6 safety features every parent should look out for when buying a car

Buying a car is a big decision for most Singaporean families. First, there’s the cost to think of. And then there are aspects like practicality, aesthetics and user-friendly features. However, when you have kids, there is one thing that takes top priority when buying a new car for the family: its safety features. Do you know what the main safety features in cars that parents should look out for? 

We’re here to help you with that.

Here Are 6 Safety Features in Cars for Parents to Consider:

1. Pre-Collision Braking System

Imagine this scenario: You’ve just strapped your eldest child in the back seat and you’re driving out of your neighbourhood, but your infant has begun wailing uncontrollably.

Your eldest decides now is a good time to try and worm his way out of the seatbelt while kicking the back of your seat. You’re trying your best to concentrate on the road ahead of you, but there are so many distractions.

You glance at the rear view mirror for a split second and an inconsiderate driver cuts you off. It’s too late. You can’t hit the brakes in time. But your brand new car detects an object in front of you and assists you by braking in time.

You’re safe. The kids are safe. The car is in perfect condition.

This is exactly the kind of feature you want in a car when distractions are many. 

2. Lane Assist

It’s been months of late nights. You’re tired. Perhaps a little too tired to be driving to the supermarket. BUT, you have to get the grocery shopping done early this morning, before the kids wake up.

You’re driving and your overwhelming fatigue has caused you to swerve out of your lane, bringing you dangerously close to an accident. But, a firm “beep” goes off to remind you to keep in your lane.

Again, this is another feature any tired parent would appreciate, right?  

3. Auto Vehicle Hold (AVH)

We’ve all done this at least once before: We take our car off the parking gear and shift it into drive, when we actually meant to shift the gear into reverse (or vice versa). And we drive straight into the wall (or narrowly miss it by an inch).

Driver’s fatigue is pretty normal. But with the auto vehicle hold, this human error is corrected because the car will keep the vehicle still when the driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal while the car is stationary. 

4. An Auto-Lock Boot Door

As parents, we’ve always got our hands full. Almost certainly, you’ve experienced holding your baby in one arm and a bag or two in the other, left with no hands to shut the boot door. 

With an auto-close, auto-lock boot door, all you have to do is touch a button and the car boot door will close and lock on its own. 

This is a feature that offers both safety and convenience, because you don’t want to have to hold your car keys in one hand just to lock the boot once it’s shut. And you definitely don’t want to let go of your little one while you shut the boot door. 

5. Overall Durability of the Car

Of course, we’re not asking you to buy a tank. But you want to look out for a vehicle that offers durability and sturdiness when you have little ones. When you have a car that is solid, it protects you and the family from external conditions.

You will also have a better sense of security knowing your car is stable and built to last. A more solid car also provides stability that can reduce motion sickness, should any member of the family be sensitive to bumpy roads!

(Bye bye, vomit bags.)

6. All-Wheel Drive 

This feature is especially important if you plan on bringing your family for long road trips into Malaysia, or if you’re planning to head off the beaten track for real. 

Having all-wheel drive allows the car to navigate smoothly through various terrain. Not to mention, it can power through our erratic monsoon weather if needed! 

Tip: Ensure you get a car with a hill descent control function. This will allow you to go down steep slopes at a controlled low speed, so you don’t go barrelling down the hill. This is great if you’re thinking of bringing the family up to Genting Highlands. 

Now, the million dollar question is, where do you find a car that boasts all these amazing safety features and looks amazingly stylish while at it? 

You don’t have to look much further than the all-new Subaru Forester 2019. It comes with all of these safety features in cars for parents, and more. The revamped SUV boasts better comfort, bigger space and maximum safety for the whole family. 

Fun fact: The all-new Subaru Forester’s boot space is so huge, you can fit golf bags in horizontally without trouble! Golf trip, dads? 

theAsianParent Review of the All-New Subaru Forester 2019

It’s wasn’t enough for us at theAsianParent just to hear about all these cool new features. Of course, we had to do a test drive of the car to make sure Singapore families will truly feel safe and comfortable in this SUV.

Not only did we get to try out the car, but we got to compare it with three other SUVs – the Honda CRV, the Mazda CX-5 and the old Subaru Forester. As soon as we got the all-new Subaru Forester 2019 going, the difference was obvious. It wasn’t as chunky as the Mazda CX-5 and did not feel as wobbly as the CRV. It had a wider field of view, which afforded better visibility overall. 

But beyond that, here are our two favourite things about the all-new Subaru Forester 2019 that we know you will appreciate as parents. 

1. It Really Reduces Motion Sickness

We got to try out the all-new Subaru Forester 2019 on two different tracks. One was an off-road track and the other was a circuit. On the off-road track, I sat in the back seat. For someone prone to motion sickness, this was not a great idea. But I really wanted to put the car’s stability and comfort to the test.

We went up and down steep muddy hills, plunged into a huge puddle of water, experienced driving on just two wheels of the car and even went on a bumpy, rocky terrain. And I emerged without feeling nauseated at all! 

Later on, while driving on the circuit, we took sharp corners, made sudden stops and even glided over a wet patch. The car showed off its stability and superb handling for all these obstacles. Everyone made it out of the car without so much as a tinge of dizziness. 

If you like driving the family into Malaysia and exploring off-road trails, then this car is perfect for that. It handles any terrain like a pro and all you have to do is shift it into X-Mode. The best thing? No little ones in the backseat throwing up! 

2. More Space, But Still Feels Compact

We got to test drive the old Forester just before we got into the new Forester. As someone who is used to driving small cars, the old Forester was already out of my comfort zone. But I found it easy to manoeuvre, and it took sharp corners like a dream. It’s also pretty agile when it comes to those pesky U-turns!

When it came to the new Forester, I could immediately feel how much more spacious the interior of the car was. Everything was bigger, from the legroom to the centre console display – a good screen size for the kids to enjoy their entertainment on long drives! 

The sunroof feature adds to the sense of spaciousness. It also lets in plenty of natural light, something your kids might appreciate if they like reading on long trips. 

When the car is released in Singapore at the end of the year, parents can look forward to choosing from four variants: Forester 2.0 i-S EyeSight, Forester 2.0 i-S, Forester 2.0 i-L EyeSight and Forester 2.0 i-L. 

Be sure to book your test drive with the nearest Subaru dealer when the car is released later this year.