Toyota

2010 Toyota 4Runner SR5 Four-Cylinder

What it Is: A mid-size sport utility vehicle.
What's Hot: Four-cylinder engine more fuel efficient.
What's Not: Can't get third row option with four-cylinder engine.
Family Friendly Options: Sliding rear cargo deck.
How It Got Its Score: The 2010 Toyota 4Runner with the four-cylinder boasts enormous cargo area behind the second row, and gets pretty good fuel economy for such a big vehicle.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.0

2010 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V-6 Four-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A mid-size four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle with an optional third row.
What's Hot: Optional third row of seats.
What's Not: Tiny cargo area behind third row.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, backup camera, sliding rear cargo deck.
How It Got Its Score: The 2010 Toyota 4Runner V-6 is scored without the third row, since it's an option. The huge standard cargo area works in the 4Runner's favor, as does its relatively low price.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.9

2010 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V-6 Rear-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A mid-size sport utility vehicle with an optional third row.
What's Hot: Optional third row row of seats.
What's Not: Tiny cargo area behind third row.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, backup camera, sliding rear cargo deck.
How It Got Its Score: The 2010 Toyota 4Runner V-6 is scored without the third row, since it's an option. The huge standard cargo area works in the 4Runner's favor, as does its relatively low price.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.9

2010 Toyota Camry Four-Cylinder

What it Is: A four-door, five-passenger midsize sedan.
Who it's For: Families who desire an economical sedan and need no more than two LATCH points.
What's Hot: Multiple models to suit nearly any budget.
What's Not: Styling is a little bland.
How It Got Its Score: The Camry, like other midsize sedans, scores well thanks to its combination of price, safety, and fuel economy.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.0

2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid

What it Is: A four-door, five-passenger hybrid midsize sedan.
Who it's For: Families who need no more than two LATCH points and value fuel economy over cargo space.
What's Hot: Excellent fuel economy for a midsize four-door sedan.
What's Not: Hybrid powertrain eats up a large portion of cargo space.
How It Got Its Score: The Camry Hybrid gets a big boost in fuel economy, but like the midsize hybrid sedans from Ford and Nissan, is knocked down by its higher price and limited cargo space.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.7

2010 Toyota Camry LE V-6

What it Is: A four-door, five-passenger midsize sedan.
Who it's For: Families who desire an economical sedan and need no more than two LATCH points.
What's Hot: Multiple models to suit nearly any budget.
What's Not: Styling is a little bland.
How It Got Its Score: The V-6 Camry, like other midsize sedans, loses points compared to four-cylinder versions thanks to a higher base price and lower fuel economy.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.6

2010 Toyota Corolla

What it Is: A compact four-door sedan.
What's Hot: Longest running Toyota nameplate, epitome of compact car utility.
What's Not: A little expensive for budget transportation.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, Bluetooth.
How It Got Its Score: Compact cars often have lower scores because of limited cargo space, but the Corolla's base price of $17,000 (with an automatic transmission) hurts more than anything else.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.4

2010 Toyota Corolla XRS

What it Is: A compact sporty four-door sedan.
What's Hot: Sporty version of Toyota's Corolla sedan.
What's Not: Not very high on value.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, Bluetooth.
How It Got Its Score: As a sporty version of the Toyota Corolla, the 2010 Corolla XRS offers more power at a higher price. However, fuel economy suffers, which drags down its score.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.3

2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Four-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A four-door, five-passenger four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle.
What's Hot: Rugged looks hark back to classic Toyota off-roaders.
What's Not: May be too rugged for some tastes.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, back up camera, Bluetooth, premium audio.
How It Got Its Score: The 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser offers up five-passenger capability and plenty of cargo space. The four-wheel drive model here is equipped for serious off-road duty as well, but note that fuel economy is only so-so.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.8

2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Rear-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A four-door, five-passenger sport utility vehicle.
What's Hot: Rugged looks hark back to classic Toyota off-roaders.
What's Not: May be too rugged for some tastes.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, back up camera, Bluetooth, premium audio.
How It Got Its Score: The 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser offers up five-passenger capability and plenty of cargo space. This rear-drive model is intended for light-duty off-road work, but its fuel economy is only so-so.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.9

