Top Cars for Large Families

Yes, you can drive a passenger car even if you are a family of five. The Chevrolet Malibu is a good bet thanks to its mammoth back seat with good legroom. Its starting price in the low $20s and its 17 city/33 highway mpg ratings (with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine) mean more money can be saved for college, while features such as heated front seats and a remote start (great for warming up the car on cold days) are available.

After inventing the minivan segment, the Chrysler Town & Country upped the ante with its last redesign, offering Swivel n' Go second row captain's chairs that rotate 180 degrees to face the third row passengers that, when combined with the optional table make for board-game fun on the go. Add that with available features like integrated child booster seats, live satellite TV, dual DVD screens with a swiveling third row monitor and its hard to imagine why any kid would ask, "Are we there yet?"

While people either love or hate its giant wagon-like styling, the Ford Flex is a terrific choice for a large family. With SUV-like qualities combined with a ride-height and driving experience akin to a minivan, it offers the best of both worlds. It seats up to seven (equipped with the second row bench seat), while there's numerous configurations for carrying cargo and the maximum number of people. For 2010, the Flex is available with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, which offers V8 like performance with V6 fuel economy.