Which are the ten best family cars of 2022? See why Parents magazine says the 2022 Subaru Forester, Crosstrek, Ascent, and Legacy are all top picks.
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When it comes to evaluating the best cars for families, who is better to give a thorough test to a vehicle than the parents driving them? Subaru scores four of Parents magazine 25 winning family cars and SUVs of 2022. The 2022 Subaru Forester compact SUV, 2022 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2022 Ascent 3-Row family hauler and 2022 Legacy sedan all win awards for 2022.
Parents.com evaluated vehicles focusing on safety, comfort, convenience, features, and value and came up with 25 cars, SUVs, and Minivans they think are best. You can check the Parents complete list of the 25 best vehicles here.
Parents magazine says these models are the best vehicles for families and the reasons why. The Best for Road Trips: 2022 Subaru Forester is the best Two-Row SUV, and 2022 Subaru Ascent is the best in the Three-Row category. The 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid wins the best Two-Row Hybrid honor, and the Best All-Weather sedan is the 2022 Subaru Legacy.
Safety is a key to winning vehicles, and Parents relied on test scores from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). All four Subaru models earn the highest TopSafety Pick+ and five-star awards in 2022.
Subaru touts its safety
Safety is where the Subaru brand puts an emphasis. It’s a core value for the Japanese automaker as they’ve focused on developing the top safety features, and they get top marks every year from the IIHS and NHTSA. The 2022 Outback just won the “Best Safety” Award scoring the highest of any model in its class.
2022 Subaru Forester
Parents magazine gives the nod to the 2022 Subaru Forester for its ample headroom, legroom, and cargo space. Parents.com says Forester is “Has an easy-to-clean interior, lots of cargo space, and legroom make this a favorite for Subaru fans, especially those with kids or fur babies.”
The wow factor is the new Forester Wilderness with “increased ground clearance (9.2" vs 8.7"), enhanced all-wheel-drive, all-terrain tires, and cladding around the wheel wells and lower side rails, its exterior is just as sporty and resilient as its interior.”
What is the price of the 2022 Forester?
The 2022 Forester comes in six trim levels; The Base Forester starts at $27,070, Premium ($30,070), Sport ($31,640), Limited ($33,750), new Wilderness ($34,695), and Touring ($37,170). Pricing includes destination and delivery fees ($1,175).
What is the Forester fuel mileage?
The Subaru Forester compact SUV comes with standard all-wheel drive and gets an EPA estimated 29 combined mpg and 26/33 city/highway mpg. The Forester comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Boxer engine. Forester Wilderness gets an estimated 25/28 city/highway mpg and 26 combined mpg.
2022 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
The 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid scored the highest marks for its small size in urban traffic, instant acceleration from the electric motor, and it’s fun to drive. Parents.com says the wow factor is “Subaru has been marching toward the electric car future without compromising its capability, and the Crosstrek is an important player. The PHEV version takes the brand closer while still allowing buyers the confidence of a quiet gas-fed hybrid engine, too.”
What is the price of the 2022 Crosstrek Hybrid?
The 2022 Subaru Crosstrek comes in five trim levels for customers. The base trim is priced from $24,320, Premium ($25,470), Sport ($28,670), Limited ($30,170) and Crosstrek Hybrid ($37,520). Prices include destination and delivery fees that increase ($1,175).
What is the Hybrid fuel mileage?
The Crosstrek Hybrid achieves an EPA estimated 90 MPGe combined electric and gas city/highway and 35 mpg combined city/highway in regular gas mode.
2022 Subaru Ascent
The 2022 Subaru Ascent family hauler wins the Three-Row category for its all-weather all-wheel-drive capabilities, seating for eight, new turbocharged engine, and EyeSight safety technology. Parents.com says Ascent is for “Owners who spend a lot of time outdoors, who live in places with "mud season," and who have dogs. This car is durable and easy to clean while being comfortable and nicely appointed, especially in the top level Touring edition. There are outboard LATCHes in the center row and one set in the third row on the driver's side.”
The wow factor is Subaru added an Onyx edition to the lineup for 2022, “giving this capable, all-weather SUV a black-tie look that goes seamlessly from the campsite to country club.”
What is the price of the 2022 Ascent?
The Subaru Ascent base starts at $33,970, and Premium trims begin at $36,470. The new Ascent Onyx Edition starts at $39,670. The upper Limited starts at $41,270, and the top-trim Touring has a starting MSRP of $47,120. Pricing includes destination fees ($1,175).
What is the Ascent fuel mileage?
The Subaru Ascent base and Premium trim levels get an EPA estimated 21/27 city/highway mpg and 23 combined mpg. Because they are slightly heavier, the Ascent Limited and Touring trim levels get an EPA estimated 20/26 city/highway mpg and 22 combined mpg.
2022 Subaru Legacy
The 2022 Subaru Legacy is best in the Sedan category and is praised for its reliability and its standard all-wheel-drive. Parents.com says “This spacious cabin has rear seat air vents, armrest cupholders, and power ports. The outboard seats have LATCHes for installing children's car seats.”
The wow factor is Subaru proves that a capable all-wheel-drive sedan “can be this elegant at this price.”
What is the price of the 2022 Legacy?
The Legacy sedan comes in six trim levels. We have included the price increase on each trim after the new pricing. The 2022 midsize sedan starts at $24,490 for the base trim, Premium ($26,740), Sport ($30,285), Limited ($31,440), Limited XT ($35,990), and Touring XT ($37,690). Destination and delivery fees are included in the pricing above ($995).
What is the Legacy fuel mileage?
The EPA says the Legacy XT 2.4-liter turbocharged engine returns EPA mileage figures estimated at 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway and 27 combined mpg. The standard naturally aspirated 2.5-liter flat-4 engine gets an EPA estimated fuel economy of 27/35 mpg city/highway and 30 combined mpg.
Subaru scores four of Parents.com The Best Family Cars of 2022. The 2022 Subaru Forester compact SUV, 2022 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2022 Ascent 3-Row family hauler, and 2022 Legacy sedan are top picks.
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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