Roads today are dominated by sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and crossovers of every shape and size. There are massive ones, like the Grand Wagoneer, and diminutive runabouts like the Hyundai Venue. It can be tempting to forget about other body styles altogether, but the fact is that for many people, sedans get the job done just as well-and often even more efficiently and economically.
Sedans might not have the passenger or cargo space of a large SUV or minivan, but if you're finding that extra capacity often goes unused, you'll realize that less space doesn't necessarily mean reduced practicality. A midsize sedan is perfectly suited for a family and their gear. Heck, it’s even called a “family” sedan! Plus, sedans are often more nimble, more fuel-efficient, and offered at lower price points than larger vehicles.
Advanced safety features that were once exclusive to luxury cars are now standard on many family sedans. The same goes for touchscreen infotainment systems with popular features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Whether you are bringing the kids to practice or going on a road trip, the sedan segment surely has a family-friendly new car for you. Here are some of our favorites.
The Best Family Sedans of 2024
- Chevrolet Malibu
- Genesis G80
- Honda Accord and Honda Accord Hybrid
- Hyundai Sonata
- Kia K5
- Mazda Mazda3
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- Nissan Altima
- Subaru Legacy
- Toyota Camry Hybrid
Chevrolet Malibu
Best for: Families with teen drivers
If you have young drivers in the family, the Malibu is a terrific choice, as it is available with General Motors’ Teen Driver technology. This feature allows parents to set speed and volume limitations for the second set of keys. The Malibu comes standard with Buckle to Drive feature. With this feature, you must buckle up before you can shift the Malibu into drive. Together, these features will help train young drivers to practice safe habits behind the wheel.
Admittedly, the Malibu’s starting price was bumped up when Chevy ditched the base L trim back in 2022, but it still represents an exceptionally affordable mid-size family sedan in 2024. And, although the American automaker has announced that its upcoming electric cars will not have Apple CarPlay, the Malibu continues to come standard with wireless versions of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Genesis G80
Best for: Families who value white-glove service
We love what they’re doing over at Genesis. As a relatively new manufacturer, the brand has appeared more willing than many to take a few risks and forge its own path, resulting in some great-looking vehicles that really push the envelope on luxury pricing. The G80 is no exception.
For a base MSRP that still sits below $55k in 2024, the Genesis G80 packs standard convenience features like power-folding mirrors, puddle lamps, a hands-free smart trunk with auto open, and the Highway Driving Assist 2 suite of advanced driver-assistance features. It comes with three years/36,000 miles of complimentary scheduled maintenance, plus access to Genesis Concierge and Genesis Service Valet. There’s also the aptly named Electrified G80, the EV (electric vehicle) version, to consider.
Honda Accord and Honda Accord Hybrid
Best for: Families who want style with their space
We’ve long considered the Honda Accord to be among the best midsize sedans on the market, and Honda doubled down on it with a complete redesign for the 2023 model year. The new Accord has conservative, yet somewhat muscular styling, and it continues its elongated, coupe-like profile. Inside, the Accord features a clean cabin design. Buyers can select options like leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power moonroof.
The Accord comes standard with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It sends 192 horsepower to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). If you want more power, there’s the Sport Hybrid, which combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors to make 204 horsepower. The Accord lineup comes standard with the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance features. It includes forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and traffic-sign recognition.
Hyundai Sonata
Best for: Families looking for value without sacrificing tech or safety
In the past decade and a half, Hyundai has elevated the Sonata from an also-ran to one of the leaders in the mid-size family sedan pack. It offers strong reliability ratings and an impressive 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. And the Sonata gets a major refresh for 2024, with a sleeker new look, a sporty three-spoke aluminum steering wheel, and a new curved display topping the dash.
2024 also marks the first year that all-wheel drive (AWD) is available on the Sonata lineup, though the racier Sonata N Line will be front-wheel drive (FWD) only. The base powertrain makes 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque from its 2.5-liter engine, while the N Line adds a turbocharger for 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque.
The Sonata has an impressive list of standard safety features as well. It includes adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-tracing assist, and a driver-drowsiness monitor. The Sonata is also available with Smart Park, which allows the driver to remotely pull the vehicle out of or into a tight parking spot.
Kia K5
Best for: Families who want to look like they're driving a sports coupe
With futuristic front-end styling and a fastback profile, the Kia K5 is a head-turner. Those who go for the bold styling of the K5 should also be rewarded with solid reliability and a long list of standard features. The K5 comes with an 8-inch infotainment screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. (The larger available touchscreen system requires a USB cable for smartphone connectivity.) It also comes standard with forward-collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, driver-attention monitoring, and automatic high beams.
