What Makes a Good Family SUV? How to Compare & Choose

Whatever your reason for seeking out a good family SUV (sport utility vehicle), be it a new baby, running out of cargo room, or just being ready for an upgrade, you are spoiled for choice.

With 86% of vehicles sold in Canada falling under the SUV or pickup truck classification, it’s clear that Canadians want more space, capability, and style.

What is an SUV?

An SUV has a two-box shape — a smaller one in front for the engine compartment and a taller, longer one behind it for at least two rows of passengers and some trunk/cargo space. It also has a higher floor and seating position.

A station wagon is more of a sedan-based vehicle with the trunk expanded upwards to increase space and join up with the passenger compartment. Like an SUV, the station wagon has a tall tailgate at the back that includes the rear window. A hatchback is similar to a station wagon but might just be a sedan with a trunk lid that also lifts up the rear windshield with it.

SUVs started as truck-based, or body-on-frame, designs where the pickup truck’s bed was replaced with a body that encapsulates the whole cargo and passenger compartments. Car-based SUVs, commonly called crossovers (as in, between a car and a big truck-based SUV), are now some of the most common. Built atop more economical and typically smaller sedan chassis, they’re typically a bit smaller and more fuel-wise. Crossover SUVs tend to have AWD instead of the traditional 4x4 systems in body-on-frame SUVs.

What Makes an SUV Good for Families?

While some people buy an SUV for its towing power, 4x4 capability, luxury, or space for work and adventure gear, families have different priorities. When shopping for a good family SUV, typical priorities include:

  • Safety
  • Fuel economy
  • Cost of ownership
  • Space
  • Comfort
  • Reliability
  • Technology

Which order you rank those priorities depends on your own preferences and needs, but they’re likely all on your list. SUVs have space for baby seats and gear, seating for 5-8 people, easy access to cargo space, and typically a higher driving position.

But is just any SUV a good choice for a family? Some SUVs are built for speed, luxury, or off-roading and make sacrifices in comfort, fuel economy, or other aspects important to families. A mid-range budget typically buys a fairly family-friendly SUV, while specialized ones command higher prices.

SUVs vs. sedans, wagons, hatchbacks, coupes, and minivans

Other types of cars might haul a small family around just fine — just look at our European friends who tend to stick with smaller hatchbacks or compact SUVs for their dense cities and narrower roads. But in Canada, where we have more space and plenty of opportunities to hit a dirt road, the added capability, space, and comfort of an SUV wins out.

Wagons come close but can still feel cramped or not have enough ground clearance and a high enough seating position. Sedans are even more cramped and limit access to the trunk. A “coupe”, or two-door car, makes it pretty difficult to squeeze into the backseats.

Of course, another option is a minivan. These often offer an appealing combination of space, flexibility, drivability, and features for a family, minus the style. Since their heyday in the 1990s and early 2000s, minivan sales have toppled in favor of crossover SUVs. Availability and variety are scarce.

But you’re here for an SUV — so how do you know which one will keep your family safest and happiest?

Safety Features to Look for in a Good Family SUV

These days, many life-saving safety features come standard in every car. Airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), backup cameras, and other basic safety features have become ubiquitous, if not mandated. Families wanting the most protection for their kids want more than just the basics, though.

Safety features can be active or passive. Active safety features kick into action when needed to prevent an accident, like automatic braking and traction control. Passive features are there to protect you if one happens — think seatbelts, airbags, and crumple zones.

The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander SUV is one of the only vehicles in its class to offer not only Front Automatic Emergency Braking but also Rear Automatic Emergency Braking (Rear AEB) as a standard feature. Helpful when backing out of a driveway or parking space, Rear AEB is complemented by a backup camera plus Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which warns if a car is coming behind you from either side while in reverse.

This popular family SUV’s other standard safety features include:

  • Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM)
  • Blind Spot Warning (BSW)
  • Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
  • Driver Attention Alert (DAA)
  • Automatic High Beam (AHB)
  • Hill Descent Control (HDC)
  • Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)

It can also be optioned with MI-PILOT Assist, Mitsubishi Motors’ advanced suite of driving aids, which includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop & Go, Lane Departure Prevention (LDP), and Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR). These can help reduce driver fatigue and help them stay aware of traffic and conditions to prevent and avoid accidents.

