Car features for future parents

Congratulations, you have a baby on the way! This is an exciting time in your life - that is, when you have overcome the panic of responsibility for a small life. So much can be expected from sleepless nights and late night feedings to minor league games and proms.

However, this is still far away, and you must make sure that you are ready for the arrival of the baby. You have a crib, stroller, diapers, bottles. You even have a new child seat because you don't want to risk safety, right? But what about your car? Isn't it time to get a wheel set more family oriented?

If it's time to buy a new family car, you need to sort through all the tech jargon and fancy knick-knacks and find the features that really matter to your future parenting success.

Seat in the back seat

If you've never driven a car with a child seat directly behind you, you may not realize the need for a lot of rear seat space. The kids are small and don't need a lot of space, right? Wrong! By around age two, their legs are long enough to cause whiplash when they kick the back of your seat. How this is physically possible is unknown, but it is true.

When you buy a car, look for a car that has enough room for an adult in the back seat. Not only will this prevent unforeseen kicks to the back, but it will also give you enough room to properly sit and buckle up without requiring the acrobatic movements of Pilates. When your child grows up, your car will still be big enough to be used.

Large cargo hold

Have you ever gone on a day trip with a friend or family member who had a child? Whether you're heading to the beach for the day, to the theatre, to the movies, or just walking down the street to take your little one to daycare, you'll need multiple trips from home to car to load up on everything you need. A playpen, a diaper bag, a snack bag, a change of clothes, a walker, a stroller, and more are often packed into the trunk or sunroof of a car.

Now that you have your own child, you can pack your car the same way. Never - I repeat, NEVER - too much cargo space if you are carrying a child with you. A full-size sedan with a large trunk is fine, although a minivan ranks first in terms of carrying capacity. With its wide-opening tailgate and tall luggage compartment, there's plenty of room for just about everything you need to spend a day or a week with your little one.

Durable floor coverings

It is simply not realistic for any parent to buy a car with easy to clean leather seats, not to mention that the leather is more delicate than it looks. So, to do your best to keep your car clean and tidy, keep your floor carpets clean.

You can buy inexpensive floor mats at the department store that are better than nothing, but when a bottle of milk spills on the floor in the back seat, they might not catch every drop of that awful liquid that goes bad in an instant. Prevent permanent sour smell in your interior with high quality flooring from Husky Liner or WeatherTech. With deep reservoirs that will trap spills, not to mention water, snow and mud in years to come, your floor mats will help you keep your vehicle's value for years to come.

Configurable placement

As mentioned earlier, there is never too much cargo space in your car when you are carrying a child. This is where the different seating configurations come in very handy. If you've ever used Stow 'n' Go seats, you'll understand that. Maybe you need extra space because you're hauling a kid's pool to family, or you have boxes of overgrown toys that need to be taken to a thrift store. By making the seat disappear into the floor, completely out of sight and out of the way, you will sing sweet hallelujahs.

Even having seats that slide forward, seat backs that recline or fold down, and bench seats that can be completely removed are a blessing in times of cargo hauling. Look for a vehicle with more seating configurations to make your life as a parent easier.

Latch location in the center

LATCH is the standard for child seat anchorages in all modern vehicles, keeping the Junior safe when in a properly installed child seat. While LATCH (which stands for bottom anchors and tethers for children) is standard equipment, not all seats are standard. Many cars only have LATCH points on the outboard seats, which can be inconvenient depending on where you sit in the front.

Look for a vehicle with LATCH attachment points in the center of the rear seat. This way both the driver and front passenger can easily turn around and help the mini passenger in the back seat (driver only when it's safe to do so!!).

Rear seat entertainment

Parents-to-be, your child will eventually grow from a little nugget of joy into a finicky toddler and more. For quiet and enjoyable rides, you absolutely NEED a rear seat entertainment system. Some minivans have a massive 16-inch ultra-widescreen display, and some SUVs have roof-mounted or headrest-mounted DVD players. Trust me, this is an investment in your mental health. There are only so many "Wheels on the Bus" to go around in circles.

Camera backup

You may not think it's important right now, but a backup camera can save you many, many heartaches and tears. Backup cameras are much more common than they used to be and are a great option. Whether you're avoiding tricycles and toys left in your driveway or children scurrying behind you when you're backing up, rear view cameras can help you avoid accidents, injury, and property damage.

Whichever family car you choose, it's important to keep it in the best possible working order for the safety of your family. Whether you're heading out on a family trip for a couple of weeks, or taking a whole car of kids to a birthday party, your car should be checked and serviced regularly by professional mechanics like AvtoTachki.