There is no single best 2024 family car for every household. The award winners make a useful shortlist across different vehicle types: sedans, two- and three-row SUVs, hybrids, and minivans. Choose among them by matching the format to your passengers, child seats, cargo needs, safety priorities, and budget—not by treating category awards as one overall ranking.
2024 family-car award winners by category
U.S. News named winners in separate family-vehicle categories. These awards are useful starting points, but the models below are not direct substitutes for one another.
| Vehicle | Category recognition | What the recognition tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Kia Telluride | U.S. News Best 3-Row Midsize SUV for Families | It received the award for the fifth consecutive year. IIHS lists the 2024-25 Telluride as a Top Safety Pick+. |
| 2024 Toyota Camry | U.S. News Best Midsize Car for Families | A sedan category winner; the award does not establish that it suits households needing three rows or SUV cargo access. |
| 2024 Toyota Camry Hybrid | U.S. News Best Hybrid Car for Families | It received the hybrid-car award for the second year in a row. That recognition does not establish real-world fuel economy for every trim. |
| 2024 Honda Passport | U.S. News Best 2-Row Midsize SUV for Families | Honda said it was the model’s fourth time receiving the recognition. |
| 2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | U.S. News Best Hybrid SUV for Families | A hybrid SUV category winner; the award does not provide a comparable fuel-economy figure for every trim. |
| 2024 Honda Odyssey | IIHS 2024-25 Top Safety Pick | A minivan safety award listing, separate from the U.S. News family-car category awards. |
| 2024 Toyota Sienna | IIHS 2024-25 Top Safety Pick | A minivan safety award listing, separate from the U.S. News family-car category awards. |
U.S. News executive editor Liz Opsitnik described the 2024 winners as offering safety features and comfortable rides for daily commutes or family trips. The award publisher’s assessment should not be read as a universal verdict for every family or as a hands-on test by this publication.
How to choose the right type of family car
Start with seats and access
Count the passengers who will regularly ride together, then consider where child seats will go and how often people need to reach a third row. If you are considering a three-row vehicle, try access with the child seats installed and the family using the seats as it would day to day.
#1 Best Overall
- 3-in-1 harness booster helps protect your child, from toddler to youth
- Grows with your child from forward-facing harness (26.5-65 lb) to highback booster (40-100 lb*) to backless booster (40-100 lb) *To continue to meet industry standards, we have increased the weight minimum from 30 to 40 lb
- No-Rethread Simply Safe Adjust Harness System allows the headrest and harness to adjust together in one motion
- Lightweight, portable seat is ideal for busy, active parents
- One-hand, 9-position adjustable headrest grows with your child
Match the body style to daily use
- Sedan: The Camry and Camry Hybrid are the shortlist options here for households whose needs suit a midsize car.
- Two-row SUV: The Passport is the award-recognized option for shoppers who want a midsize SUV without a third row.
- Three-row SUV: The Telluride is the three-row midsize SUV on this list.
- Hybrid SUV: The Highlander Hybrid is the SUV choice among the named hybrid award winners.
- Minivan: The Odyssey and Sienna are minivan options with IIHS Top Safety Pick recognition.
Check cargo with every intended seat occupied
Do not compare cargo space only with seats folded. Bring the stroller, sports gear, luggage, or other bulky items the household actually carries and see whether they fit when all the seats you expect to use are occupied. The award results do not answer that fit question.
Weigh hybrid priorities against your driving
The Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid won U.S. News awards in different categories. Those awards identify category recognition, not a head-to-head efficiency result. Consider your typical driving and compare current fuel-economy figures for the exact version you are shopping for.
Rank #2
- Convertible car seat grows with your child from rear-facing harness (4-50 lb) to forward-facing harness (26.5-65 lb)
- Extend2Fit 4-position adjustable extension panel provides up to 5" additional legroom, allowing your child to safely ride rear-facing longer
- Up to 50 lb rear-facing, allowing your child to safely ride rear-facing longer
- Graco ProtectPlus Engineered to the newest testing standards for side and frontal impact, and beyond—because the safety of your child shouldn’t stop at the standard
- No-Rethread Simply Safe Adjust Harness System allows the headrest and harness to adjust together in one motion
How to interpret the safety awards
IIHS says its awards identify strong safety choices within vehicle size categories. It also cautions that a smaller award-winning vehicle might not protect occupants as well as a larger vehicle that did not win an award. For that reason, compare vehicles in relevant size classes where possible rather than treating an award tier as a complete cross-size ranking.
