Features & Tech
From AEB to ABS, the automotive world is a library of acronyms that are largely there to make your car safer and more aware. Let us show you some of the latest convenience and safety technology available in today's family fleet.
Shorts
Family Car Safety & Features
How to install baby seats and baby capsules
How to keep your children as safe as possible when they’re in the car with you.
What to do when your child locks themselves in the car
If you’ve accidentally locked your child in the car, don’t panic. There are several solutions – from calling for help, to taking matters into your own hands.
Is it illegal to fit a baby seat in the front seat of my car?
Ferrying the family? The type of vehicle you drive and the amount kids you’re carrying determine where it’s legal to clip in that car seat.
Is it legal to take a car seat on a plane?
Are you planning to fly with your child's car seat or capsule as carry-on or checked luggage? Here are the rules for every airline in Australia.
Reviews
Drive Car of The Year
Drive TV
2023 Honda Civic Type R vs Toyota GR Corolla GTS comparison
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV review: Australian first drive
Should I buy a 2023 Mahindra Scorpio or 2023 GWM Tank 300?
2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe video review: Australian first drive
2023 Drive Car of the Year – Ford Ranger
Best EV $70,000–$120,000
Best Off-Road SUV
Best EV Under $70,000
Drive Safer Special: Full program
Drive Safer Special: Talking safety with Volvo
Drive Safer Special: Modern car towing features
Drive Safer Special: Advice for driving while towing
Interested in an Electric or Hybrid family car?
Electric Cars are the way of the future but it can be confusing for newcomers to navigate the EV world. Drive's Electric hub has everything you need to know about buying, charging and driving EVs.
Latest Family Car Reviews
Volkswagen’s Tiguan is almost up for replacement, but the range-topping Tiguan R borders on timeless brilliance.
Skoda’s Octavia RS wagon remains an excellent all-around vehicle for car enthusiasts.
Kia’s cheapest people mover goes light on frills, but still packs a gigantic punch of practicality. Thinking about an SUV? buy this instead.
The Mazda CX-8 has the charm and practicality to fill a gap below the also seven-seat CX-9 in Mazda’s extensive range.
2023 Nissan Qashqai ST+ reviewThe new Nissan Qashqai has plenty of perks – but are they still available to those who can’t afford a top-spec model?
Mitsubishi’s new blacked-out medium SUV strikes a lot of the right notes as one of the better value options in this hotly contested segment.
Drive Marketplace: Family Cars for Sale
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Sell your car fast, safe and stress free with Drive’s network of Australia wide dealers
FAQs
Which family cars can fit five baby seats?
In order for a car to accommodate five child seats, it needs to have five top-tether points – meaning it needs two rows of seating. Just be aware that installing and accessing a child seat in the third row of a seven-seat SUV could prove challenging.
With that in mind, the seven or eight-seater models that offer at least three ISOFIX-compatible seating positions and five top-tether points include the Mazda CX-8, CX-9 and CX-90, the Kia Carnival and Sorento, Mercedes-Benz GLB, Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Volkswagen Multivan, Audi Q7, BMW X7, Ford Everest, Jeep Grand Cherokee L and Land Rover Discovery, among others.
Read Drive's full story on which cars can fit more than three or more ISOFIX child seats.
Which family car has the biggest boot?
According to Drive’s 2023 seven-seat SUV comparison for 2023, the Hyundai Palisade offers the largest cargo area of the top-selling large SUVs in Australia, while the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace has the largest boot of its medium SUV peers.
Of the small SUV contingent, the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 both offer over 500 litres of cargo space. Unsurprisingly, eight-seaters like the Nissan Patrol and Lexus LX also offer massive boots when their third row is folded flat.
What family cars can I buy for under $30,000?
If you’re shopping for a family car with $30,000 or less to spend, chances are you’ll have to opt for a small SUV or a base-spec medium SUV with front-wheel-drive. Options include the Mitsubishi ASX, Suzuki Vitara, MG ZS or HS or Ssangyong Korando, while the base-grade Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Hyundai Kona and GWM Haval H6 are just over $30,000 if you’re willing to spend a little extra.
Which cars have 7 seats?
The best-selling seven-seat SUV in Australia is the Toyota Prado, which offers three rows of seating as standard from the GXL grade and up. If you’re looking for a cheap seven-seater, the most affordable option is the Mahindra XUV700, which is available from $36,990 drive-away. If you’re looking for a hybrid seven-seater, your options include the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Nissan X-Trail, Kia Sorento or Toyota Kluger.
What is the safest car seat in Australia?
The only certified ranking of child car seats in Australia is the independent Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP). The CREP is a partnership between Transport for NSW, the Department of Transport Victoria, the TAC and KidSafe – but does not test every car seat available in Australia. Currently, the safest car seats in Australia according to this program are the Safe-N-Sound SafeFix seat installed using a seatbelt tether, and the Safe-N-Sound Safekeeper II. Both car seats received a 4.3 score for protection when installed in rear-facing mode. For a full list of car seats tested by CREP, click here.
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