Searching for a Family Friendly, Energy-Efficient Vehicle

Having just welcomed a new bundle of joy to my family, my wife and I have quickly determined that our Dodge Neon is not equipped for transporting our baby or the 4 member’s of our family anymore.  While the car was fine for just 3 of us – it is simply too small for the baby seat, 2 adults and another child.

As a repeat Toyota car/truck buyer, I have been looking at getting something a bit bigger, but w/ a tight budget and the economy the way it is, I also need something that gets good gas mileage.  I don’t mind trying to be a bit “green” either, so what I’ve been looking at so far is the Toyota Prius.

The Prius has received a lot of great reviews, despite it’s odd appearance.  From other bloggers and reviews, I can see that the car should have plenty of room to put the baby seat in the back, while also giving us enough room in the front seat to sit comfortably (that is not an option now).

I certainly would’ve been hesitant to get a Prius before checking out the reviews, but they have a significant amount of features for the price and they get excellent gas mileage.  Besides… once you’re a parent driving around your kids, the appeal of your vehicle means a lot less to you.  We have more important things to worry about than how our car looks.