What Should You Really Be Looking For in a Family Friendly Car?
This article is brought to you by BYD.
Choosing a family car is a huge deal, right? You’re not just picking a set of wheels — you’re choosing the hub for future school runs, weekend adventures, zipping through the drive-thru when you’re knackered, and, ultimately, countless memories. Not everyone wants a full-blown people mover, but you’re not going to want a full speed demon either — you’ve got safety to think about now. It’s all about balance and, most importantly, keeping your little crew safe and happy.
The best car for you is out there, we promise, but if you’re a new parent or looking to upsize, there are a few key things you should be looking out for — and the BYD Sealion 6 is a great example of how you can have it all: space, performance and safety.
Safety First
The absolute top priority for any family ride has to be safety. We’re talking beyond just a few airbags; it’s about how the car actually protects everyone when things go wrong, and even better, how it helps stop accidents from happening at all. The easiest way to determine this? The ANCAP rating. Cars get this rating after rigorous crash testing, with a higher rating denoting a safer car. Five stars, like the BYD Sealion 6, is what you want. Think of this as the gold star for crash protection, showing it’s been put through the wringer and came out shining. This rigorous testing also specifically looks at how well kids are protected in different types of crashes.
Batteries Built Different
It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering child safety, but, if choosing an electric car, it’s not just protecting the planet you’ll want to prioritise — but your family as well. Essentially, battery choice matters. A safe EV battery significantly reduces the risk of fire or thermal runaway in the event of a collision or even battery damage. The BYD Sealion 6’s Blade Battery significantly enhances child safety by offering exceptional resistance to thermal runaway (fires) due to its inherently stable LFP chemistry and unique design, which effectively dissipates heat. Not only that, but it doesn’t use nickel, has an expected life of up to 30 years (enough for your children’s children) and is even being sold to competitors. Talk about raising the industry standard.
Room To Haul and Grow
A family car needs space — a two-door pocket rocket won’t cut it. This isn’t just for the kids, but for all their stuff — prams, school bags, sports gear, holiday luggage. You’d ideally want a roomy second row, and a boot that can fit in everything you need (trust us, no matter how much you’ll think you’ll need, you’ll need more). Cars like the BYD Sealion 6 step up in this space with a spacious second row, comfortably fitting three people across. And, it has a colossal boot capacity of 574 litres. This means, should your family grow over the years, you’ve already futureproofed yourself.
Car Seat Chaos Solved
Any parent who’s ever wrestled a child car seat into submission knows this pain. A truly family-friendly car makes this job as simple and secure as humanly possible. There’s no such thing as too safe. And guess what? The BYD Sealion 6 really shines here with its ISOFIX child restraint anchorage points on the two outer rear seats. These aren’t just random hooks; they’re an international standard that gives your car seat a rock-solid connection to the car’s frame. This means less fumbling and way less worry about installing it incorrectly.
And, for when you eventually have to face your child’s car seat forward, the Sealion 6 also throws in an extra centre rear top tether anchorage point. This little gem stops the car seat from pitching forward too much in a frontal crash, giving your little one’s head and neck that extra layer of protection.
A Bonus Is A Bonus
Beyond what’s mentioned above, you’ll want to keep an eye out for any special features a car you’re thinking about has that just adds to its family-friendliness. These aren’t essential, but they really help with peace of mind — and, as a parent, you’re going to want to cut stress wherever you can. Maybe your future car has integrated booster seats or 360-degree camera views or even intelligent seat reminders. In fact, some cars, like the BYD Sealion 6, even has advanced Child Presence Detection technology that helps keep your kids safe if, by some accident, they’re in the car without you. It’s a game-changer for preventing heatstroke and those terrifying “oh no” moments that no parent ever wants to experience. Just choose what works for you.