Family Cars

A family car can be used for more than transportating children purpose. In KBB's survey article, family car shoppers said they expected to use their vehicles for everyday errands more often than for transporting children. The findings also show a tension between what families need and what they actually want to drive.

...73 percent of them say it will be used to run errands "often" versus 44 percent of shoppers using the family car to transport children "often."

Family cars are used for more than taking children somewhere. The family car is part of everyday life, not just family transportation.

"What we see in this study is a style versus functionality issue,"

Among shoppers who said a minivan best fulfilled their needs, only 50% said a minivan was what they would most like to drive. 29% preferred an SUV.

Safety ranked as the most important attribute, then value and comfort. Features such as power rear windows and fold flat seats ranked higher than entertainment packages and power sliding doors. For these shoppers, useful features were more important than simply making the vehicle feel more entertaining.

A family car is not simply about having more space. People want a vehicle that works for everyday family life while still feeling like something they want to drive. The challenge is finding the balance between what a family needs and what a driver wants.

References

Kelley Blue Book, Survey: Family Cars — The Controversy of Style vs. Functionality, 2003.

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