What a year of cars 2021 has been! With all the delays and troubles COVID has brought with it I have still experienced and tested so many FANTASTIC cars with my family for BabyDrive! There has been a big shift as the year's progressed and now A LOT of cars I test are electric in some way, whether it be a PHEV (plug-in-hybrid), HEV (hybrid) or a fully electric (EV) and I really like it!
- Looking for five-seaters that will take three child seats across?
- Looking for cars that will fit a twin pram in the boot?
Note: I haven't chosen these cars necessarily based on their family-friendliness, it's all because of their looks, their character and the feeling when driving them! Let's find out what I picked as my BabyDrive top 5 cars of 2021:
1st Place: Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an INCREDIBLE electric car that raises the bar for electric vehicles. Just out before the end of the year it sneaks in and takes a well deserved first place! The exterior is exciting and looks crisp and modern, while the interior is such a pleasure to be in with its beautiful, calming and minimalist feel. The Ioniq 5 sports some great new design features like recline mode seats, a magnetic pad beside the steering wheel and controlling all the seat positions through the media screen. The Ioniq 5 drive is so smooth and quiet and it has 430km battery range which we found charges by around 50% in 15 minutes at a fast charger making it really practical for family road trip stops. Ranging in price between $71,000 and $76,000 it feels worth every dollar and I can see now why they sold out online so quickly! See the top five family-friendly features of the Ioniq 5 here.
2nd Place: Genesis G80
Well deserving of second place, the Genesis G80 is a STUNNING five-seater luxury sedan. If you love sedans as much as I do then this one is for you! The G80 gets a lot of attention because of its striking batmobile design and looks. The Genesis brand has brought out some amazing cars this year, I wish I could meet and chat with their designers! The interior of the G80 is just as exquisite and is surprisingly practical for families too! Ranging in price between $85,000 and $100,000 it feels every bit as well crafted as you would expect for the price. See the top ten family-friendly features of the Genesis GV80 here.
3rd Place: Peugeot 2008
In third place, the Peugeot 2008 five-seater SUV really earns its position amongst the best cars of 2021. Another beautifully designed car that redefines the image of a family SUV with style rather than frump! Ranging in price between $35,000 and $45,000 the Peugeot 2008 is a reasonably affordable, fun and nippy SUV to drive where you make no compromise with style for practicality and family friendliness. See the top three family-friendly features of the Peugeot 2008 here.
4th Place: Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender has to be the COOLEST family car! This seven-seat 4WD is rugged, mean and heaps of fun for families big and small! The design is fantastic with clever, on-brand storage throughout that really adds to the look and outdoorsy feel of the car. Ranging in price between $72,000 and $138,000 it's by no means cheap but compared to many big SUVs it feels well-priced for the off-road capability, design and great media system, cameras and technology you get. See the top three family-friendly features of the Land Rover Defender here.
5th Place: Kia Carnival
The new 2021 Kia Carnival definitely deserves its place in the BabyDrive Top 5 cars of the year. It doesn't earn this position purely for its turning circle alone but that WAS one of the major deciding factors! The Carnival ranges in price between $40,000 and $55,000 and it is a lot of car, space and ease of use for families large and small for the money. The Kia Carnival is wonderful to drive and is so well designed for family life. See the top twelve family-friendly features of the 2021 Kia Carnival here.
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