When you’re looking at the best SUVs for families, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There are so many safety tests to look at, criteria to consider, and features to choose from. One way to start your search is by looking at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) top safety awards. If you also need to put car seats in your vehicle, you’ll also want an SUV with great car seat LATCH systems. Here are the only two midsize 2022 SUVs with the safest car seat LATCH systems.

The 2022 Nissan Murano is one of the safest SUVs for families

The Top 15 Midsize 2022 SUVs Have 1 Thing In Common

The 2022 Nissan Murano is one of the safest new midsize SUVs for families. That’s because of its combination of great crash test ratings as well as its excellent car seat LATCH safety systems. The Nissan Murano is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winner. That means it has all good crashworthiness scores, as well as acceptable or good headlights on all vehicles, and advanced or superior safety systems.

In addition, the Nissan Murano has a good + (G+) rating for the car seat LATCH system. That’s the highest award that a vehicle can win for car seats.

The 2022 Subaru Ascent has a G+ LATCH system rating

The 2022 Subaru Ascent is another midsize SUV with both a Top Safety Pick+ award as well as a G+ rating for its car seat LATCH system. LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. It’s one way that car seats are able to be safely secured to vehicles, and it’s supposed to make it easier, and hopefully therefore safer.

The Subaru Ascent is a great pick for families because it is not only safe but it’s also got great car seat safety latches. If you’re looking for something you can feel comfortable putting your kids in, you might love the Ascent.

How does the IIHS rate LATCH system?

If you plan on putting your child in a forward-facing car seat, you’ll need to use the LATCH system. The IIHS says that “tether anchors are always needed when installing forward-facing restraints, regardless of whether the lower anchors or the safety belt is used. The top tether keeps the child seat from pitching forward in a crash.”

Some of the things that the IIHS evaluates include the lower anchor accessibility, force, and clearance angle. In addition, it pays attention to the location, any hardware that may be confusing, and how many LATCH systems are available in the vehicle. To get a good+ rating, the SUV must have a good rating and also have “A rating of good+ is awarded to vehicles that meet the criteria for a good rating and provide additional LATCH-equipped seating positions for maximum flexibility. For a two-row vehicle, that means having a third good or acceptable LATCH seating position. The third position may use either dedicated anchors or borrowed anchors.”

While there are a lot of great sport utility vehicles out there, the best SUVs for families combine safety, great car seat LATCH systems, and ease of use. The 2022 Nissan Murano and 2022 Subaru Ascent are both among the best SUVs you can buy if you have young kids.