What would be a safe car to purchase?

[Michelle]

We just traded in our tahoe for a Bronco which we hate. We are just trying to save money to get back on our feet. We have a 2 yr old, 1 yr old and one on the way and my husband and I are trying to find a safe vehicle that we should get when we are able to, hopefully before Oct.

We are kind of leaning more towards 3rd row seating so we have more room. My husband says a mini van might be the safest bet but honestly, i cant see myself driving one. I would like a nice SUV thats fairly priced, I just dont have a clue which ones are the safest.

[twokidstwodogs]

The best place to start is www.informedforlife.org. The man who operates that site puts all the available safety information for each car into an algorithm and then ranks them accordingly. It's incredibly helpful, and goes back several years, in case you buy used. (Do know that when he doesn't have data for a car, he puts in the average for a car in that class, which probably brings down the ratings for some cars.)

In general, minivans are safer and more practical than SUVs, but an SUV based on a car platform can do just about as well. With three kids, you'll likely be using the third row on a daily basis. For that situation, I'd definitely go for a minivan. I think it will make your life simpler! Among other things, it makes it easier to corral all the kids in the car while you get them into their seats, rather than having to worry about them running around outside the car. The Kia Sedona is about the safest vehicle on the road, and is well-priced for a van. The Mazda5 might also be a good option for you, since finances are tight.

Motherproof.com is also a cool site. They don't review everything, but the ones that are there are useful. They tell you about the car from the perspective of a mom installing carseats and hauling around kids.

[Michelle]

Thanks for your response! Im going to check those sites out! :)