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10 Japanese Family Cars For Every Budget

Benjamin Hunting
by Benjamin Hunting
February 20, 2016
4 min. Reading Time
ABTL 2016 Subaru Impreza Photo

ABTL 2016 Subaru Impreza Photo

Japanese family cars come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from traditional mid-size sedans all the way down to practical hatchbacks designed with an urban environment in mind. Fortunately, the reliability, practicality, and comfort associated with Japanese family cars is also accessible to all budgets, with both luxury and entry-level offerings book-ending the spectrum. Chances are if you're seeking a daily driver that can pull double duty as a commuter and a family hauler, you'll find what you're looking for on this list. Let's take a quick look at 10 Japanese family cars for every budget.

1) 2016 Toyota Camry

Where else to start but with the 2016 Toyota Camry. This mid-size Japanese family car has spent years at the top of the American best-sellers list, and it's easy to see why. Spacious inside, comfortable on the road, and frugal at the fuel pump, the Toyota Camry has captured the hearts and minds of millions of buyers. 35 mpg in highway driving is available from its 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine, while a 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 provides a respectable performance upgrade without breaking the bank. The Camry starts at just under $24,000 for the base model, with higher trim levels hovering between $30,000 and $35,000, depending on equipment level.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

2) 2016 Lexus ES

The 2016 Lexus ES shares many of its mechanical details with the popular Camry, but puts a luxury spin on the family car package. The Lexus ES comes standard with the same 3.5-liter, 268-horsepower V-6 that's found in the four-door Toyota, and it offers a ton of backseat room as compared to other mid-size options. Even more impressive is the Lexus' commitment to quiet, isolated motoring: the vehicle's cabin is insulated to the point where it feels like a bubble of calm sailing through traffic. You can pick up a well-equipped Lexus ES 350 for $38,000.

 Photo by Lexus

Photo by Lexus

3) 2016 Mazda Mazda3

The 2016 Mazda Mazda3 challenges the notion that a family car has to be boring out on the road. The compact Mazda Mazda3 - which is available in both traditional sedan and practical hatchback body styles - offers a chassis that drives much sportier than one would expect from such an affordable automobile. The Mazda3 asks buyers to choose between either a 155-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine or a 184-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder, each of which features Skyactiv technology that allows for exceptional fuel mileage: the smaller of the two delivers 41 mpg in highway driving and starts at under $18,000.

 Photo by Mazda USA

Photo by Mazda USA

4) 2016 Nissan Altima

The 2016 Nissan Altima is a versatile Japanese family car that has undergone a recent re-styling effort and a number of equipment updates that make it even more appealing. A new continuously-variable transmission helps the 182-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder base motor see 39 mpg on the highway, while the 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 is now available in SR trim, which aims to provide a more focused driving experience. Big inside, and with a surprisingly long list of high tech features available on the options sheet, the Nissan Altima is priced between $22,500 and $32,000.

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5) 2016 Honda Civic

The 2016 Honda Civic has been completely redesigned in an effort to continue its strong appeal to entry-level customers seeking a reliable and efficient daily driver. The Honda Civic sedan is for many parents the perfect starter family car, with plenty of room for young children and car seats in the vehicle's rear quarters, and it also comes with a wide range of high tech safety options available for the very first time. 158 horsepower from its base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is paired with a starting price of $18,640, while more power is available from a 174-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder unit. Even better: with 42 mpg highway available from the turbo motor, it's actually a hair more efficient than the less powerful entry-level mill.

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6) 2016 Acura TLX

The 2016 Acura TLX is a step above most family sedans when it comes to technology, and performance - especially if it's ordered in V6 Advance AWD trim ($44,800), which offers a 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine plus the traction advantage of all-wheel drive. Still, if you want to keep the window sticker a little more modest, the 206-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder model (MSRP $31,695) is hardly a consolation prize, as even this edition of the Acura TLX dazzles with features such as a passive four-wheel steering system (that reveals its true worth on twisty two-lane roads).

 Photo by Acura

Photo by Acura

7) 2016 Toyota Avalon

The 2016 Toyota Avalon in many ways represents the Japanese take on what a traditional full-size family car should feel like. With a plush ride and an enormous interior that comfortably swallows five adults at a time, the Toyota Avalon is the perfect long-distance mile-eater. Still, don't mistake "soft" for "numb," as Toyota's engineers have fully modernized the Avalon's platform to meet the expectations of modern drivers. The $32,650 sedan comes standard with a 268-horsepower V-6 engine that turns in a sparkling 31 mpg on the highway and a respectable 21 mpg in stop-and-go traffic.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

8) 2016 Subaru Impreza

The 2016 Subaru Impreza is the only compact car on the market that brings standard all-wheel drive to the table. For many budget-conscious buyers who live in parts of the country where winter weather regularly turns ugly, that has made the Subaru Impreza a popular choice as a family car. Like the Mazda3, the Impreza can be had in four-door and five-door editions, and its 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is good for 37 mpg in highway driving when matched with its available continuously variable automatic transmission. The Subaru Impreza starts at $18,295.

 Photo by Subaru Media

Photo by Subaru Media

9) 2016 Toyota Corolla

Much like its larger Camry sibling rules the mid-size roost, the 2016 Toyota Corolla has had a lock on compact sedan shoppers for almost as long. The Toyota Corolla's secret is its longevity - the vehicle is renowned for the unkillable nature of its 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine - and its very affordable $17,300 entry-level price. The Corolla savings continue at the fuel pump, too, as some versions of the vehicle are capable of returning 42 mpg in highway driving. The small Toyota tags all the bases when it comes to a compact family ride, and chances are you'll still be driving it in 10 years time.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

10) 2016 Honda Fit

The 2016 Honda Fit stretches your conception of what might qualify as a Japanese family car. Isn't a subcompact hatchback like the Honda Fit simply too small to handle the needs of more than a couple of passengers at a time? Actually, thanks to its Magic Seat feature, the Fit offers as much interior room as most compact SUVs, especially when trying to haul cargo. At $15,890, the Honda hatch is also an inexpensive purchase, and one that delivers up to 41 mpg on the highway from its 1.5-liter, 130-horsepower four-cylinder engine.

 Photo by Honda

Photo by Honda


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