The K5’s base engine is a 180-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder. It’s available with a larger turbo-four that makes 290 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The upgraded turbo-four is paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The K5’s ride is comfortable, though not quite as sporty as cars like the Honda Accord. But the Kia K5 might just seal the deal with its impressive 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Mazda Mazda3
Best for: Families who want to save the manuals
The Mazda3 is actually offered in two different body styles: You can get it as a four-door sedan or a “five-door” hatchback. We are, of course, focusing on the sedan for this article.
Though we don’t have any true sports cars on this list of family vehicles, Mazda’s compact car could certainly be said to offer a sporty driving experience. With premium fuel in the available turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder, it’ll get 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque, and even with regular fuel, the Mazda3 can give the Volkswagen Jetta GLI a run for its money. It’s also one of few new cars available in the US with a manual transmission, which certainly scores points in our book. If your family can live with the head room, which clocks in at 38 inches up front and 37.3 in the back, this is a great little package to consider.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Best for: Families willing to pay for the badge
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class gets a full redesign for 2024, with a tech-forward philosophy and a sleek new look that borrows only the best elements from the brand’s EV designs. As a Mercedes, the E-Class naturally sits at the high end of the price range, competing against other German luxury options like the Audi A6 and the BMW 5 Series. It works hard to justify your spend, though.
The new E-Class 350 4Matic sedan comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. If that doesn’t do it for you, the 450 powertrain should: That swaps in a 3.0-liter turbo-six making 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The cabin places a strong emphasis on tech-supported comfort, with standard features like a 14.4-inch center display and a leather-covered steering wheel with touch-capacitive buttons. Families who really want the wow factor can opt for the Superscreen Package, which adds a dedicated 12.3-inch display for the front passenger, complete with selfie video capability.
Nissan Altima
Best For: Drama-free commuting in a handsomely styled sedan
The Nissan Altima is a comfortable, well-rounded family sedan that “gets the job done,” and it’s fresh off a 2023 update that brought revised exterior styling and some minor interior upgrades. A newly available 12.3-inch screen brings vibrant colors and graphics to the cabin, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Altima comes standard with a 188-horsepower four-cylinder engine. It routes power to the front wheels through a CVT. Buyers can also select available AWD, although that drops output to 182 horsepower. The sporty Altima SR comes with Nissan’s innovative variable-compression turbocharged (VC-Turbo) four-cylinder engine. It makes 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The Altima comes standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, providing a generous suite of driver assistance features.
Subaru Legacy
Best for: Families who want SUV capability without buying an SUV
Believe it or not, the Subaru Legacy sedan is built on the same platform as the very popular Subaru Outback. It also shares many attributes with the Outback, including its comfortable driving style. Like almost all Subarus, the Legacy comes standard with symmetrical AWD. Factor in its 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, and 39.5 inches of rear-seat legroom, and you have a spacious and capable sedan, for a good price.
The Legacy comes standard with a 182-horsepower horizontally opposed boxer-style engine. A 260-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine is available and provides solid punch. The Legacy also features Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assist technology. Though you might not always be out on an adventure, the sensible cockpit design and spacious cabin make the Legacy an incredibly versatile car for everyday life.
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Best for: When you want fuel economy with your functionality
This is the last year that we’ll refer to the Camry Hybrid as a separate model, because the Camry will be hybrid by default starting with the 2025 model year. (It’s also getting a makeover.) For now, though, the fuel-efficient Camry Hybrid remains its own car. It combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric power to produce 208 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque. This setup provides solid acceleration, but the sporty persona only goes so far. The steering feel is rather numb, which is one of the few knocks against the Camry Hybrid. The upside is a combined fuel economy of 52 mpg from the entry-level LE trim. (All other trims return 46 combined mpg.)
The Camry’s cockpit layout is functional and straightforward, though not as upscale as that of the Accord-at least, not in the final year of this Camry iteration. The Camry Hybrid does come standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an intuitive infotainment system. The Camry Hybrid also comes standard with Toyota Safety System 2.5+, which includes forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and even traffic-sign recognition.
If you find the famous Toyota reliability alluring but you really want a luxury sedan, look to the Camry’s corporate cousin, the Lexus ES.
Related Topics
The Best Crossover SUVS
The Best Hybrid SUVs
CarGurus Best Used Car Awards