People who contemplate buying cars with their family in mind often steer clear of sports cars. This is partly because of the misconception that sports cars are highly differentiated and can barely serve as family cars. However, the sports car industry is quite huge and diversified with some of the makes and models available being capable of suiting your needs for a daily driver.
Some of the primary factors that you would probably consider when shopping for a family car include seating capacity, fuel rating, safety features, and interior comfort. Luckily, there are many sports cars whose specs easily meet and even surpass the criteria.
Audi TT
The Audi TT is one of the bestselling luxury sports cars with a modern, stylish, and attractive interior. Designed for speed and agility, the latest Audi TT has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder base engine that is capable of delivering 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This is enough power to give the sports car a 0 to 62 mph sprint within 6.6 seconds.
For a vehicle designed for sporting speeds, you might expect the Audi TT to perform poorly when it comes to fuel efficiency. However, the 2020 Audi TT has an excellent fuel economy estimated at 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. This is a favorable fuel rating that could easily make the car a suitable daily driver for your family needs.
When looking for a family car, perhaps your priority is the interior spacing and capacity. The Audi TT sports car has a fairly impressive seating capacity for four passengers. The front seats are contoured and optimized for comfort, and the rear seats have just sufficient space for a fairly comfortable ride. Using this sports car as a family vehicle should, therefore, serve you just right.
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is globally known in the sports car market as being among the top models. The 2020 Carrera trim is powered by a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that delivers 379 horsepower at 331 pound-feet of torque. The sportier Carrera S trim is even more powerful with an engine boasting 443 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. The 911 can do an impressive 0 to 60 mph sprint in under four seconds.
The Porsche 911 is clearly a performance-oriented sports car, but this powerhouse offers the room that a family needs. On the interior, the sports car is a four-seat, spacious vehicle with power-adjustable sport seats and standard leather upholstery. The built-in dual-zone automatic climate control ensures that your family members can enjoy a comfortable ride. The Porsche 911 is also well-equipped with additional entertainment accessories, including an eight-speaker audio system, a satellite radio, a Wi-Fi hot spot, and mobile phone connectivity using USB ports and Apple CarPlay.
In terms of spacing, you would be surprised to know that this sports car has small-item storage spaces, such as cupholders. Therefore, the Porsche 911 sports car can easily double as a suitable family car.
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro ranks well as a sports car with a reputation for exceptional handling and comfort. Every other aspect of the vehicle’s engine performance is so impressive that you would probably prefer the latest Camaro as your go-to sports car.
Numerous other features and accessories of the latest Chevrolet Camaro show that it can also double and do well as a family car. The vehicle’s upscale interior is highly spacious and comfortable. The four-seater sports car has cloth upholstery and power-adjustable passenger seats offering comfort to everyone in your family.
The interior’s comfort is even more enhanced with its heating and ventilation capabilities. On the rear, passengers have sufficient headroom and legroom, a surprising feature for such a compact sports car. However, the rear seats are more suitable for young passengers, making the car quite a suitable option if you have a small family.
In terms of safety, the latest Chevrolet Camaro is fitted with five air bags to ensure that the front and rear passengers are well-protected. The four-wheel ABS system and the four-wheel disc brakes with brake assist work together to make the sports car safe to ride. Additional built-in safety features and accessories on the Chevrolet Camaro include electronic stability control, traction control, and daylight running lights.
Dodge Challenger
When evaluated as a sports car, the Dodge Challenger stacks up against the stiff competition, making it one of the best units with powerful engines. The relatively compact sports car can also double as a suitable family car, particularly because of its interior configuration and safety features.
The 2020 Dodge Challenger has seating capacity for five, the largest among similar-sized sports cars in the market. The roomy interior is incredibly stylish with two rows of comfortable and adult-friendly seats. The premium leather upholstery coupled with the ventilated front seats make the Dodge Challenger a suitable family car that you may want to consider. Topping up the Dodge Challenger’s suitability for a family vehicle are the three LATCH tether anchors to secure a baby seat.
In terms of interior accessories, the 2020 Dodge Challenger is fitted with dual-zone automatic climate control to enhance passengers’ comfort. A nine-speaker Alpine audio system, which is upgraded to an 18-speaker Harman Kardon system in some models, is also a suitable entertainment feature.
The 2020 Dodge Challenger provides you with even more space on the trunk. The 16.2 cubic feet of trunk space allows you to haul cargo such as family shopping bags and suitcases. The option to fold the rear seats can also provide more trunk space to carry even larger cargo.
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is undoubtedly one of the best sports cars in the market. When it comes to performance, the 2020 Ford Mustang has a wide engine selection, starting with the base 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers 310 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. The most advanced GT500 engine can deliver an impressive 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. In terms of performance as a sports car, the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 can sprint 0 to 60 mph within 3.3 seconds.
With a seating capacity for four and a comfortable interior, the Ford Mustang can also serve as your go-to family car. Although the GT500 has a less-than-desirable fuel economy of 12 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway, the base EcoBoost engine has a fairly impressive and commendable rating of 21 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.
The preference and choice for a vehicle to serve as a family or sports car may vary from person to person. However, the standard features that you have to look out for when selecting a vehicle that meets your sports and family car needs are pretty much standard. Luckily, there is a short selection of sports cars that can double as family cars. Whenever you go out shopping for a sporty vehicle to serve your family as well, you may choose to consider the above five options.