata offers a low starting price, good fuel economy (22/32 mpg city/highway with the four-cylinder engine and automatic transmission) and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Research this car      Build this car

Mazda Mazda6 (2009) Starting MSRP $18,550 When you have a couple of kids, the Mazda6 is a good choice if you're looking for a midsize sedan with a little bit of style. Whether they're big or small, the backseat of the Mazda6 is large enough to keep the kids comfy (and quiet), while the driver's seat is home to a little bit of fun, thanks to this car's sporty handling. There's also a long list of standard safety features, including an electronic stability system. Research this car      Build this car

Mitsubishi Outlander (2008) Starting MSRP $20,230 Mitsubishi's compact SUV offering is a dark horse in the segment. Until this year, we'd shied away from recommending it, but recent high reliability scores and top crash-test ratings have convinced us to add it to our list. Buyers will also appreciate its sporty driving nature and large, flat cargo floor with an extending tailgate for loading large or bulky items. Research this car      Build this car

Nissan Rogue (2009) Starting MSRP $20,220 Nissan's first compact SUV gets a place on this list thanks to its driver-oriented cabin, sporty road manners and affordable price. Even base models come decently equipped. Gas mileage is also above-average for its class, at 22/27 mpg city/highway. Families will appreciate the easy-to-use cargo area with rear seats that fold down with the touch of a button. Research this car      Build this car

Toyota RAV4 (2009) Starting MSRP $21,500 Slightly revised for 2009, no other compact SUV on the market has as much cargo room, nor is there one with a V-6 that is as fuel-efficient. For most people, those two wins would move the RAV4 to the top of the heap. However, the side-opening rear hatch is an antiquated setup. Buyers should also avoid the Sport model, as it sacrifices ride comfort. Stick to the base and Limited models. Research this car      Build this car