7 Best Vehicles for Family of 6 in 2023

If you have a family of six, you obviously won't be tempted to buy the new Camaro. You will need at least a car with seven good sits to comfortably drive to vacations or to airports and have the opportunity to place everyone. While families of six very often have several cars, we will focus on big vehicles that can cover all your needs.

In 2023, the market of big cars has changed a lot but you will still find a lot of 7-seaters or even 8-seaters that are comfortable for families of 6 people. Your four kids will require a lot of comfortable and safe space, so forget about the money economy when searching for a good new car - it's going to be a big vehicle for big money.

Here's what I've found for you:

1. Hyundai Palisade - from $36,000

This is one of the affordable vehicles for big families. It offers seating for 8 people. Well, the third-row seats are not really comfortable for adults, but kids will still feel good here. The interior seems to be quite roomy, so long travels shouldn't be a big problem.

I still see the problem of low comfort in the last row of seats and this may cause trouble for some families. If your kids are road-sick, the Palisade may not be the best choice because you don't have immediate access to your kids in the third row of seats.

Well, the Palisade starts at about $36K for the base version which is pretty empty in terms of technology. It's powered by a really good 3.8-liter V6 gas engine with 291 horsepower and an 8-speed automatic transmission. AWD is an option, while it comes standard with FWD.

One of the bad things is the gas mileage rated at 19 MPG in the city and about 27 MPG on highways.

My verdict: this is quite a great SUV for a big family of 6 but it lacks flexibility and makes the access to your kids in the third row of seats somewhat complicated. Also, it's not economical at all and isn't idyllic in terms of comfort.

2. Toyota Sienna - from $37,000

At approximately the same price, the Sienna offers much more comfort for a family of 6. This minivan is specially designed for families, so it's quite a great vehicle to buy if you often go on longer journeys.

First of all, it's designed to have quite quick access to the third row of seats. Also, the seat themselves are much more comfortable. The Sienna is great for interstate rides because it's very soft and your passengers just don't feel all the challenges of the road.

With the starting price of $37,000, you get the 4-cylinder hybrid engine that offers wonderful gas mileage - 36 MPG on average on all types of roads. This engine is most likely less durable than the V6 in the previous point on the list, but it's very economical and still powerful with 245 hp combined.

My verdict: this is a much more reasonable choice for a family of 6 because of its low fuel consumption. But the Sienna has the CVT and the engine itself is not as durable as in some other cars on my list today.

3. Chrysler Pacifica - from $38,000

Add another thousand and move to a more practical American-made Chrysler Pacifica. Although I personally think it's a little overpriced, the vehicle is not bad at all. It offers a simple and practical design, wonderful comfort, and good seats for all 7 passengers.

The vehicle has all possible trims starting with $38K and finishing with almost $60K, so you will be able to choose whatever you like. Though all versions are powered with the same 3.6L V6 engine with 287 horsepower. It's a reliable engine that is mated to a reliable 9-speed automatic transmission.

This is a good minivan for those who want more reliability but don't care much about fuel consumption. In terms of gas mileage, the Pacifica offers just 19 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on highways - something like the Palisade.

My verdict: I would obviously choose the Pacifica over the Sienna because of the CVT in the Toyota and that shabby hybrid powertrain. The Chrysler looks more decent with a good V6 and a great transmission but it drinks up much more gas.

4. Acura MDX - from $50,000

Have some more money to spare? The MDX is a great luxury 7-seat SUV that you can consider buying for your family of 6.

The Acura MDX doesn't offer as much space in the vehicle as the minivans or even the Palisade, but it can be the only vehicle in your big family. It's compact enough to drive it to supermarkets and to your work. And it's roomy enough to drive it to another coast of the USA for vacation sometimes.

Yes, the sitting is not as comfortable and the access to the 3rd row is not as great as in the Pacifica, for example. But if you put up with this, you will get a luxury SUV that will let all your family get in and have fun on the road.

The MDX is powered by the really great 3.5L V6 by Honda and the 10-speed automatic transmission. You can get a Type-S with the 3-liter Turbo engine offering mind-blowing 355 horsepower and making the MDX one of the most powerful family cars on the market.

My verdict: If I had 50 grand and was searching for a family SUV, the MDX would be my choice. Yes, this is something you waste your money on, but it gives you so many cool emotions that driving the MDX is much more exciting than any other car on this list.

5. Kia Carnival - from $34,000

Being the cheapest vehicle on my list, the Carnival also seems to be the freshest one in terms of design. It proudly wears the new trendy design by Kia and offers a great interior that seems to be even more comfortable than in the Pacifica.

Well, it only seems to be - the Pacifica still goes better on the road and makes your driving with family more pleasant. But the Carnival still has lots of wonderful sides.

It's powered by the 3.5L V6 with a decent 290 horsepower and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Lower trims seat 7 people while some more expensive versions may seat 8 people with comfort.

The Carnival is not about fuel economy - it gives you 19 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on highways. But this is the price you pay for the reliability of its technologies.

My verdict: The Kia Carnival is the bridge between comfort and price. It's cheaper than the majority of other minivans on the market but it's still good. Also, I don't think it's a good purchase for families that love long road trips.

6. Honda Odyssey - from $38,000

Honda is a little smaller and I believe a little less comfortable than other cars. And if your family has 6 members and isn't going to grow, it's OK. But carrying 7 people is almost an impossible task for this minivan.

It has a great interior with comfortable seats but it's not enough space inside. Also, the Honda is powered by a wonderful 3.5L V6 engine with 280 horsepower and a 10-speed transmission. It's reliable and almost unbreakable and bulletproof in comparison with other minivans and family cars on the market.

The Odyssey costs a lot, in my view. A decent trim like Touring will cost you $45,000 and it's really expensive. Also, you get just 19 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on highways, so the economy during driving is also out of the question.

My verdict: I wouldn't buy the Odyssey because there are so many other wonderful minivans that are cheaper and also more comfortable. The Odyssey just doesn't win in any point but the only one: being a reliable Honda.

7. Volkswagen Atlas - from $35,000

Surprisingly inexpensive VW Atlas can be a great choice for a family of six. It's not as huge as some other SUVs with the third row of seats and it's good to drive daily. Also, the rear seats are pretty comfortable and surprisingly easy to access.

The Atlas is powered by a 2-liter turbocharged engine with the DSG or the 3.6L V6 with the 8-speed automatic. The first one will be OK for those who want to save money on fuel costs and the second one - for those who want a reliable car.

The Atlas doesn't look revolutionary good but the design is one of the not-so-important features when it comes to a family SUV. Inside, the VW Atlas provides you with everything you need for a really good ride.

My verdict: The Atlas is pretty affordable and overall good SUV for the family of six and I would certainly add it to my test-drive list if I needed to choose a good car.

Final thoughts

You may see that the market of best cars for families of 6 now consists of SUVs or minivans. These vehicle types are best for this purpose and they provide you with comfortable sitting for every member of your family without looking like a school bus.

Most of these vehicles are still powered by big V6 engines that drink up fuel like crazy but you still can have turbo engines in some models and even hybrid technologies in the Sienna.

I would still base my choice on SUVs because they look much cooler and provide the driver with more emotions. But for long family trips, minivans are still the best choice.