Five great family cars that will keep your child safe

Let’s face it, driving is dangerous, and no amount of care and attentiveness can help a driver when things spiral out of their control. That’s why in recent years, cars have been developed to be safer and provide more protection in the event of a crash. Of course, safety ratings are not the only things that make a car safe and child-friendly, so we’ve accounted for additional features like entertainment and comfort features on top of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and passive safety features like airbags. Keeping your child's safety and enjoyment in mind, we have curated a list of vehicles that excel in essential categories such as safety features and riding experience.

Just like our previous list of child-friendly vehicles, we’ve picked out cars that have an ASEAN NCAP rating from recent years. In addition, the car must also have a five-star safety rating and a total score of 40 or more when it comes to the Child Occupant Protection (COP) category. The car should also be equipped with ISOFIX anchor points or tethers. Last, and most importantly, the car must be on sale right now.

Starting off with a relatively new car in the Philippine market, we have the Veloz. The Avanza’s slightly more luxurious counterpart scored an impressive five-star safety rating in the ASEAN NCAP. The Veloz got 27.90 out of a max score of 32.00 in the Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) category. As for the COP category, the Veloz got a score of 43.78 out of a possible max score of 51.00. 

It got a perfect score in side and frontal impacts for child occupants, however, it lost points in the child safety restraint installation category as the selected CSR in the ASEAN NCAP failed to attach safely in the center attachment points for the second row.

Although the Veloz performed well in terms of crash safety and passenger protection, Toyota’s MPV is lacking in the entertainment department for the second row. The consolation is that the Veloz features air vents for the middle row of seats and the infotainment system has wireless connectivity, providing backseat passengers a choice in entertainment, that is, if you’re willing to hand control of the radio over to your kid. Although the Veloz comes up short in the entertainment department, it does make up for it by being a safe vehicle when it matters most.

Moving a step down in terms of size we’ve got the Honda Civic. The particular Civic tested by the ASEAN NCAP is an EL+ model from Thailand, its local equivalent being the V variant here in the Philippines. The Civic is a perennial favorite among car enthusiasts here in the Philippines for its comfortable ride and exciting driving characteristics. This eleventh-generation features handsome, mature looks and Honda’s SENSING suite of driver aids making it a safe car for day-to-day driving. 

The results of the Civic’s test yielded an impressive score of 46.72 out of a total score of 51.00 for child occupant safety. The only categories where the Civic lost out on points are the CRS installation and Child Presence Detection categories. Aside from impressive crash safety scores for children, the Civic also scored 29.28 out of a total score of 32.00 on adult occupant safety. 

While the Civic scored an impressive score on its ASEAN NCAP test, rear passengers miss out on some entertainment because of the Civic’s small sedan body. Because of the Civic’s small size, children and rear passengers will have to make do with the Civic’s seven-inch infotainment system.

Up next on our list is the Terra, Nissan’s entry into the midsize SUV market. This time, since the ASEAN NCAP changed its scoring for 2021 onwards, the Nissan Terra was scored differently than the previous cars in the list as it was tested back in 2018. The Nissan Terra’s scores are still relevant today since the only change the Terra underwent is a minor facelift. 

In regards to its ASEAN NCAP test, the Nissan Terra did not exceed its main rival the Toyota Fortuner in terms of its COP score, but it still achieved enough to merit a five-star rating, scoring 40.74 out of a total score of 49.00. While Nissan’s SUV barely skimmed the 40-point mark, it’s still a safe car when we break down the scores. The Terra got a perfect score in the frontal and side-impact tests for child occupants, losing points on the CSR installation category and the vehicle-based assessment of the ASEAN NCAP. So what does that mean? It means that in terms of a crash, the Terra can bear the brunt of a direct front and side impact without any worry, the department where the Terra is lacking is in the child seat anchor points and tethers in the second and third row.

When it comes to entertaining the passengers in the rear, the Nissan Terra pulls through with its 11-inch flip-down rear monitor, providing kids and passengers a distraction in long and monotonous journeys. Coupled with rear vents at the second and third row, comfort will not be a problem with the Terra.

The Isuzu D-MAX is one of two passenger vehicles produced by Isuzu. If the car you’re looking for can double as a work vehicle that is also safe for your child, then the D-MAX is a truck worth considering. Tested in 2020, the D-MAX scored 42.78 out of 49.00 in the child occupant safety category, not as high as the Toyota Hilux featured in our previous article, but high enough to put in the top rung of safe cars for young passengers. 

Beating its previous iteration’s four-star rating, the D-MAX got a perfect score on frontal and side-impact tests with 16.00 out of 16.00 and 8.00 out of 8.00 respectively. Where the D-MAX loses ground is in ease of installation in child safety restraint systems where it got 9.78 out of 12.00. Despite its few shortcomings in this category, overall, the D-MAX is still a considerably sturdy vehicle.

On the other hand, since the D-MAX is a pickup truck, don’t expect it to come with a lot of toys to play with. As of writing, the D-MAX comes with a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless connectivity. Depending on the variant you could get six or eight speakers scattered throughout the truck.

With that said, these qualities of the D-MAX make it a versatile and tough truck, which can do whatever is asked of it whether it be for hard work or a weekend out with the family. 

The last car on our list is another Honda. Moving to the plate is the BR-V, Honda’s seven-seater subcompact crossover. Like the Civic, the BR-V is equipped with the Honda’s SENSING suite of driver aids, providing drivers with a bit more protection by proactively assisting the driver while driving. So if you’re looking for a seven-seater vehicle with a ton of driver aids, the BR-V might be a good choice. 

Equally as impressive as its technology is its performance in the ASEAN NCAP test. Honda’s SUV got full points in the frontal and side-impact tests, scoring 16.00 out of 16.00 and 8.00 out of 8.00 respectively. In terms of CSR installation, the BR-V got 10.78 out of 12.00 while in the vehicle assessment portion, the BR-V got 9.00 out of 13.00. Lastly, in the Child Presence Detection (CPD) category, the BR-V scored 0.75 out of 2.00, giving the BR-V a total score of 44.53 out of 51.00. These results mean the BR-V is quite a good choice for those who wish to get a seven-seater SUV in the Philippines.

Moving toward the car’s amenities, the BR-V has what you would expect from a seven-seater SUV. The BR-V is equipped with a seven-inch touchscreen display and rear AC vents for the 2nd and 3rd rows of seats. While the BR-V doesn’t push the envelope when it comes to specs and features, its flexible seating configuration and roomy interior make it a great choice if you need a cargo hauler and family vehicle in one.