Top 10 Cars for New York Families

Owning a car in the city offers its challenges. Congestion and population density mean that car ownership costs in an urban area is typically much higher than in a suburban or rural setting. And at the same time congestion and population density often render a car less useful than in outlying districts where they have things like trees and free parking. But that doesn’t stop many intrepid New Yorkers from owning a vehicle anyway.

In an exclusive roundup for New York Family, the editors of Kelley Blue Book have picked their top 10 cars for New York City families! So just which vehicles do the KBB editors think are most suited to the New York state of mind? Here they are:

Lexus RX 450h
The RX SUV offers Manhattan-friendly size and safety with hybrid credentials and fuel economy. At the same time, it's not cramped for five, and it comes with some very comfortable interior goods. If you've got weekend-getaway aspirations or winter fears, the available all-wheel drive will help. Not bad for well under $50,000.
BMW i3
This pure EV (zero-emissions) is a perfect city car, if you can figure out where to plug it in. It also offers the option of a gasoline-powered generator, which will make the hatchback practical for weekend jaunts outside the city when you might otherwise run out of juice. It could make looking for an open gas station a thing of the past. In EV-only form it starts at $39,000.
Subaru Outback
With standard all-wheel drive, the Subaru Outback offers confidence in any weather, while its unmistakable exterior shape translates to impressive room inside for busy families and their gear. Redesigned for 2015, the latest Outback also offers impressive fuel efficiency and advanced safety systems. The Subaru Outback starts just under $26,000.
Honda CR-V
Stylish, comfortable and well-connected, the redesigned Honda CR-V is more fuel efficient than previously thanks to its new direct-injected engine and CVT automatic transmission. The available Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver assists makes it safer as well. With room for five and an all-wheel drive option, the CR-V starts around $24,000 and tops out just over $33,500.
2015 Kia Sedona
Big enough to take the kids upstate for whatever the heck it is New Yorkers do up there, it remains slightly smaller than other minivans. That compact size plus an all-around-view camera make it easy to handle in the city, and the SUV-like styling and high-end features help you forget you're driving a minivan. It starts at around $27,000 and well-equipped it comes in at $33,000 or so.
Honda Fit
For starting families, the 2015 Honda Fit is an excellent choice. It easily slips in and out of tight city situations and is better on the open road than ever before. With a low price, fuel-sipping powertrain and a super-flexible interior it is tough to beat as a city dweller. Prices start in the low teens.
Toyota Prius V
Roomy enough for five people and a surprising amount of cargo at once, the Prius V also returns city/highway combined fuel economy of 42 mpg. Tidy dimensions make it easy to park, and its hybrid powerplant makes you feel good about yourself. Prius V sticker prices start around $27,000 and top out close to $38,000.
Buick Enclave
If you want an upscale people-mover that can comfortably seat up to eight and boasts a quiet, comfortable ride, the 2015 Buick Enclave should be on your shopping list. It offers good road manners, and its 3.6-liter V6 boasting 288 horsepower delivers good acceleration and passing power. Big inside but not massive outside, it’s a good value starting at around $40,000.
Ford Fiesta
The 2015 Ford Fiesta offers up great fuel economy, modern build quality and a stylish interior that belies its bargain price. Unlike many small cars its exterior looks are leading edge while not appearing weird, and its small footprint is made for urban parking spaces. Plus, there's the available 1.0-liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine, which Ford says gives the Fiesta the best non-hybrid fuel economy in its class. Pricing begins well under $15,000.
BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe
Graced with coupe-like styling yet blessed with four doors and a wide-opening tailgate, the newest member of BMW’s 4 Series family has elegant looks and family-ferrying practicality. A compact footprint and an available multi-camera system make parking the new 4 Series Gran Coupe drama-free, while available all-wheel drive provides extra traction in New York’s snowy winter months. It starts just over $41,000.

Once Upon A Mattress

Bring your kids. Bring your parents. Bring your favorite pajamas! Once Upon a Mattress is back on Broadway, and it&rsquo;s &ldquo;pure let&rsquo;s-be-kids entertainment&rdquo; (New Yorker) fit for ages 7 to 107! Two-time Tony&reg; winner Sutton Foster stars as Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, alongside royalty of stage and screen Michael Urie and Queen of Comedy Ana Gasteyer. Adapted for a new generation by Amy Sherman-Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), this uproarious retelling of The Princess and the Pea introduces the unapologetically eccentric Winnifred to an uptight kingdom, where she charms, delights, and dances her way to the top&hellip; of a stack of mattresses. So give the babysitter the night off and your kids a night on the town &ndash; you'll all live happily ever laughter! Get tickets at&nbsp;<a href="https://onceuponamattressnyc.com/">https://onceuponamattressnyc.com/</a>

