The time has come for you to buy a new family car. Perhaps the coupe that used to seat you and your wife comfortably now feels a little cramped with the arrival of a new addition to the family. Or maybe the old station wagon has stalled more times than you’d care to count during family camping trips to the countryside. Whatever your reasons for buying a new family vehicle, it’s always a good idea to sit down and weigh your options carefully before deciding on a final choice. Unlike a sports car that’s built for a swinging bachelor, a family vehicle has to win the approval of every member of the household. Choosing a vehicle that meets the exacting standards of you, your spouse, and your kids can be a tough chore, but the payoff of making the right choice will be more than worth the trouble. Here are a few pointers to remember when choosing a family vehicle:

1. Put safety first. The safety of your loved ones comes first when evaluating a vehicle that’s going to be used by the family. While front air bags and the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system for child seat installation are now standard on all new vehicles, you’ll need additional safety features to protect your most precious cargo. Safety features that are designed to provide crash protection and accident avoidance capability include:

Side air bags and curtain air bags

Antilock braking system

Electronic stability control

Rollover resistance

Traction control

Safety belt pretensioners and force limiters

Backing assistance systems

Tire-pressure monitor

Telematics

In addition, you may want to know how the vehicle performed in crash tests that simulate real-world collisions and traffic accidents. Visit the Web sites of the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (www.nhtsa.dot.gov ) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (www.hwysafety.org ) to access independent crash-test results for cars and trucks going back to 1990. You can request crash data from the NHTSA for vehicles dating back to 1979 by writing a letter to the agency.

2. Consider how the vehicle is going to be used. Once you’ve identified vehicles that meet your safety standards, the next step is to consider how you’re going to use the vehicle. If you have three or more children who need to be ferried to and from school every day or if you’ve been voted your neighborhood’s most valuable carpooler for three years in a row, you might want to consider getting a minivan or an SUV. The road and weather conditions in which you’ll do most of your driving comprise another determining factor in your choice of family vehicle. If you’ll be driving in the snow or on rough roads, then a four-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle would make a convenient choice. For city driving, you will need a car that is easy to maneuver and can fit in tight parking spots.

3. Choose family-friendly options. Options can drive up the cost of a vehicle by a couple of thousands, so it’s important to choose options that will enhance your and your passenger’s safety, comfort, and convenience. Safety locks on the rear doors and override window controls will keep your little hands, arms, and children safely inside the vehicle. In-car entertainment systems will keep your passengers amused during those long family road trips. Air conditioning and climate control systems ensure the vehicle’s occupants will be traveling in comfort come rain or come shine. Rear seat cup holders and seat fabric protection can help prevent spills or save you the trouble of removing stains from the car upholstery if spills do happen.

4. Bring the family along for a test drive. After deciding which options your family car must have, you are now ready to visit the dealership for a test drive. Some parents fail to recognize the test drive as an opportunity to get valuable feedback from their children about the overall “feel” of the vehicle when it’s actually moving. When taking a test drive of the vehicle, don’t forget to take the kids along. They can give meaningful insights on ride comfort, elbow room, and ease of getting in or out of the vehicle.

5. Decide how much car you can afford. Finally you are ready to choose a vehicle that suits your budget. The purchase price of the car is not the only cost that you should take into account when making your choice. You will need to make budgetary adjustments for car insurance and fuel and maintenance costs. Factors like theft or accident rates can affect the amount of insurance your car will need. Large vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks give lower fuel economy than smaller vehicles. Cars that run smoothly on regular gasoline can save you a bundle over vehicles that require premium gasoline for optimal performance. These factors and more contribute to the total cost of vehicle ownership.