9 Best Cars for Cool Moms and Dads

The 2022 Pacifica minivan is one of our all-time favorite family vehicles because of its incredible flexibility for people and cargo (both back rows disappear into the floor), car-like ride height and maneuverability, amazing tech (including Amazon Fire streaming) and power sliding doors that provide unbeatable ease of access. Add in the optional all-wheel drive (AWD), a plug-in hybrid system, an onboard vacuum plus mega-luxury trim levels, and buying almost anything else begins to seem like a mistake.

Despite the not-so-cool reputation minivans have, Rachel Rothman, head of auto testing for the Good Housekeeping Institute, is a big fan, especially of well-appointed ones like the Pacifica. "They're practical and they make my kids feel like we're going on a 'car adventure!" she says.

Subaru didn’t invent the high-riding, AWD station wagon, but it did popularize and perfect it. The 2023 Outback combines rugged all-season/all-condition confidence with poised driving manners, a well-earned reputation for durability and reliability and a range of trim packages and creature comforts for every budget.

During her test drive, Rothman found that while the Outback has plenty of ground clearance, its lower height compared to traditional SUVs made getting her family and their stuff in and out of the car easier than usual.

The Mazda3 is a perennial favorite for us because it delivers so much more than the sum of its apparent parts. Though it looks extremely luxurious both inside and out (almost Italian!), it's actually affordable, quite frugal with gas and drives with a sporting flair that affords quick and poised maneuvers.

Though we generally recommend hatchbacks for families given the additional practicality they offer, we found that the curvy hatch on the Mazda3 reduces both visibility and cargo capacity, so the four-door is the way to go here. Rothman notes that based on its size and appearance, the Mazda3 really makes an ideal car for urban families in particular.

Honda is legendary for its reliability and value. Its CR-V is all-new for 2023, with smoother styling inside and out, plus improved efficiency in its engine options. Even better: The front-wheel drive (FWD) Hybrid Sport version now achieves a combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 40 MPG. (Note that AWD is also available.)

You'll also find more supportive front seats, as well as more legroom, a reclining feature and additional charger ports in row two, meaning greater comfort for everyone during long trips. Rothman found that these improvements led to a smoother ride, and she especially appreciated the improved interior cabin.

When the German sports car manufacturer started building SUVs, Porsche loyalists acted like it was apostasy. But the brand’s Macan eventually won over die-hard fans and new converts alike. With its preternatural ability to translate Porsche handling, acceleration, braking and luxury appointments to a new vehicle category, how could it not? The back seat and cargo area are smaller than rivals from BMW, Volvo and Mercedes, but the Macan's solidity, comfort and maneuverability triumph for us.

The bossy-looking Telluride shines in every category, from its refined powertrain and quiet operation to its luxurious interior that mimics the material quality of high-end vehicles from Mercedes and Cadillac. Backseat passengers get their own sunroof that actually opens, which delighted Rothman's young children during test drives. Another cool feature: When the driver wants to tell occupants in the second or third row to shut it (their mouths or phones), a special intercom allows them to speak directly into the rear speakers.

Volvo has a well-earned reputation for safety and durability, consistently innovating and refining. More recently, the brand has captured our affection with sleek and luxurious interiors that make sitting in the cabin feel like kicking back in an Eames lounge chair.

You'll find all that and more in the XC90, which features smooth hybrid powertrains, including a plug-in with 30 miles of range. Optional second-row captain’s chairs give way to a rear bench suited to younger occupants, meaning there's something for everyone. If you're debating, Rothman recommends going with the captain's chairs even with young kids, since she found that the separation makes it easier to pass through to the back row and keep distance between potentially rowdy second-row passengers.

A big Mercedes should feel palatial, luxurious and stolid as an ingot — and the GLS is all these things. It’s also hovercraft smooth, thanks to an adaptable air suspension and a camera that scans the road for potholes. If you want to make your kids feel like tiny executives, you can select the (pricey) Rear Seat Plus package, which makes the second row as fancy as the first, with a wireless phone-charging, massaging seats and an iPad-like controller for the infotainment system.

Ford appropriated its popular sports coupe’s name for this family-friendly all-electric SUV — and while the GT model is a tire-smoking performer, the mainstream AWD model is plenty quick. But it’s the quiet motor, the 270-mile range, the roomy interior, the cool tech and the abundance of storage (including a big bin between the front seats and a drainable front trunk that’s perfect for loading with ice, like a cooler) that will win your family over.

After test driving the Mach-E, Laurie Jennings, the Good Housekeeping Institute's general manager, reported that it was a comfortable and practical vehicle for her and her young daughter — but that it also turned quite a few heads.