What is the best family vehicle?

What is the best family vehicle? This has been a debate for going on for many years and will continue to be debated in the future. And the answer isn’t very straight forward since it largely depends on the choices available to you, budget and where you’re located in the world.

Since I have young children this topic is near and dear to my heart as it directly impacts me. However, as a car enthusiast I don’t want to have any old family hauler to get us from A to B, but rather a family hauler which ignites a fire within me every time I drive the kids to soccer.

In much of the world the majority of people will probably say that an SUV is an ideal family hauler. While I do agree to a point, most SUVs are bland and uninspiring. The brand new BMW X4 has seen rather scathing reviews, even though it was supposed to be a more dynamic alternative to the X3.

Others will say that the minivan is the ultimate family vehicle. It is built for one job and one job only – moving kids around. These vehicles do this job very well but have traditionally been known to be dull to drive, not very good looking and generally uncomfortable.

In Europe or the U.K. the answer would resoundingly be the Audi RS6 Avant. The RS6 has been widely noted by car enthusiasts as being the best blend of performance, comfort and practicality with it’s supercar level HP figures, all wheel drive, luxurious interior and, being a wagon, the practicality of any mid-sized SUV. There have been many discussions about the RS6 and I often wonder if it is over-hyped. Personally I have never driven any Audi RS car, so I can’t personally comment, although YouTuber Mr. JWW had a purple RS6 Performance for nearly 3 years and consistently has great things to say about it.

As someone who lives in Canada, it is sad to say that we don’t get the RS6 sedan or wagon. I’m not entirely sure why, but for some reason Audi has chosen to not bring the majority of their RS line-up to North America. This is a shame since people are dying to get their hands on them in Canada and the U.S. As a result, people who want to have a powerful family wagon are effectively limited to the Mercedes E36s or the Porsche Panamera 4s Sport Turismo. Up until recently only Audi offered an all-wheel drive super-saloon, although both of these alternatives are also all-wheel drive as well so Audi has some competition and these are the only options in North America in the category.

Wagons have had double digit sales increases for the past 5 years and show no signs of slowing anytime soon. This may be due to the increase in the popularity of SUVs and may also be resulting in people changing the way they view the wagon/hatch back style in North America.

Personally I own an SUV and a minivan. For multiple young children, nothing can beat the practicality of the sliding doors. Growing up, my parents drove a 1985 Chevy Suburban. While I will admit that none of these vehicles light that fire within me, I do enjoy the driving experience of my Kia Sedona. It may not be fast, it may not be sexy, but it does its job extremely well. I can get my kids in and out with ease, haul as much stuff as I want and still have room for the dog.

And while I may not be in a position to get a 600 HP wagon that will get me excited about driving to daycare everyday, the best family vehicle for me is the one I have.

What is the best family vehicle for you?