GM took six spots in U.S. News & World Report's Best Family Cars, including the Best Large Car with the Chevy Impala.
With new vehicle sales seemingly on a steady rise to the heady levels of years past, there are plenty of options for families to choose from and, according to U.S. News & World Report, GM and Mazda offer the best of the best.
The magazine handed out its 2014 Best Cars for Families awards with GM taking six honors and Mazda four more. GM’s awards were spread out among Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet with two each.
Mazda took the Best Compact Car, Best Hatchback, Best Midsize Car and Best Compact SUV with the Mazda3, Mazda3 hatchback, Mazda6 and Mazda5 respectively. Buick Verano captured the Best Upscale Small Car while the Buick Enclave too the Best 3-Row Midsize SUV. Cadillac’s ATS and CTS won the Best Upscale Midsize Car and Best Luxury Large Car awards. Chevrolet took home Best Large Car with the Impala, and Best Large SUV with the Tahoe.
The Mazda6 took the Best Midsize Car for Families in the recent U.S. News & World Report awards.
However, the winner in the segment most identified with families – the minivan – was the Honda Odyssey: for the fourth consecutive year.
“The Odyssey was designed to excel in one of the harshest environments on earth, daily family use,” said Mike Accavitti, senior vice president of automobile operations for American Honda. “Being named ‘Best Minivan for Families,’ four years in a row speaks volumes about the Odyssey’s singular commitment to be the ultimate family vehicle.”
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Though almost all minivans offer the space and safety features families are looking for, the Odyssey sets itself apart by offering features that go the extra mile, like a widescreen rear entertainment system and a built-in vacuum, the magazine said.
Other winners included:
- Acura MDX: Best Luxury 3-Row SUV
- Ford Fusion: Best Hybrid
- Subaru Outback: Best Wagon
- Audi Q5: Best Luxury Compact SUV
- Jeep Grand Cherokee: Best 2-Row Midsize SUV
- Lexus RX300: Best 2-Row Luxury Midsize SUV
- Toyota Land Cruiser: Best Luxury Large SUV
- Lexus RX Hybrid: Best Luxury Hybrid
It marked the second year in a row that that GM nabbed six awards.
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“At GM, everything is about providing our customers with the best overall experience in the industry,” said Alicia Boler-Davis, senior vice president GM Global Customer Experience and Product Quality. “Our cars and trucks deliver on all ingredients that create a winning formula for our customers.”
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The award methodology combines professional automotive reviews, safety and reliability ratings, seating and cargo volume and the availability of family-friendly features. Within each of the 19 automotive categories, the vehicle with the highest composite score is named the Best Car for Families in that category.