by Edward Matthews

Created on: September 27, 2010

Purchasing the right SUV for a family of four can be a daunting task.  There are plenty of questions you must ask yourself first.  Are you going to routinely have others in your car, and if so, how many seats will you need?  Do you plan to tow anything, and how much does it weigh?  Is 4WD a necessity or a luxury?  After answering these, you can narrow down the field.  Below are some good choices in the large, midsize, and compact SUV families.

Large SUV

If you want a large SUV, the Nissan Armada is the way to go.  Besides being one of the nicer looking SUVs on the road, it has all the features you could want.  4WD is available if you are going through some rugged terrain or simply through inclement weather.  It has available seating for 8, so you can bring along the other family of 4 that you know.  It has an available tow package that will easily tow your boat or camper.  It has a key fob operated powered lift gate, which comes in very handy when you’re walking to the car with bags of groceries.  And it has an available TV and DVD player, which will keep the children quiet during that long road trip you have planned.

Midsize SUV

The midsize SUV to choose is the GMC Acadia.  It comes in several different trim levels, but the possibilities are all worthwhile.  This model also seats 8, which may seem excessive with a family of 4 until it turns into a family of 5 or 6 and the grandparents are visiting.  It has AWD available, and there is an optional rear entertainment system.  The third row seating, unlike many other SUVs such as the Tahoe, is actually usable by adults, with plenty of leg room.  This is incredible for an SUV this size.  There is even an optional 115V plug-in, a nice touch in a vehicle.  The little things are what make the GMC Acadia a real value.

Compact SUV

If this size suits your needs, then you should choose the GMC Terrain.  This vehicle is built to please, with an optional voice activated navigation system and dual screen rear seat entertainment.  It has available AWD and also includes the convenience of a powered lift gate.  The Terrain received 5 star ratings for front and side impacts, meaning that this comfortable ride is also very safe.

There are many things to consider when purchasing an SUV for your family of four.  It is best to determine the size of vehicle you are going to need and then go from there.  Each of these makes an excellent choice, and with the number of trim packages available you can get each of these with exactly the options you want.

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