If you are about to have kids, or recently become the parent, it is time to kiss your sporty coupe goodbye!

Becoming a new parent changes your life forever. It is an intriguing time that extends far beyond waking up for middle-of-the-night feedings or diapers-changing or baby-proofing.

During this transition into the brave new world of parenthood, you may find yourself perplexed, looking at the prospect of replacing your sporty coupe into more practical, or at least more amenable to strapping baby into a rear car seat with comfort.

You want a bit of more space, safety, affordability, and if possible some fun so you can have a more accommodating ride with your baby on road.

It is supposed to be much more than a means of getting you from here to there. Your family car should be like a moving home.

As a young parent, you should look for the necessary safety features with electronic stability control, and other modern conveniences, designed for a family needs.

So here is a list of kid-friendly cars rated with top scores by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for overall performance, practicality, and as well as safety in various crash tests.

All these cars offer an excellent range of family-minded features — roomy interiors, easy rear-seat access with their retail prices fall under $25, 000.

Chevrolet Equinox (MPG: 22/32; MSRP: $23,530)

Built and introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year by General Motors, Chevrolet Equinox is a mid-size crossover SUV. Based on General Motors’s Theta unibody platform, the Equinox comes with different engine variants, though the 2.4 L four-cylinder base engine with 182 hp and a six-speed automatic transmission with Eco mode is impressive enough, making the optional V6 avoidable. Optional all-wheel-drive models provide secured performance on snow or icy or wet roads. For added safety, you can also have front collision-warning & lane departure systems. With foldable rear seats and super-comfort spacious interior and cargo space, it can sit four adult passengers and also comes with baby-seat flexibility.