Features You Should Look for When Buying a Family-Friendly Pre-owned SUV

Whether you’re going to drop the kids off at school or visit Elm Park Avenue for a fun day out, you can find used SUVs for sale near Delmar here at DePaula Ford to get you there. SUVs are family-oriented vehicles that provide comfort, safety, high-end technology for entertainment, and enhanced connectivity. An SUV can give the entire family confidence while on the road and offer enough space to fit everyone comfortably. Getting a used SUV is beneficial to your wallet, as well as your regular passengers. There is something for everyone, whether you’re lounging in the front passenger seat or taking a nap in the back seat. Check out these family-friendly features that you should seek out in your next SUV.

Comprehensive Safety Features

Most modern SUVs have truly upgraded their safety equipment beyond your typical airbags and safety belts. Besides people feeling more protected due to the large size of SUVs and how high they sit off the ground, more and more car companies have been putting families first with an array of safety and driver-assistance features. These safety suites, such as Chevy Safety Assist and Ford Co-Pilot360, include major safety features that can assist your driving and help prevent potential accidents.

Common safety features that you may find on used SUVs can include things like emergency braking that detects forward collisions and adapts to traffic, acting as a second pair of eyes, and blind spot detection. This feature is convenient when you’re on a busy street or in the middle of five o’clock traffic, and someone is speeding up to pass you or changing lanes into the lane you want to get in. The alert goes off when a car is too close to change lanes— no more craning your neck to check out who is coming.

The lane keep assist can help you stay within your lane and encourage safe driving, especially when paired with a lane departure warning that alerts you when you drift or change lanes. The difference between the two is that the lane departure warning acts as a sound alert to let you know you are shifting, while the lane keep assist acts as a guidance system to prevent drifting or lane changes without you meaning to.

More advanced safety features can be found on higher trim levels, including adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, and even road sign detections, which will display stop signs and speed limits. More can be found on your dashboard or digital cluster display. The available OnStar system on brands such as Chevy and Buick is a 24/7 service to help you navigate your streets, call for help when needed, and more to keep your family safe.

Get more with driver alert systems found on Ford models that monitor driving behavior and can help in cases of driver medical issues, sleepiness, or distractions that cause irregular driving. Chevy’s Teen Driver technology helps teenage drivers feel confident on the road, allows parents to set controls, and provides reports on their driving. Remember to check the back seats; at least, that is what some models like Honda offer to drivers every time they turn off the car and open their door. As you can see, there is a broad spectrum of safety tools out there on the SUV market that can help provide an extra layer of protection for you and your family.

Technology Features to Keep All on Board Connected and Entertained

One of the first things most people may notice when they hop into a used SUV or want to look for while car shopping is a large touchscreen display with wireless connectivity that keeps families connected, entertained, and informed. You’ll want an available Wi-Fi hotspot if you’re looking for an exceptional connection for anything you can imagine, like receiving updates on traffic or weather conditions and viewing navigation directions to reach your desired destination. These features can be found on models like the Chevy Equinox, Chevy Trax, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and more.

You’ll also want to find an SUV that can distract your kids while driving for a relaxing experience behind the wheel. We’ve all been there, especially when all they seem to know how to say is, “Are we there yet?” If you’re tired of hearing that question, don’t worry; this can be easily fixed with a simple touch of the button or the insert of a DVD with a rear-seat entertainment system. That’s right, TVs for your car. This feature can be especially useful on long commutes or late nights to help them fall asleep on the ride home.

Of course, finding an SUV like the Subaru Forester, Kia Telluride, and Jeep Wagoner (among others) with a special noise cancellation feature can keep outside distractions to a minimum. This is especially useful when the kids have already fallen asleep, and you’d like them to stay that way for the duration of the drive. Even though they are sleeping silently, you can keep checking up on them with cabin intercoms/cameras on SUVs that offer them, like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Honda Odyssey.

Interior Designs That Shine

Driving or owning a used SUV isn’t all about the technology and safety—though those are crucial aspects of purchasing one. There is so much to consider that you may not think about immediately. Depending on the SUV you get, you may want to check for these convenient attributes: hidden storage, foldable seats to increase cargo hold room, dual-climate control settings, premium seating material for extra comfort, etc. These added benefits would help with storing items for the kids, transporting large items for the house, or a fun day out, as well as keeping the arguing to a minimum in the back seat.

With the hidden storage features, it is simple to keep more important items concealed while driving or while you’re, for example, at the beach on vacation enjoying your time with your loved ones. The dual-climate control settings may be the most useful, especially when you live in an area where weather bows to all seasons. Keep your family comfortable and provide them with the temperatures they want without sacrificing your own comfort. Finding a vehicle with premium materials can add to this comfort and provide a new way to drive, as certain seats like Zero Gravity Seats found in the Nissan lineup help with posture and other medical benefits to your back.

It can definitely make visiting Del Lanes or the Bethlehem Public Library a more exciting adventure. Everything mentioned above can improve the quality of driving, add comfort, and add convenience to the daily ride. Don’t forget that trim levels can affect what you receive with a certain model, so make sure you find the right one in our large selection. Let us know what family-friendly features you’re looking for so we can help guide you to the used SUV of your dreams.

Find the Perfect Used SUV for You and Your Family With Us

Come down to DePaula Ford to find your next used SUV. Bring the whole family and come prepared to have fun testing-driving our extensive lineup. Our affordable vehicles and wide selection will allow you to find the right car for your family and award you added benefits for shopping at our dealership. Don’t forget to check our website to peek at our current inventory before you stop in—this way, you’ll have an idea of what you want to look at. However, if you have any questions or need expert guidance, we are ready to help you in any way we can. Visit us today, and we’ll help you find the perfect pre-owned family-focused SUV.