Most Family-Friendly Cars At The 2015 Chicago Auto Show

When many people think of a car show, the first thing to come to mind may be an exotic convertible behind a velvet rope, or perhaps a radical concept car on a spinning turntable.

But as visitors to the 2015 Chicago Auto Show will quickly realize, most vehicles on display are the same cars you'd see every day. The difference? You can open them up and sit in nearly all of them, all on the same day, and all without the pressure of a car salesperson. If you're shopping for a new family car, bring everyone along and have them try out the latest models.

Here are some vehicles on the show floor you should pay particular attention to.

2015 Kia Sedona

Kia's minivan used to be the bargain alternative to the sort of van families actually wanted – the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. But the redesigned 2015 Sedona represents a major leap forward for its level of luxury, amenities, styling and safety. If you have a large family and don't need all-wheel-drive, a minivan is an amazingly useful tool with much more space than a crossover or SUV, and the Sedona is a van you shouldn't miss. Hop into the aforementioned best-sellers, too, to get a sense of their respective strengths and weaknesses.

2016 Honda Pilot

This is one that you'll unfortunately have to check out from afar, but even so you won't want to miss it. The Honda Pilot, which helped originate the class of three-row crossovers, will enter its third generation as a 2016 model, and the redesign will make its world debut in Chicago. You won't likely be able to sit in it until it goes on sale this summer, but you'll want to check out its sleeker new styling and hear about its new features. If you're thinking about a roomy crossover for your family, be sure to also poke around the Dodge Durango, Hyundai Santa Fe (not to be confused with the smaller Santa Fe Sport), Nissan Pathfinder and new 2016 updates to the Ford Explorer and Kia Sorento. And if you're spending luxury money for your family car, check out the new safety features and upscale styling of the newly redesigned 2016 Volvo XC90.

2015 Subaru Outback

If you don't need three rows of seats but still want plenty of cargo space, the redesigned 2015 Subaru Outback is an important car to check out. Some will call it a station wagon and others will call it a crossover, but whatever it is, it offers the safety, comfort, fuel economy and value that lend it great family appeal. And if you rejected a previous Outback for feeling too utilitarian, you'll see that the 2015 has a healthy amount of new technology and luxury trim.

Also check out the newly redesigned 2015 Ford Edge and Nissan Murano crossovers, plus stalwarts like the Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester.

2015 Honda HR-V

For families on a budget, a blossoming new class of subcompact crossovers has many promising choices – perhaps none more so than the all-new 2015 Honda HR-V, which is going on sale this spring. Based on the Fit mini-hatchback (another great family car if your family, well, fits), the HR-V has higher seating positions and better performance, while still returning economy-car fuel economy. Other promising new models in this class to check out are the Chevrolet Trax, Jeep Renegade and Mazda CX-3; also look to the existing best-selling Kia Soul. Do see, too, if the Fit fits, to save a few thousand dollars off the price of the taller HR-V.

2015 Toyota Camry

Family cars are often shaped like boxes these days, with parents increasingly valuing the additional cargo capacity of a vehicle with a back hatch instead of a trunk. But the traditional midsize car is still often called a "family sedan" for a reason, and they indeed offer a lot of passenger space for the money, while throwing in increasingly impressive fuel economy. The best-selling midsize car – indeed, the best-selling passenger car in the country – is the Toyota Camry, and auto show attendees should be sure to investigate its fresh 2015-model updates. Compare the Camry to worthy competitors like the Chrysler 200, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Subaru Legacy and Volkswagen Passat.

Brady Holt, a Washington D.C. newspaper reporter, has had a lifelong interest in cars in the automotive world, and he'll share his thoughts at every available opportunity. Brady has written for Examiner.com since 2008, publishing hundreds of car reviews, automotive news pieces and other features. His work can be found on Examiner.com.