2013 Best Cars for Families winners announced

Putting one's family into a car completely changes the priority of things, with safety being the top concern and space/features coming in as a close second (and third). U.S. News and World Report has released its 2013 Best Cars for Families winners, which details which cars it feels would be the best options for families in 19 categories based on a variety of stipulations.

The winners are determined by looking at different criteria and forming from them a composite score for each category. Some attributes looked at include size, quality, safety, reliability, the opinion of critics, and how family-friendly the vehicle is. The car that achieves the highest score in its particular category (such as SUV) is the winner.

A wide variety of vehicle categories were included, including full-size cars, minivans, compact cars, and hatchbacks, with the winners of those categories (in order) being: the Buick LaCrosse, Honda Odyssey, Chevrolet Cruze, and Toyota Prius. Other winners on the list include the Ford Fusion Hybrid (Hybrid cars), the Audi Q5 (Luxury Compact), and the Ford Fusion (Midsize Car).

U.S. News Best Cars' Managing Editor Jamie Page Deaton said: "We created the Best Cars for Families awards to make it easier for parents to find cars, SUVs and vans that will help make their lives easier. With such a broad range of award winners, any family can find the best car for their lifestyle." What do you think of the selections? Let us know in the comments!

[via Autoblog]