The Safest Cars for Children

There are many great models of family cars to choose from. The cars here are listed in no particular order and represent only a selection of a few vehicles in each category; it is not a complete list of all sizes, types and prices of cars available that would be safe for children, at the time of publication. If you are interested in a car that is not listed, search for it on safercar.gov.

Nissan Murano

• Price: Under $31,000
• Child-seat capacity: 2
• Regular passenger capacity: 5
• MPG: 28 highway -- 21 city

This family-friendly SUV has plenty of space for everyone, not just up front, with room to fit two child seats comfortably. The safety features are highly rated, according to safercar.gov, including 360-degree monitoring, which will warn you of hidden obstacles that you may otherwise not see.

Honda CR-V

• Price: Under $25,000
• Child-seat capacity: 2
• Regular passenger capacity: 5
• MPG: 34 highway -- 27 city

The standard Honda CR-V has upgraded collision safety features compared to previous models, according to safercar.gov. With the further upgraded Touring version, you can get an automatic braking system, which will attempt to help you avoid collisions and monitor the passenger-side blind spot that is displayed within view of the driver.

Chevrolet Traverse

• Price: Under $32,000
• Child-seat capacity: 5
• Regular passenger capacity: 8
• MPG: 24 highway -- 17 city

Well-suited for large families, or caregivers who will often need to transport more than two children at once, the Chevrolet Traverse is relatively expensive compared to other child-safe vehicles but could be worth the cost in some situations. The upgraded LTZ model will cost $10,000 more than the sticker prices listed here, but it adds more safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, front-collision detection and a rear cross traffic alert -- RCTA -- system that monitors a wider area than a simple reverse camera.

Mazda 3

• Price: Under $18,000
• Child-seat capacity: 2
• Regular passenger capacity: 5
• MPG: 41 highway -- 34 city

With its top scores in all five of the safety categories rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a price tag comparable to the other safe small cars, the Mazda 3 is a good choice for families seeking safe vehicle, according to safercar.gov. It has all of the usual safety features which include side airbags -- front and rear head curtain -- rollover sensor, ABS and electronic stability control.

Honda Fit

• Price: Under $17,000
• Child-seat capacity: 2
• Regular passenger capacity: 5
• MPG: 41 highway -- 33 city

The Honda Fit's 1.5 liter engine produces over 10 percent more power than last year's model, while improving upon the mpg. It comes installed with a reversing camera as a standard feature, along with other safety features such as side airbags, rollover sensor, ABS and electronic stability control.