Finally, the ‘25 Outlander highlights another common SUV feature often grouped in the safety category — All-Wheel Drive (AWD). Mitsubishi Motors’ standard Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) helps maintain traction and control on slippery, rocky, loose, or icy surfaces. SUVs with AWD or four-wheel drive (4x4) can provide additional capability and grip to keep the car planted on the road, in the right direction, and out of harm’s way.

Space and Comfort for the Whole Family

Subcompact, compact, mid-size, and full-size SUVs all have the space for adults plus kids, depending on how much room they all need. It’s not just about how long or how many seats, but also the height and width of the car. All of these — plus the thought put into its interior design — factor into key measurements, including:

  • Headroom
  • Legroom
  • Passenger capacity
  • Cargo capacity
  • Overall interior space
  • Interior width — think elbow room

Most SUVs have at least five seats, but the rear middle seat is often best used only in a pinch or a squeeze (pun intended). With more than 4 members of the family, a third row of seating (with an additional two or three seats) is recommended. If they’re still in car seats, be sure the seating layout you select has the proper anchors and space for them. Consider if the seating material is easy to clean, as well.

Economy and luxury SUVs will also offer different levels of comfort when it comes to the plushness of the seats, quality of high-touch materials, adjustability of seating positions, and climate control. Multi-zone air conditioning can avoid arguments, while heated and cooled seats can keep passengers happier in extreme weather. Models like the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander offer many of these features standard, blending luxury and affordability.

Also, consider how smooth the ride is. Will it absorb bumps and stay flat in the corners to avoid waking the kids? Buyers may also notice differences in NVH — Noise, Vibration, and Harshness — which is a measure of wind, tire, road, engine, and other external noises that enter the cabin.

The final consideration for space comes around back. Will the trunk hold all your family’s gear? What about when the third row is up? Is it easy to load and arrange? You might also check if the SUV can have a rooftop storage carrier added to free up space. Look also at the pockets and storage cubbies elsewhere, like in the doors, dash, center console, and backs of the seats.

The Best SUV Tech Features for Families

Technology enhances every part of the drive. From plug-in hybrid (PHEV) systems that balance sportiness and sustainability to infotainment systems that mirror phones, new tech features are always emerging on SUVs to make family life easier.

Some of the most popular technology features for families include:

  • Infotainment — screens with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, navigation, and other apps
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Stereos with plenty of speakers, subwoofers, and inputs
  • Rear-seat entertainment screens and headphones
  • Rear-seat monitoring cameras
  • USB and wireless chargers
  • Wi-Fi and 5G connectivity
  • Voice assistants
  • Remote start
  • Teen driver and valet controls (to set speed limits and geo-tracking)
  • Multi-zone climate control
  • Hands-free liftgate
  • Ambient lighting
  • Built-in sunshades
  • Rear seat reminder

Parents might also enjoy air-conditioned or massaging seats, a heated steering wheel and mirrors, and mobile apps that can monitor the vehicle, start it, and set the cabin temperature. Other tech features are found under the hood to boost performance, fuel economy, and smoothness. Some are even found in the trunk — like the Outlander’s 1,500W power supply for plugging in the air pump, coffee maker, mini-fridge, or whatever else the family needs.

Family SUV Fuel Efficiency and Cost of Ownership

Most families are fine with trading a couple of kilometers per gallon to step up from a sedan to an SUV. Because they are bigger, heavier, taller, and less aerodynamic, SUVs tend to have slightly worse fuel economy unless you aim for an electrified model. Even with plenty of space for a family, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has won the Green Car Award three years in a row thanks to its 61-mile electric range and total range of 687 kilometers.

Certain other components might cost a tad more, too, like tires, brakes, and oil changes. Luxury and off-road-oriented models might require extra expensive tires and can also hit your wallet if you need to repair them.

While fuel efficiency also depends on how you drive, the cost of ownership can be somewhat out of your control. That’s why it’s important to research reliability ratings, common repair costs, resale value, and insurance premiums.

Choosing the Best SUV for your Family

While price and style might be some of the biggest factors in your family SUV purchase, your family’s safety, comfort, entertainment, and future costs are also important to consider. Financing options, model availability, government incentives, and other factors will weigh in, too.

The best way to start your family SUV search is to set your budget and decide on any must-have features, such as AWD, third-row seating, or advanced safety features. Then, narrow down the remaining options to those that offer nice-to-have features — perhaps rear seat entertainment or a power liftgate.

Ready to find the perfect family SUV for your needs? Visit Mitsubishi Motors Canada today to explore our family-friendly SUV options and take the next step toward your new ride.

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