What to look for in a car with a baby on the way
There may be no greater joy in life than knowing you’re expecting a baby… but with the joy comes a lot of responsibility. If you’re in the market for a new car at this point, it’s safe to say that you’ll be having loads of different needs than with your previously owned cars which might have just been to get you from point A to point B. Here are the must-haves, nice-to-haves and luxury features you’ll have to consider when there’s a baby on the way:
Things you absolutely MUST have:
The most important thing you can do as a parent is keep your child safe – especially when driving. Regardless of how skilled you are behind the wheel, there is always the unknown factor of weather, road conditions and other motorists that could result in a crash. Modern vehicles have jumped leaps and bounds in terms of crash worthiness compared to older cars, even within the past few years. Some modern cars are much safer than others. To check and compare how well prospective new vehicle purchases rate in crash testing, visit this website or have a look at some of the safest cars in SA right now.
It’s best to look for a four-door vehicle because the easier accessed rear seat area will be easier to deal with. Although most rear-seat coupes do come equipped with child seat anchors, accessing them and the child can be a nightmare. When your child is an infant and in a rear facing child seat this can be quite the struggle. A newborn is going to spend the next several years in child safety seats, so a vehicle with a rear seat is essential.
If your child seat has already been purchased, take it along when new car shopping so it can be test fitted to the backseat area. Pay attention to a vehicle’s official rear legroom measurement as these safety seats are deceivingly long. Also remember, not all smaller cars can accommodate one without forcing the front passenger seat to be placed uncomfortably close to the windshield.
Nice to have:
Rear doors are also important when it comes to size and operation. Vehicles with an extended wheelbase give parents all the space in the world to secure their babies to the back seats.
Chances are you’ll become more distracted behind the wheel now. Vehicles with the latest active safety systems like lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and collision detection could be a life saver if you stop paying attention.
Babies call for a lot of stuff like prams, cribs, diaper bags and more. A car with a large boot is best.
And when it comes to loading a child and their gear into a car, a vehicle’s height is important. Crossovers continue to gain popularity with new parents due partially to their load height. SUVs usually sit too high, requiring some people to have to step up into the vehicle to secure their child in a safety seat. Regular cars, on the other hand, sit too low and force parents to hunch over in backbreaking slouches as they secure the safety belts.
Keeping the sun out of your child’s eyes is also important, especially ones too small to relate any discomfort to you. A vehicle with factory or dealer installed rear window tint is good, but one with built in roll-up sunshades is better. Several minivans, crossovers and sedans are now offering this feature.
Luxury features that you should take if offered:
There are some other items that will make life even easier on new parents, like extra cup holders for kid’s snacks and food as well as excess storage bins for other random items. Some vehicles now include a secondary wraparound rear view mirror so a driver can take a quick look back on their kids without having to turn all the way around or moving the regular rear view mirror down.
Removable rear headrests are a nice bonus as they make installing child safety seats much easier and built-in rear video screens can help entertain little ones on longer trips.