Top 4 Family-Friendly Cars With Cool Gadgets

by: Laurie Mega

President's Day is upon us, and that can only mean one thing...car sales! If you're in the market for a safe, practical car for you and your family, you have plenty to choose from. 

But if you're looking for something that injects a little cool into the mix, letting you be a just a little bit more you, we can help with that.

We looked at the Kelley Blue Book top 12 list of family cars for 2018 and whittled it down to our own top 4 for cool gadgets.

Chevrolet Equinox

Chevrolet Equinox

Chevrolet made our list not once, but twice -- and for good reason. When it comes to standard features, they lead the pack, especially the Equinox.

First of all, it comes with a 360-degree backup camera. I love backup cameras. They come in handy when I'm backing up in the daycare parking lot, where little guys tend to come tearing out of nowhere.

If you have older kids, it comes with Teen Driver Mode, which lets you restrict your teen's driving and receive reports. 

As far as cool tech, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all Chevrolet vehicles. So is OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi, which lets you become a roving hotspot.

The Equinox also has 3 12-volt outlets. Power is a precious commodity when that little battery icon starts flashing on your kid's tablet.

Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard on the Honda Odyssey, but the really cool thing about this SUV is HondaLink. This app allows you to do things like get mileage and fuel levels from your phone.

It also has Parking Reminder, to help you find your car in a busy parking lot. If you've ever had a cart full of groceries and toddlers, you know how essential it is to find your car right away, especially in bad weather.

On top of cool tech, this minivan comes with some really practical, but really nice, features--the kind of features that make you wonder why no one thought of them before. First of all, there's the HondaVac, a built-in vacuum for sucking up Cheerios and glitter -- both of which feature prominently in my car right now.

Then, there's the second-row seats that slide -- wait for it -- sideways! Yes! You can separate the kids and keep them from poking each other!

Oh yes, and heated seats come standard. Ahhhh!

Chevrolet Tahoe

Chevrolet Tahoe

Like the Equinox, this comes with tons of standard tech goodies. The Tahoe, though, has USB and power points galore, so no one runs out of juice. It also has tri-zone climate control, so everyone is comfortable -- including you. I can't tell you how many times I've sweated my buns off because the kids were cold in the back.

If you go for a higher trim, you can get Bose premium audio and wireless charging, so you'll never have to remember your phone cord again.

Volkswagen Atlas

Volkswagen Atlas

Volkswagen has made the Atlas just plain cool. It comes standard with Fender premium audio, first of all.

Second, it comes with their Digital Cockpit, which lets you customize your gauge cluster. That's just cool.

If you've got your hands full with shopping bags, sport equipment or...you know...kids, the rear door has one of those sensors that you stick your foot under to make it open. 

Finally, all Volkswagen cars come with Pedestrian Monitoring, which warns you if someone's about to jump in front of your car. If you don't respond, the car breaks automatically.

If you're looking for a family-friendly car that's not only safe, but cool. Any of these are a good choice.

If you're not lucky enough to have cool gadgets to keep all of your passengers (and yourself) entertained, you might want to take a look at our tips for fight-free travel with kids.

Images courtesy of Honda, GM and Volkswagen.