When the budget allows, premium vehicles let the family travel in style and luxurious comfort, complete with a sumptuously rich in-cabin experience.
Plus, they come with some of the most engaging drives money can buy.
While you can always opt for a larger car for the extra room, this post aims to match the right size to the number of occupants.
Best Luxury Vehicles for a Family of 4
Mainstream manufacturers produce numerous models that fit four passengers, but premium models are perfect for a more luxurious, and often quieter, travel experience.
#1 Audi A6
A 4-person household has near-unlimited options for a family car.
While compact cars will suffice, so long as the vehicle has sufficient headroom, opting for a midsize model gives the passengers more room for comfort, especially on long journeys.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Volvo, and plenty more have midsize entrants in the premium car market.
Still, the Audi A6 stands out as one of the best luxury sedans for a family of four, with impressive overall performance, solid build quality, and interior refinement.
The A6 is a remarkable luxury car with:
- Above-average fuel economy with its gas/electric mild-hybrid V6.
- Lively and sporty handling.
- An understated yet elegant interior design.
- Top-notch build quality.
- Solid crash safety.
- Standard all-wheel drive.
Besides, the A6 has impeccable crash safety credentials, with an impressive list of Insurance Institute for High Safety (IIHS) awards:IIHS Award 2022 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick + 2021 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick + 2020 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick + 2019 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick + 2018 Audi A6 – 2017 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick 2016 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick + 2015 Audi A6 – 2014 Audi A6 – 2013 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick 2012 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick 2011 Audi A6 – 2010 Audi A6 – 2009 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick 2008 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick 2007 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick 2006 Audi A6 Top Safety Pick
If you want a four-door Audi but with hatchback-style cargo capacity, the A7 is worth considering.
Commendable rivals to the A6 are:
- BMW 5-Series.
- Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class.
- Lexus ES 350.
- Volvo S90.
#2 Porsche Cayenne
Most premium vehicles today gear towards comfort and luxury at the expense of driving engagement, but Porsche passenger cars buck that trend.
The Porsche Cayenne is one of the best SUVs for a family of four, expertly combining exquisite interior quality and superb handling.
It’s probably the best-performing midsize SUV built for thrills, with impressive acceleration, even with the base engine, plus superior cornering grip.
Available powertrain options include turbocharged V6, turbocharged V8, and plug-in-hybrid versions of both, while all-wheel drive is standard.
The ride is firm but comfortable, another Porsche hallmark.
Although its interior space will suffice for four, opt for one of these midsize luxury SUVs if you need slightly bigger room in the second row:
- BMW X5.
- Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class.
- Audi Q8.
Best Luxury Vehicles for a Family of 5
Some mainstream cars for five in a family have relatively upscale interiors, but the following premium models offer the best in opulence and near-silent ride.
#3 BMW 7-Series
Before SUVs joined the fray, premium sedans were traditionally the go-to options for luxury car buyers.
Neck and neck with its arch-rival, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, for top billings, the 7-Series represents the ultimate blend of performance and opulence.
With a serene ride in an impeccably-finished cabin, the BMW 7-Series is arguably the best luxury sedan for a family of five, delivering a first-class travel experience.
It has a range of powertrains, ranging from i6 and V8 to the range-topping V12 – all turbocharged, and each capable of transforming the 7-Series into a quiet but astonishingly powerful highway missile.
The 7-Series boasts a supremely stable and stately ride, thanks to the standard air suspension and noise-impenetrable interior.
Although the seating design caters to five, the middle rear seat suits a pre-teen kid better than an average-sized adult.
So if you have three tall teenagers occupying the back seat, the following sedan on this list, the Merc S-Class, may be preferable.
#4 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Surpassed only by the S-Class Maybach, the standard S-Class is Mercedes-Benz’s second most luxurious sedan.
Still, the over-$100k price tag on the base model is the most expensive in the large luxury sedan segment.
Few cars on the road can rival the S-Class’s level of luxury and premium interior appointments, but endowed with class-leading headroom, shoulder room, and legroom, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the ideal luxury vehicle for a family with five adult-sized occupants.
Despite the massive size, the S-Class handles exceptionally well, exhibiting quick reactions to steering input that masked its 4,700 pounds weight.
The dynamic air suspension offers smoothness and composure when negotiating turns and can lower the ride height by up to 0.7 inches to further improve handling.
Less expensive rivals to the S-Class include:
- BMW 7-Series.
- Audi A8.
- Lexus LS 500.
- Porsche Panamera.
- Genesis G90.
#5 Bentley Bentayga
Going one step above premium cars in price and opulence is an elite SUV like the Bentley Bentayga.
With profoundly impressive power, top-notch build quality, and supreme ride comfort, the Bentley Bentayga is the top-of-the-line ultra-luxury SUV for a family of five.
A turbocharged V8, capable of 600-plus horsepower output in the range-topping trim, propels the vehicle’s over-5,000-pound heft forward with relative ease.
The cabin remains magnificently quiet once up to speed (rpd), with minimal wind and road noise intrusion.
While the five-seat configuration comes standard, the Bentayga’s wide doors and relatively low ride height for an SUV mean settling kids into the second row or a toddler in the safety seat is straightforward.
Best Luxury Vehicles for a Family of 6 or 7
#6 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class
Premium 3-row SUVs are less common than smaller 2-row models, but the elongated wheelbase with higher hauling capacity is ideal for larger families or smaller ones wanting extra space.
The Mercedes GLS-Class is a compelling large luxury SUV for a family of six, not least because it combines performance, comfort, and opulence in a spacious body.
It has three spacious rows, seating a maximum of seven comfortably, so the additional seat is handy for the occasional guest.
Rear headroom and legroom are marginally more than its direct competitor, the BMW X5.
If every inch of legroom matters for your second and third-row passengers, opt for the 3rd-generation GLS, which debuted in 2020. It has 3.4 inches more legroom than the preceding models.
The GLS’s ride stays steady and composed in city or highway drives, while road and wind noise is barely noticeable, even at elevated speeds.
#7 Lincoln Navigator
Should a higher price tag falls within your budget, and the family needs more room to stretch, the Navigator will satisfy and then some.
The Lincoln Navigator is the best full-size luxury SUV for a family of seven, with ample cargo space.
The standard and extended-length models (approximately 12 inches longer) provide ample space for up to seven passengers, so the Navigator is plenty comfortable for six or fewer occupants.
Noise intrusion is minimal when the car gets going, and although the suspension struggles a little over bumpy surfaces, the ride quality is livable.
The 400-plus horsepower turbocharged V6 is potent and can quickly get you up to speed, covering 0-60 mph in a little over six seconds and pulling rapidly with maximum occupancy on board.
Plus, the Navigator is one of the most fuel-efficient in its class, registering close to 20 mpg overall – the 4WD returns only one to two mpg less.
While the Navigator is ideal for a large family, the up to 222 inches in length may not fit in some garages, so you need to check beforehand.
References:
https://www.carsforsale.com/used-cars-for-sale
