Famous Family Cars We Know and Love

Although pony cars and coupes might be the most romanticized and drooled over vehicles, and full-size pickups are seen as the most hard-working, the family car has been a mainstay of American culture for decades. They’ve changed a lot over time, with a wide range of makes, models, and designs coming in and out of popularity, which means you have a lot of options when looking for used family cars in Southern CA. Yet, certain trends and concepts tend to come back time and again, even if the form and style have changed.

Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the most famous and beloved family cars and vehicles that have graced our country’s roads over the years. These are the tried and true, reliable models that were the scene of countless backseat squabbles between siblings. Nothing beats a family car that’s loaded up with luggage and snacks, nothing but the open road before it, the desire to be trapped with each other in tight quarters for seemingly endless hours, and mom or dad at the wheel.

The Chrysler Newport

A gorgeous example of 1960s automotive engineering, if you close your eyes and imagine a true “land boat” of a car, then the Chrysler Newport is probably what you’ll picture. This was the heaviest model ever produced by Chrysler, and it was incredibly popular throughout the 1960s and into the early 70s. Unfortunately for the Newport, its massive size and weight made it a victim of the oil crisis in 1973 as American drivers looked for more fuel-efficient family cars.

The Chrysler Town & Country

The original Chrysler Town & Country was introduced just before World War II, was not in production during the war, but then came back with a splash in 1945. When it returned, it was a gorgeous family car with wood side panels, and it was available as a four-door sedan or two-door convertible. In the 1950s, the Town & Country turned into a station wagon and earned its place as a popular family car, selling fast at many Chrysler dealerships.

The Ford Country Squire

Although the Chrysler Town & Country might be the definitive station wagon for some people, a lot of us see the Ford LTD Country Squire as the personification of the family wagon. Introduced for the 1950s, the Country Squire featured wood doors and side panels with a “magic doorgate” rear that could open like a truck tailgate or swing out like a door. It was absolutely huge and was powered by a V8 engine that made it plenty of fun to drive, even as the kids were driving their parents insane from the roomy back seats.

The Volkswagen Type 2

Also known as the Volkswagen Transporter or Microbus (or simply VW Bus), this was the proto-minivan and the ultimate choice for large and growing families. The Type 2 was an ideal road-trip machine for families, groups of friends, bands struggling to be discovered, and an entire generation of counter-culture heroes. It was inexpensive to keep running, had a practical design, and fantastically spacious interior that made it incredibly popular.

The Chevy Impala

Although it’s still around today, you’d never mistake the modern Impala for the version that first blazed a trail in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Prior to the aforementioned oil crisis of the early 1970s, the Chevy Impala was one of the great road boats with a long, stout design that included sleek lines and just the right amount of style – not to mention a big-block V8 engine that made it way more fun to drive than it had any right to be. Similar to the Chrysler Newport, it suffered a redesign in the 1970s, and it’s just never been the same.

The Buick LeSabre

Keeping up with the Chrysler Newport and the Chevy Impala, the Buick LeSabre was one of the great beasts that roamed the open road in the 1960s. This beauty was absolutely massive, measuring almost 19 feet long and 7 feet wide, with nearly 20 cu.ft. of cargo space inside. Again: almost 20 cu.ft. of cargo space inside a sedan! It stuck around and went through numerous redesigns, of course, but the classic LeSabre of the 60s was truly a thing of wonder.

The Jeep Wagoneer

When it was first released in the 1960s, the Jeep Wagoneer was introduced as a follow-up to the Willys Jeep Station Wagon but had a full-size body-on-frame design similar to a pickup truck. In other words, while trying to create a station wagon, Jeep actually made an SUV – some would argue among the very first SUVs. It was available, with its original design, for almost 30 years and remained a popular option for many families, especially those that loved the outdoors and liked to do a lot of camping and hiking.

The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser

Honestly, the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser was a pretty typical station wagon available from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s, and it wouldn’t have been particularly noteworthy. That is until “That 70s Show” featured it as the car of choice for the main character and his friends, often showcasing them cruising around and having fun together inside it. Its size certainly made it a favorite amongst families – and it worked great for teenagers who adopted the family car when they could start driving. But “That 70s Show” elevated what is otherwise a pretty typical station wagon into so much more.

The Dodge Caravan

Whether your parents had one or not, we feel like all of us across all of our groups of friends always had at least one friend with parents who owned a Dodge Caravan. First introduced in 1984, the Dodge Caravan is still with us today and has remained a practical and popular minivan option. Over the years, it’s only gotten better with a wide range of features being added, plus you’ll easily find them when shopping for a used family car – we can’t say the same for a lot of the other models that we’re highlighting.

The Honda Odyssey

Right alongside our memories of friends whose parents had a Dodge Caravan are those who had a Honda Odyssey instead. Although it was introduced about a decade later and suffered from coming in just as SUVs were starting to take off, the Odyssey has become one of the most popular minivans on the road. Modern versions feature impressive engines and a wide range of great interior features, plus plenty of space and comfortable seating for big families and groups of friends. Just like the Caravan, you’ll find used Odyssey models quite easily.

The Honda CR-V

Now we come to the modern incarnation of the family car: the SUV and crossover. The Honda CR-V was introduced in 1997, just after the Odyssey was released, and really showcases why these models have taken over this market. The CR-V has great interior space for both passengers and cargo, sporty handling, and its fuel economy has only improved with time. Today, this is one of the definitive family vehicles and is a terrific option on the used market.

The Toyota RAV4

One of the other popular crossover models that have taken over the family vehicle market, the Toyota RAV4, has become Toyota’s best selling vehicle and one of the best selling vehicles in the US. It offers excellent and practical space inside, great fuel economy, and safety features that are exactly what every parent is looking for. This makes the RAV4 hard to argue with, and its low price ensures it’s a fantastic option, either new or at a used dealership.