For many South Africans, the December holidays mean hitting the road to visit family or their favourite holiday destination. While your normal everyday car will probably do a great job of getting you and your family to your holiday destination, certain cars are just better suited for carrying families to holiday adventures. These five cars, across the pricing spectrum, are some of the best for that role.
Volkswagen Transporter
The Volkswagen Transporter is the original family vehicle and has been carrying families on holiday adventures since the 50s. Now in its sixth generation, the VW Transporter, continues to boast a variety of features that make it perfect for families.
This includes a roomy interior and a high seating position, the latter ensuring excellent visibility for the driver and passengers, making the Transporter ideal for sightseeing such as trips to the Game Reserve.
The Volkswagen Transporter is fitted with modern 2.0 litre turbodiesel engines in a variety of outputs and paired with Volkswagens slick shifting DSG transmission, which makes for an effortless driving experience.
The Volkswagen Transporter is also available in a variety of different specifications and levels of luxury, ranging from regular Crew cabs to fancier Caravelle derivatives ensuring that there is a model for families across the pricing spectrum.
The next generation VW Kombi will be built in conjunction with Ford, which will most likely mean that the current, sixth-generation models, will retain their value exceptionally well in the pre-owned market as families look to hold on to the last completely Volkswagen Kombi model.
Hyundai Staria
If the VW Transporter’s styling seems a bit dated to you, there is another option. The Hyundai Staria’s futuristic, space age like design ensures that it looks more like a space aged vessel than a minivan. The front end features horizontal daytime running lights and a positioning lamp that runs across the entire width of the vehicle. A wide radiator grille with unique pattern and low-set headlamps are designed in such a way that they continue the clean silhouette. The same body colour for all the parts upfront maximises the vehicle’s premium and modern look.
The interior is a contradiction to the exterior in a certain way as it leaves modern styling behind and focuses on passenger carrying ability. The interior is designed especially for carrying people, making it ideal for families and road trips. The Hyundai Staria is available as a seven-seater premium model or a nine-seater luxury model catering for the needs of differently sized families.
The Staria is powered by a frugal yet well performing R2.2-litre VGT turbodiesel engine, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It delivers 130kW and 430Nm ensuring that the Staria is ready for long road trips or the daily grind, without breaking the bank.
Toyota Land Cruiser
The Toyota Land Cruiser is not called the Master of Africa for nothing and if your budget allows it, you can’t go wrong with the big daddy Land Cruiser 300 for family adventures.
This large SUV offers exceptional off-road ability along with an interior that will comfortably seat seven passengers. So if you are looking for a vehicle for family adventures off the beaten track in comfort, the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 is the perfect vehicle for you.
Under the bonnet is a sweet turbocharged V6 engine that strikes a great balance between economy and fuel consumption making it great for family holidays and towing any of the leisure equipment that you might require, including boats, caravans or off-road trailers.
Add to that Toyota’s reliability and excellent resale value and you have a vehicle that is both family friendly and one of the better motoring investments.
Suzuki Grand Vitara
Suzuki are well known for offering high quality compact cars and the Grand Vitara is their biggest SUV offering. Despite being compact compared to the other models mentioned here, the Suzuki Grand Vitara offers a variety of advantages for families.
The interior is roomier than what you may think and could easily accommodate four adults in comfort, making it perfect for couples with children.
However the biggest win is the value for money that the Suzuki Grand Vitara represents across its lifecycle. Despite an affordable price, Suzuki have an enviable reputation for reliability and low maintenance costs.
Furthermore the four-cylinder, 1.5-litre engine offers great performance and amazing fuel consumption which means that you can go further on your rands when hitting the road for the holidays.
All these factors represent a low total cost of ownership which means more money for ice creams and waffles when you get to the beach.
Volkswagen Caddy
If you are looking for a van type vehicle but your budget doesn't stretch to the Volkswagen Transporter or Hyundai Staria, the Volkswagen Caddy might be perfect for your family.
The Volkswagen Caddy is the German brands small van and based on their popular MQB platform. Its commercial vehicle roots make this compact cargo carrier perfect for family duties.
The Caddy is available in various derivatives including a full panel van, half panel van with one row of seats for five passengers or the seven-seater badged Caddy Kombi, Caddy Maxi Kombi and Caddy Maxi respectively. This allows motorists to choose the configuration that best meets their combination of people and luggage carrying requirements.
Depending on the derivative, the VW Caddy is available with either a 1.6 litre petrol engine or 2.0 litre turbodiesel engine. Both these engines are well proven and offer small car like performance and economy.
