8 Practical Family Cars for Buyers on a Tight Budget
Available in a wide range of sizes and styles, SUVs are the preferred choice of family vehicle in the U.S. and justifiably so. As TopSpeed recently noted, SUVs have strong platforms and provide more payload capacity and towing potential than compact cars and sedans. As a family ride, SUVs supply the seating and cabin and cargo space that many other cars can’t match.
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There are good family hatchbacks and minivans, but SUVs simply dominate, despite their price. America wants larger and heavier models and companies are all too happy to supply them at a lofty price. Even compact SUVs will cost you at least $30,000 if not $40,000.
Unless your family is large enough to require a full-size van, there are thankfully plenty of budget-friendly subcompact SUVs that provide adequate space for an average American family and are priced in the mid-$20,000 range.
Many of the vehicles below have pricier siblings that might provide more space and tech (for example, the Honda CR-V tops the HR-V in many ways, including MSRP), but if you’re on a tight budget here are eight family cars that are practical and affordable.
1. 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Starting Price: $23,100
While its interior might not be as slick as its outside, the Trailblazer makes up for it by having surprisingly more cabin room than its competitors. Performance and fuel efficiency are adequate, but as Edmunds says, the Trailblazer is “exceedingly competent at nearly everything it does.”
2. 2024 Honda HR-V
Starting Price: $24,600
The HR-V is a little cheaper, a little smaller and a little unexciting compared to the more well known CR-V, but it’s comparable in almost every area. For a family, you’re looking at more space than a hatch and an affordable option from one of the most reliable brands out there.
3. 2024 Hyundai Kona
Starting Price: $24,250
A great price mixed with top-of-the-range technology makes the Kona one of the best family-friendly subcompact SUVs on the market. It’s also a really cool looking vehicle, with distinctive, almost showy profiles and lines. Driver-assistance features like blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert have been added to the 2024 model.
4. 2024 Kia Seltos
Starting Price: $24,490
Despite its small footprint, the 2024 Seltos benefits from an updated roomy interior and increased comfort and legroom. The base engine in the Seltos is a docile 4-cylinder paired with an automatic transmission (a CVT), which allows for responsive handling and impressive tech. All in all, the Seltos provides good utility and great value, starting at $24,490.
5. 2024 Mazda CX-30
Starting Price: $24,995
Mazda’s entry-level crossover is a versatile and comfortable all-wheel-drive, handling twisting mountain roads and urban centers equally well. What’s more, the CX-30 adds a touch of cabin luxury not found in most SUVs and a price that rivals any in its class.
6. 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
Starting Price: $25,195
Freshened for 2024, the Crosstrek is already Subaru’s best-selling vehicle, according to Kelley Blue Book. A step up from the Impreza hatchback, the Crosstrek is a practical and roomy SUV for adventurers and the less adventurous alike. Higher trims have more power and options like blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning and a power driver’s seat with adjustable lumbar support.
7. 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross
Starting Price: $23,860
The Corolla Cross shares a platform and a 169-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) powertrain with its namesake Corolla compact. According to Cars.com, the base L model comes with an 8-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, along with advanced safety features like forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.
8. 2024 Volkswagen Taos
Starting Price: $23,995
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Powered by a turbo 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 158 hp, the Taos has standard driver-assistance technology that was previously optional, and adds some nice-to-have features like automatic high beams, rain-sensing wipers and a heated leatherette-trimmed steering wheel.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 8 Practical Family Cars for Buyers on a Tight Budget
