One of the factors families shopping for a new vehicle should take into account is the ease of installation and use, as well as the effectiveness, of infant or child car seats. Is the seat easy to install? Is the anchoring system user-friendly? Can you get your child in and out easily? Will the child be comfortable?
A highly practical annual ranking published by Cars.com rates vehicles by these and other measures. Right in time for Child Passenger Safety Week, we take a look at the new 2017 list for you!
Explains Jennifer Newman, editor-in-chief at Cars.com and a certified child passenger safety technician, “Proper car-seat installation can be a daunting task for many parents. Automakers have added Latch systems to make the process a little easier and less stressful, but not all of these systems have been created equally. That’s why we test them in nearly every new vehicle. We want parents, grandparents and caretakers of young children to understand their options and which ones are the easiest to use.”
In total, 65 different 2017-2018 models were evaluated beginning in September of last year, but only the 10 best-performing models, which have earned the best possible A rating in each criteria, made the final list. In addition, each of these models offers sufficient space to fit at least two car seats. The list runs the gamut from outdoorsy vehicles like the Impreza to utility models like the Equinox and the Atlas, as well as luxury models from Lincoln, Mercedes and Genesis.
Here are the 10 most car-seat-friendly vehicles this year, according to Cars.com:
- 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
- 2017 Genesis G90
- 2017 GMC Acadia
- 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
- 2017 Lincoln Continental
- 2017 Mercedes-Benz C Class
- 2017 Subaru Impreza
- 2018 Volkswagen Atlas
- 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan
- 2017 Volvo S90