Explore MetroWest Boston

<h1>Turn Whining into Winning in MetroWest Boston</h1> From beer gardens to corn mazes, state parks to beautiful art, MetroWest Boston is a great destination for a weekend trip! Enjoy <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/get-outside/?imgoing-place=hopkinton-state-park-61a91acef30b531a665ab64d">Hopkinton State Park</a>&rsquo;s gorgeous foliage while kayaking on the lake or hiking, mountain biking, or snowshoeing on the amazing trails. In the evening, catch a play, musical, concert, art exhibition, dance performance, or immersive theatrical event at <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/culture/?imgoing-place=hopkinton-center-for-the-arts-63c03d7e0d792d753263b4d1">Hopkinton Center for the Arts</a>. Get a great night&rsquo;s sleep at one of the region&rsquo;s hotels, such as <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/where-to-stay/?imgoing-place=the-verve-hotel-boston-natick-tapestry-collection-by-hilton-61aa4790f30b531a666119e4">The VERVE</a>, with its fun and funky pop art d&eacute;cor, or <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/where-to-stay/?imgoing-place=aloft-framingham-6216279ccc891d1d0862c8c2">Aloft</a> with their pool tables and lobby games. In the morning, visit the <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/culture/?imgoing-place=danforth-art-school-61a8e11cf30b531a66592d90">Danforth Art Museum</a>, a jewel box housing 3,500+ artworks from three centuries, including groundbreaking sculptures depicting the African and African American experience by Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller. Cross the street to the <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/culture/?imgoing-place=framingham-history-center-61a8e11cf30b531a66592d92">Framingham History Center</a> to explore their new multilingual exhibit that traces the city&rsquo;s immigration story, from those fleeing the 1690s Salem Witch trials, to the Irish and Italian influx in the 1800-1900s, to the current migration of Brazilians. &ldquo;Framingham&rsquo;s Collective Journeys&rdquo; includes oral histories, interactives, and artifacts. No visit to Framingham is complete without stopping at legendary <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/eat/?imgoing-place=jacks-abby-craft-lagers-61a8e11cf30b531a66592da0">Jack&rsquo;s Abby Craft Lagers</a>, one of 17 breweries in MetroWest, where you can enjoy a flight with a schnitzel sandwich or their famous Framinghamburger. Afterwards, spend a few hours at <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/activities/?imgoing-place=level99-64a8389c51f92a351a6a3f06">Level99</a> testing each other with 50+ mental and physical escape rooms and challenges. The next day, tour the <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/where-to-stay/?imgoing-place=longfellows-wayside-inn-61aa7aa3f30b531a66621f57">Wayside Inn</a>. The oldest inn in America&rsquo;s 100-acre property includes the Old Barn, now a farm stand with displays of antique farming tools, the historic Grist Mill, and beautiful grounds containing the Longfellow Memorial Garden, the Redstone Schoolhouse from the poem &ldquo;Mary Had a Little Lamb&rdquo;, the Martha-Mary Chapel, and Josephine's Pond for fishing. Stay for a delicious gourmet meal in their historic dining room. Spend the afternoon at the <a href="https://www.metrowestvisitors.org/culture/?imgoing-place=american-heritage-museum-61a92852f30b531a665b17bf">American Heritage Museum</a>. Start your tour in the depths of a WWI trench listening to a nurse&rsquo;s first-hand account from the Western Front while bombs explode above you and the floor begins to shake. This extraordinary museum features one-of-a-kind historic aircraft, tanks, cars and rare relics from the Revolutionary War to today, in immersive exhibits and living history events. Afterwards, wander the charming shops and boutiques of downtown Hudson. <h3>MetroWest Boston offers these and many other attractions, activities and events for the whole family!</h3>

Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp

Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp offers five daily rotating activities such as swimming, ice skating gymnastics, rock climbing, parkour, indoor/outdoor turf, and courts plus more in its ample 175,000 sq. ft. facility and 35-acre outdoor area. Aviator Summer Camp also offers off-site and on-site field trips such as a day at Green Meadows Farm, Launch Trampoline Park, and a Brooklyn Cyclones game. The summer camp runs from 9 am-5 pm with early drop off and late stay available. Bus transportation is also available throughout Brooklyn. Lunch and an afternoon snack are included. Sign up by February 28th to receive up to $300 off camp with early bird discounts.