10 Fun to Drive Family Cars for 2016

Buying a family car doesn't have to mean the end of fun. Whether you need a comfortable sedan, roomy SUV or crossover, or a useful hatchback, there are plenty of fun to drive family cars out there that will transport the brood safely and securely while also offering a little extra excitement on the way home from work on a Friday afternoon. Every family has different needs - and different budgets - which is why we put together this diverse list of daily drive options. Let's take a quick look at 10 fun to drive family cars for 2016.

1. 2016 Mazda Mazda6

The 2016 Mazda Mazda6 doesn't exactly wow you with its engine output - after all, 184 horses and 185 lb-ft of torque are certainly adequate, but not quite sports car material. 'Fun to drive' doesn't always mean drag strip-winning performance, however, and in the case of the Mazda Mazda6 this mid-size sedan offers handling that is a cut above most of the family car pack. It's rare to find a front-wheel drive four-door that handles as smoothly and engagingly as the Mazda6, especially considering its very affordable entry price, and enthusiasts can even spec a six-speed manual transmission to enhance further their day-to-day experience.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2. 2016 Volvo V60 Polestar

The 2016 Volvo V60 Polestar is one of the quickest wagons around, which means in addition to comfortable seating for five and nearly 50 cubic feet of total cargo space the V60 Polestar also delivers startling straight-line speed. Motivated by a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine that produces 345 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, the Volvo V60 Polestar leverages its standard all-wheel drive system and six-speed automatic gearbox to hit 60-mph in 4.8 seconds. It also features sporty suspension tuning and big brakes to give the family car a track-ready attitude seldom seen in a station wagon.

Photo by Volvo

3. 2016 Ford Flex EcoBoost

The 2016 Ford Flex EcoBoost might be the biggest vehicle on our list of fun to drive family cars, but that doesn't make it a slouch in the performance department. The seven-passenger Ford Flex EcoBoost is advertised as an SUV but its flat roof and rectangular shape brings to mind the surf wagons of the 1960s, and with standard all-wheel drive and a car-like platform sitting underneath its unique sheet metal it drives much more like a sedan than a truck. A six-second 0-60-mph time is made possible for the Flex by its 3.5-liter, twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 engine, which pumps out 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of twist (and which is managed by a six-speed automatic transmission).

Photo by Ford Media

4. 2016 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon

The 2016 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon balances fun, utility, and luxury in a neatly-styled compact package. The BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon offers entry-level premium shoppers not just the benefit of 53 cubic feet of total storage space, but a raft of available comfort and tech features as well. 

It also presents a chassis that is willing to dance through the corners in a way most other family cars in its class simply can't manage. Throw in the extra grip offered by its all-wheel drive system, its eight-speed automatic transmission, and the 240 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque provided by its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and you've got a guaranteed formula for family car fun.

5. 2016 Mazda CX-5

The 2016 Mazda CX-5 compact crossover makes our fun to drive family car cut thanks again to the Japanese brand's chassis wizardry. It's not easy to make a tall-rider like the Mazda CX-5 handle as well as it does, which speaks to the engineering efforts behind the scenes at Mazda that ensure its full line-up drives sportier than one would expect. For maximum enjoyment make sure to order the CX-5's optional 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which produces 184 horsepower and 185 lb0ft of torque. This is an almost 30-pony increase over the base 2.0-liter unit, and we further recommend all-wheel drive models for their enhanced grip in slippery conditions.

6. 2016 Infiniti QX50

Like the CX-5, the 2016 Infiniti QX50 is a compact crossover, but unlike its Mazda segment-mate it makes a play for luxury customers. Stretch for the current model year, the Infiniti QX50 is also notable for its rear-wheel drive layout (all-wheel drive is an option) which makes it more of a driver's car than direct rivals like the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3. A 325 horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 that's also good for 267 lb-ft of torque sits under the QX50's hood, and a seven-speed automatic transmission calls the shots for the small SUV.

7. 2016 Dodge Charger R/T

The 2016 Dodge Charger R/T puts a muscle car spin on the big sedan package, creating a fun to drive family car that looks as menacing as its guttural exhaust note sounds. The Dodge Charger R/T's 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine is good for 370 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque, numbers that flow through an eight-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. The R/T model also benefits from a stiffer suspension system and bigger brakes than V-6 editions of the Charger, and the options sheet further tempts you with increasingly aggressive chassis setups, a launch control system, and even a limited-slip differential.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

8. 2016 Tesla Model S

The 2016 Tesla Model S isn't an inexpensive date, but this fun to drive family car leverages the extreme torque of its all-electric drivetrain to leave even dedicated performance rides in the dust. Even the base Tesla Model S 60 can be counted on to deliver 380 horsepower, but if you upgrade to the P85D edition - what with its 691 horsepower and standard all-wheel drive - you're looking at a sprint to 60-mph that takes a mere 3.5 seconds. All this from a full-size family sedan dripping with luxury features and which provides 253 miles of driving range on a single battery charge.

9. 2016 Mazda Mazda3

The 2016 Mazda Mazda3 hatchback gives growing families the extra space they need without asking them to step up into a larger sedan right away. The stylish Mazda Mazda3 - as with the other Mazda models on our list of fun to drive family cars - handles much better than it really has to in the quest for compact car dominance, and the 47.1 cubic feet of total cargo space yielded by its folding rear seat makes it a champion of practicality, too. A 155 horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine handles the entry-level of the Mazda3's line-up, while a 2.5-liter four-cylinder produces 184 horses and 185 lb-ft of torque in higher trims (with each offering the choice between a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic transmission).

Photo by Mazda USA

10. 2016 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

The 2016 Volkswagen Jetta GLI takes the automaker's plus-size compact car and gives it additional driver-friendly allure in the form of bigger wheels (18-inches), a sporty suspension system, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine borrowed from the older model GTI hot hatch. With 210 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque on tap, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI is by far the rowdiest member of VW's sedan family, and its comfortable rear seat and good-size trunk give it a leg-up on other compact fun to drive family cars without pushing it too far into the mid-size segment.