Five Safest Cars for Moms

Cars for moms and carpools must pass the haul test and also prove that they are easy to get in and out of. More important still, cars for moms of babies and toddlers must make the installation of car seats a snap. So what are the five safest automobiles on the road right now?

Top 2 Minivans for Moms: Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna

In your hunt for the safest automobiles of the minivan type, look no further than the Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey. Both are the only minivans that made the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's 2011 category picks. Granted, minivans are hailed as being the typical cars for moms or carpool drivers, but there is a very good reason behind the reputation.

The Toyota Sienna starts at $24,560 and brings daytime running lights, solar energy-absorbing glass, dual sliding side doors as well as a rear window defogger to the table in the standard model. Starting at $27,800, the Honda Odyssey also features dual sliding doors, a remote entry system as well as tether anchors in the second and third rows.

With 19 miles in the city and 24 on the highway, the Toyota Sienna also offers more than 39 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats. The Honda Odyssey compares favorably with 18 miles in the city and 27 on the highway; More than 38 cubic feet of storage capacity behind the third row of seats gets in quite a bit of gear.

Crossover: 2011 Chevy Equinox

Chevy learned from its marginal side impact test rating in its 2005 to 2008 models, and its 2010 to 2011 Chevy Equinox makes the list of the safest automobiles for moms or carpool drivers. Starting at $22,995, the Equinox gets 22 miles to the gallon in the city and 32 on the highway.

It features a cargo volume of 63.7 cubic feet and seats five comfortably. What makes it one of the safest cars for moms to drive is the standard availability of OnStar emergency services. This is a good choice for the mom taxi with two or three children as well as loads of bulky gear.

2 Full-size Sedans: 2011 Ford Taurus and 2011 Volvo S80

Rounding out the list of safest automobiles for moms on the roads are two full-size sedans. The 2011 Ford Taurus starts at $25,420. Seating five, it features a trunk volume of 20.1 cubic feet. Fuel economy shows a competitive 18 city- and 28 highway miles to the gallon.

A bit costlier but also a little more stylish is the Volvo S80, which starts at $37,150. It is rated as one of the safest cars on the road in its class. Look forward to enjoying 14.9 cubic feet of storage, 19 city miles and 27 highway miles per gallon of fuel. This is one of the cars for moms with older kids and carpool participants who like to be chauffeured along in style, but who don't usually have a lot of bulky gear.

Resources

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: "Top Safety Picks 2011"

Toyota: "Sienna 11"

Honda: "Odyssey"

Chevrolet: "Equinox"

Ford: "2011 Taurus"

Volvo: "S80"