A “family car” is a vehicle that is suitable for transporting a larger amount of people, normally with four doors and/or a hatchback or rear entry. These kinds of vehicles normally have details that are attractive to families, such as entertainment and safety features, good gas mileage, and cheap car insurance. Insurance for family cars is usually less expensive due to the safety features and the fact that drivers of these kinds of cars are generally older with better driving records. However, some family cars are more expensive to insure, for various reasons.

Cadillac Escalade

This full-size luxury SUV has seating for eight, which is good for large families. The model comes in Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, and Escalade Hybrid, with starting prices ranging between $62,000-$87,000. The Escalade is large, powerful, and elegantly styled, offering plenty of comfort, luxurious features, and convenience – although the third-row seat is a little cramped. It is expensive to insure because of its size, luxury features, and high value, in addition to the fact that it is thought to be a luxury vehicle.

Cadillac STS

The Cadillac STS is a large sedan in the high-end category; it fits the bill as a family car for certain customers, especially those with smaller families. It’s big and comfortable, and it bears the Cadillac name; its handling is impressive, and the braking is very responsive for a car of this size. It has either a V-6 or a V-8 engine, and standard rear-wheel drive, though all-wheel drive is optional. Again, like the Escalade, the Cadillac STS was rated as one of most expensive cars to insure due to its value, size, and features. In addition, it is not economical due to its size and engine.

BMW 750i and BMW 750Li

BMW packs the 4-door family-size, 8-cylinder sedan 750Li with useful navigational electronics, such as a heads-up virtual display and lane deviation warning, as well as adaptive cruise control. It features top-notch topographical maps with access to live traffic feeds. In terms of media, the iPod and phone integration features are both very well executed. The suspension and power train can programmed for different modes, such as sport and comfort driving. The non-hybrid version has poor fuel economy, which hits the 750Li with a gas-guzzler tax. Due to these power and efficiency factors, cheap car insurance is not in the cards for 750Li owners.

Mercedes S65 AMG

The S65 AMG is a performance-tuned, four-door family-sized turbo sedan variant of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which is known for its enjoyable balance of power and luxury. It has a twin-turbo V12 engine which is excellent for speed and performance but terrible for gas mileage.  Unfortunately, it lacks many of the safety features which would help mitigate the high insurance rates performance vehicles incur. Although beautiful, spacious, and luxurious, it deserves being on the list of the most expensive family-sized cars to insure.

Land Rover Discovery

The Land Rover Discovery is often viewed as an industry standard regarding family-sized (seats 7), 4x4 vehicles; very few others are able to come close in terms of road performance, stylish appearance, and features. It’s one of the only models available today that performs as well on the road as off it, and its sleek design and plentiful features makes it deserve its status as an industry leader. However, its gas mileage is very low, and safety features alone aren’t enough to mitigate the high cost of the vehicle, ensuring high insurance rates.

In sum, cheap car insurance isn’t to be had when the car itself is large and luxurious. The bigger and prettier the car, the more expensive it tends to be to insure, as insurance cost is contingent upon the value of the item being insured.