Video: Cars.com's Best Family Car of 2023

Which is why we think a great family car needs to be as innovative, flexible and price conscious as parents have to be. Right, and this year's Best Family Car of 2023 isn't just efficient and functional, I gotta say it's pretty cool too. Introducing cars.com's Best Family Car of 2023: the Kia Carnival. While it debuted for the 2022 model year, Kia added more tech and safety features to its trims for 2023, making it a great tool in any parent's utility belt. A big hit with the parents on our editorial team, the Carnival makes it a snap to haul a lot of people, both big and small and all their stuff. Now, the Carnival is a minivan. It's got the sliding doors that parents love but this thing looks and feels less like a minivan and more like a supersized SUV. With details like the expressive LED lighting and chiseled exterior, this Carnival has an impressive stance. I mean, I would drive this. For sure it's got style but the passenger features are the real headline here. The Carnival's second row seats are incredibly flexible. All three seats independently slide forward and back and the middle seat can fold flat, turning into a table with cup holders. For 2023, the VIP lounge seats are optional. These wide captain's chairs offer power controls with wraparound head restraints and pop-out leg rests. The Carnival earned high marks in our car seat check and the third row seats fold easily into the floor. In fact, in our testing, we found the most measured cargo space compared to three-row SUVs and minivans. The Carnival also has some smart toys, including available rear seat touchscreens with streaming capability, each with individual wireless device mirroring. There are multiple charging ports in every row and intercom systems so that the front row can send their voice through the speakers to passengers in the third row and even a passenger view camera so parents can check in on the kids, even at night. And the driving experience is fun too. Under the hood, Kia has a 3.5 liter V6 with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The pairing makes for a punchy and responsive driving experience, even when you've got the vehicle loaded up. And the cabin works well with everything at the driver's fingertips. An available 12.3 inch digital gauge cluster and touchscreen blends seamlessly and looks sharp. But most importantly, the Carnival doesn't kid around, when it comes to safety that earned excellent crash-worthiness scores and this minivan impresses with its set of active safety features. A safety standout is the available blind spot camera monitoring system. This shows the driver a view of the adjacent lane when the turn signal is engaged. Another is the rear seat alert system. If the Carnival detects movement in the second or third row seat after the doors have been locked, the system will sound the alarm and turn on the hazard lights. <v Jennifer>Many families need to be budget conscious, especially when it comes to a major purchase like a grocery getter. <v Damon>With a starting price of less than $35,000, the Carnival makes the minivan lifestyle affordable. The 2023 Kia Carnival is safe, flexible and comes with plenty of toys for kids of all ages. That's why it's the Best Family Car of 2023. (lively music)