What the 2024 IIHS award criteria required
- Top Safety Pick+: Good ratings in the small overlap front and updated side tests; acceptable or good in the updated moderate overlap front test; acceptable or good standard headlights; and acceptable or good pedestrian front crash prevention.
- Top Safety Pick: Good ratings in the small overlap front and updated side tests, plus a good rating in the original moderate overlap front test.
Check the IIHS listing for the exact model year and any build or equipment conditions before applying a rating to a specific vehicle. Results can differ by year, trim, drivetrain, or build qualification; do not assume a result transfers automatically.
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- MADE TO BE WITH YOU FOR YEARS The Safety 1st Ellaris Convertible Car Seat is a 3 in 1 car seat that adapts to your growing little one with 3 modes of use, making Ellaris car seats a key piece of your family for years to come
- 3 WAYS TO USE The Safety 1st Ellaris Convertible Car Seat offers extended use as a rear facing car seat with Rear-Facing Infant (5–30 lbs.) and Rear-Facing Toddler (30–40 lbs.), and as a forward facing car seat (30–65 lbs.)
- COMFORT AND FLEXIBILITY This convertible slim car seat has a slim design for more space, and its easily adjustable 5-position headrest and harness provide a comfortable ride as your little one grows
- FEDERAL SAFETY AND SIDE IMPACT STANDARDS This convertible car seat was engineered and tested to meet or exceed federal safety standards. It also meets the federal Side Impact standard
- ADDITIONAL FEATURES YOU’LL LOVE Baby car seat with machine-washable and dryer-safe seat pad; 2 removable, dishwasher-safe cup holders; Hook-style LATCH for easy installation; Airplane ready, compact design for travel from the airport to the flight
A practical comparison before you buy
- Write down the real passenger and cargo load. Include child-seat positions, the number of people who ride together most often, and the cargo that must fit with those seats in use.
- Narrow the body style. Decide whether a sedan, two-row SUV, three-row SUV, or minivan best fits everyday access and space needs.
- Compare the exact powertrain and trim. Verify current fuel-economy information for the version under consideration; award recognition alone does not establish real-world consumption.
- Verify safety information for the exact vehicle. Check the model year, trim, drivetrain, build date, and any conditions in the IIHS listing.
- Calculate ownership costs locally. Compare current purchase prices, insurance, fuel or charging, maintenance, and local availability. Those costs depend on market and vehicle configuration.
- Test-fit the family’s equipment. Install your own child seats and load the cargo you use regularly before deciding.
The awards and safety listings provide a category-based shortlist, not comparable scores for reliability, ownership cost, child-seat fit, or fuel economy across every model and trim. The final choice depends on the particular vehicle and household.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- This Graco booster seat helps safely transport your big kid from ages 4 -10, from 40 - 100 pounds and up to 57 inches tall
- Backless booster is top-rated by leading consumer magazines and publications
- Graco ProtectPlus Engineered: a combination of the most rigorous crash tests that helps to protect your child in frontal, rear, and rollover crashes; additional testing based on the New Car Assessment Program and for extreme car interior temperatures
- The boost your child will love
- Height-adjustable armrests for your child's comfort
Rank #4
- 3-in-1 car seat grows with your child from rear-facing harness (5-40 lb) to forward-facing harness (26.5-65 lb) to highback booster (40-100 lb)
- Graco ProtectPlus Engineered: a combination of the most rigorous crash tests that help to protect your child in frontal, side, rear & rollover crashes
- No-Rethread Simply Safe Adjust Harness System allows the headrest and harness to adjust together in one motion
- Choose the perfect headrest height from 10 positions to get the safest fit for your growing child
- 6-position recline keeps your child comfy and helps for a better installation
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