Fuel-efficient family of four hauler, safe, comfortable,

What is your budget?

The Prius has almost twice the cargo space of a Camry Hybrid. The Toyota hybrid powertrains are bullet-proof, personally owning a 2005 Prius with 250,000 miles. I also have a 2016 Prius that I love. I doubt these cars will have enough room for a family of four. We could not have only lived with a Prius when our 2 kids were younger. That is why we bought a 2002 Odyssey after we had our second kid. The minivan can do much more than an SUV or Ford Flex will ever be able to do. The only time you will need an SUV over a minvan is when you need to tow over 3,500 lbs or need extra ground clearance (which most SUVs today do not provide). We have beat up our Odyssey and we couldn't have thought of a better car, which is why we still have it (there is no point in beating up another minivan). For a family car, I suggest a leather interior, all the active safety features, and good crash ratings. Cars I would avoid are the Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Pacifica/Town and Country, Ford Flex (because it feels ancient), and most SUVs (gas gulping, needless ground clearance/AWD, much less space than a minivan while being bigger on the outside). Honda should be coming out with a hybrid Odyssey soon, but it'll be a while. Toyota should also be making a hybrid Sienna soon. The Pacifica hybrid will probably not be reliable because Chryslers rarely are.

So, my top suggestion is the 2018 Honda Odyssey. It is the most family friendly vehicle that is reliable comparing to a Chrysler Pacifica, which I would strongly avoid. All safety features are standard on the Odyssey on all but the lowest LX trim. Has very modern styling and lots of features that families care about.

The Toyota Sienna is not as good of a minivan because it is the oldest, but it is the only minivan available with AWD and has all active safety features standard on every trim. It is not as nice as the Odyssey or Pacifica.

The Kia Sedona has a long warranty, but is not going to be as reliable as the Toyota or Honda. It is not as nice as the Honda, but about as nice as the Sienna. The Kia does not have any standout features except for the warranty. It does not have easily accessable safety features.