2010 Toyota Highlander 4-Cylinder

What it Is: A five-passenger, five-door midsize crossover.
Who it's For: Families who need no more than two LATCH points and lots of cargo space.
What's Hot: One of the only midsize crossovers to feature a four-cylinder engine.
What's Not: Four cylinder can't get third row available in V-6 Highlanders.
How It Got Its Score: The Highlander four-cylinder gets good fuel economy numbers for a midsize crossover, but the fact that it can't seat more than five holds it back.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.3

2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

What it Is: A seven-passenger five-door midsize hybrid crossover.
Who It's For: Families willing to pay extra for great fuel economy and need no more than two LATCH points.
What's Hot: Very good fuel economy for a crossover; electric-only mode.
What's Not: Tiny cargo area behind third row.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, bluetooth, back-up camera
How It Got Its Score: The Highlander Hybrid's primary advantage over its competitors is its hybrid powertrain, which gives it very good fuel economy. However, it's also expensive and has the Highlander's tiny cargo area behind the third row.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.3

2010 Toyota Highlander V-6 All-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A seven-passenger five-door midsize crossover.
Who it's For: Families who occasionally need a third row and no more than two LATCH points.
What's Hot: Plentiful options and trim levels.
What's Not: Tiny cargo area behind third row.
How It Got Its Score: The Highlander V-6 scores lower than the four-cylinder model despite its extra seats thanks to its tiny cargo area, lower fuel economy and higher price.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.2

2010 Toyota Highlander V-6 Front-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A seven-passenger five-door midsize crossover.
Who it's For: Families who occasionally need a third row and no more than two LATCH points.
What's Hot: Plentiful options and trim levels.
What's Not: Tiny cargo area behind third row.
How It Got Its Score: The Highlander V-6 scores lower than the four-cylinder model despite its extra seats thanks to its tiny cargo area, lower fuel economy and higher price.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.2

2010 Toyota Matrix

What it Is: A five-door compact wagon.
What's Hot: Lots of cargo space, nifty styling.
What's Not: Some competitors offer better cargo room.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, bluetooth, premium audio.
How It Got Its Score:The 2010 Toyota Matrix is actually part of the Corolla family. It offers much better cargo space than the Corolla, and its hatchback shape makes it more flexible, too.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.9

2010 Toyota Matrix S

What it Is: A sporty five-door compact wagon.
What's Hot: Lots of cargo space, nifty styling, more power than base model.
What's Not: Options add up quickly.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, Bluetooth, premium audio.
How It Got Its Score:The 2010 Toyota Matrix S offers more power and costs more than the base model, but still gets good fuel economy, so it still gets a pretty good Family Friendliness score.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.8

2010 Toyota Matrix S All-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A sporty five-door compact wagon.
What's Hot: Lots of cargo space, all-wheel drive for foul-weather areas.
What's Not: Options add up quickly.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, Bluetooth, premium audio.
How It Got Its Score:The 2010 Toyota Matrix S all-wheel drive adds all-wheel drive traction to the Matrix S, but also costs more and suffers from a fuel economy hit.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 7.6

2010 Toyota Prius

What it Is: A midsize five-passenger hatchback hybrid.
What's Hot: Amazing fuel economy, futuristic styling.
What's Not: Gets expensive quickly, quirky dash and gauges.
Family Friendly Options: Navigation, collision avoidance, active cruise control, Bluetooth.
How It Got Its Score: The Toyota Prius would probably get an even higher Family Friendliness score with more five-star crash test ratings, but with its plentiful standard safety gear and excellent mileage, you still have a very family friendly hybrid.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.1

2010 Toyota RAV4 4-Cylinder All-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A two-row five passenger midsize crossover with an optional third row.
Who it's For: Families who don't need only two LATCH points, and maybe an occasional third row seat.
What's Hot: Competes against other compact crossovers with only two rows of seats.
What's Not: More expensive than competitors, larger, too.
How It Got Its Score: The RAV4 offers good cargo space behind the second row of seats and good fuel economy with the four-cylinder. All-wheel drive adds expense and lowers fuel economy though.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.4

2010 Toyota RAV4 4-Cylinder Front-Wheel Drive

What it Is: A two-row five passenger midsize crossover with an optional third row.
Who it's For: Families who don't need only two LATCH points, and maybe an occasional third row seat.
What's Hot: Competes against other compact crossovers with only two rows of seats.
What's Not: More expensive than competitors, larger, too.
How It Got Its Score: The RAV4 offers good cargo space behind the second row of seats and good fuel economy with the four-cylinder.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.5