5 Tips for Buying Your Next Family Friendly Vehicle

Be honest: You knew this day was coming.

Maybe you've been dreading another 5-hour drive to grandma's house because everyone feels cramped in your current car and there's no room to pack the Christmas gifts. Maybe you don't want to start another school year with the kids arguing about who has to sit in the middle. Maybe you're sick of finding places to stuff all the baseball gear.

As the kids get bigger, so does their stuff, and so many families are looking for the extra space and conveniences that make active family life just a little bit easier.

Rick Knettel, St. Cloud Toyota's award-winning salesperson, often points families toward the new Toyota Grand Highlander because it has so many features important to families. Here are his general tips for families looking for their next vehicle:

1) Think about your space needs now ... and a few years from now.  Maybe you're dealing with car seats now, but the bulky sports equipment is on the horizon, too. The Grand Highlander comfortably seats 8 passengers with generous legroom. The back has about 20 cubic feet of cargo space, but that can extend up to 97.5 cubic feet by pushing down the back two rows of seats.

2) Think about safety. The Grand Highlander is available with a SmartKey that allows you to lock and unlock doors just by hitting its ridges on the door handle. It offers both a 360-degree monitor and digital rearview mirror for better and easier visibility. You can choose automatic high/low headlights, so you don't need to mess with the headlight settings, and overall, the Grand Highlander has a smoother ride attributable to its extra 3 inches in width.

3) Think about your comfort. The Grand Highlander has memory seat settings, so Mom and Dad don't need to adjust the seats after the other drives — or after a teenager (gasp!) has taken the wheel. It has a heated steering wheel, too.

4) Think about the kids' comfort.  Aside from the 12.3-inch infotainment center, the Grand Highlander has a panoramic moonroof, and a whopping 13 cup holders. It hasheated and cooled seats in the front and heated seats in the second row. Best of all, it has six USB ports, so no one has an excuse for their devices being powerless.

5) Think about conveniences that make your life easier. Once you experience the foot-activated powerlift back gate, you won't want to live without it. You'll never need to fumble for your keys when loading the SUV again. It also has two 120 V outlets (the same kind you have in your kitchen) that can really save you in a pinch.

You can browse more of the Grand Highlander's attributes online here, and when you're ready to search for your family's next vehicle, go see Rick and his colleagues at St. Cloud Toyota. See stcloudtoyota.com or visit 418 2nd St S, Waite Park MN 56387 — they'll be happy to help you find the perfect fit for your needs and budget!