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Best family cars of 2024

The best family cars have always had an enticing mixture of practicality, low running costs, reliability, and a hint of enjoyment for the driver, once the kids have been dropped off and you’ve got the road and the car to yourself. So, which is the best family car in the UK right now?

Outstanding family cars come in all shapes and sizes. What’s right for you and your crew could be a hatchback, a big SUV, or an estate car. Whichever type of family runabout you choose, the best should be practical, reliable, good to drive, and affordable to run. Here’s our pick of 2024’s best family cars - all fantastic in their own way. Though similar alternatives may offer greater economy or are better to drive, these are the ones we think will put up best with the difficulties of family life.

Citroen C5 Aircross
2024
Family Values Award

1. Citroen C5 Aircross

9/10
Citroen C5 Aircross review
The Citroen C5 Aircross is stonking value, comfortable to drive, cheap to run and has oodles of space. No wonder it took home the Family Values trophy at the 2024 Carwow Car of the Year awards. It's priced more closely to much smaller SUVs than it is to anything of a similar size, which make it a unique proposition. But cheap would mean nothing if it wasn't also cheerful - good thing it's also very comfortable over the bumps, nicely efficient (especially the diesel) and even looks stylish.
Honda Civic
2024
Comfortable Cruiser Award
Highly Commended

2. Honda Civic

9/10
Honda Civic review
Generation after generation of Honda Civic has made a sensible family car, but not necessarily a fun one. Well, the latest iteration puts that right. It’s responsive and fun on a country road, but easy to drive in town and comfy on the motorway. The boot is big enough for a family holiday, and the petrol-electric hybrid engine is very economical to run. Larger families will need more space, but if there are only a few of you this is as good as hatchbacks get.
Skoda Octavia

3. Skoda Octavia

8/10
Skoda Octavia review
Battery range up to 49 miles
Whether you opt for the cavernous hatchback or the even more mammoth estate, the Skoda Octavia effortlessly swallows up everything family life can toss at it. The boot is huge, rear legroom palatial, and yet the Octavia itself isn't unmanageably large when you're driving it through town or trying to park. You can choose between petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines, the interior is well-built and feels posh while still being hardwearing, and it's cheaper than the Volkswagen Golf with which it shares many of its parts. What's not to like?
BMW 3 Series Touring

4. BMW 3 Series Touring

9/10
BMW 3 Series Touring review
So, you want to haul your family around, and have space in the boot for luggage/shopping/a Labrador, but you don’t want to sacrifice either driver appeal or a desirable image. Well, the 3 Series Touring is your one-stop-shop. All the performance and driver involvement you’d expect, but with more boot - it's simply one of the best estate cars you can buy. The plug-in hybrid 330e makes the most sense, but then again, if you're not worried about being sensible, there is the 510hp M3 Touring…

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Ford Tourneo Connect

5. Ford Tourneo Connect

7/10
Ford Tourneo Connect review
You don't get much more space-efficient than basically putting wheels on a big box - and that's just what the Ford Tourneo Connect is. It's based on the Transit Connect small van, so there's space for five people and a boot about the size of a small church. Or, you can get the stretched-out Grand Tourneo Connect, which seats seven. Despite its commercial vehicle origins, it's easy to drive and comfortable over bumps too.
Volkswagen Multivan
2024
Adventurer's Choice Award

6. Volkswagen Multivan

8/10
Volkswagen Multivan review
Despite its name, the Volkswagen Multivan isn't really a van at all. Sure, it's square, upright and seats seven - but under the skin it shares more with the Golf than it does with the Transporter, which means it's great to drive and is even available with a properly up-to-date plug-in hybrid system. The interior's massive and flexible, with seats that can lift out and swivel as you see fit - but the best part is just how relaxing it is to be a passenger in.
Skoda Karoq

7. Skoda Karoq

9/10
Skoda Karoq review
The big Skoda follows the classic Czech template of offering maximum space for the money, allied to high quality and a sense of sensible style. It has a very flexible interior, with clever rear seats that also have loads of space. 'Clever' is the name of the game, actually - the inside's packed with useful touches that just make life a bit easier, like a rubbish bin in the door pocket or a hidden umbrella.
Skoda Enyaq
2024
Smart Spender Award
Highly Commended

8. Skoda Enyaq

8/10
Skoda Enyaq review
Battery range up to 348 miles
If the Audi Q4 e-Tron allows you to keep the teens and yourself happy, then the (mechanically-identical) Enyaq does the same job for slightly less money. It may not have the image of the Audi, but the Enyaq’s cabin is actually nicer, and it has a larger (580-litre) boot. A swoopy coupe version is also available, and you can get more than 300 miles out of a battery charge.
Volvo XC90

9. Volvo XC90

8/10
Volvo XC90 review
Sure, it's getting on in years - but the Volvo XC90 accepts its role as the elder statesman with grace and certainly doesn't seem to be wearing its years poorly. It's still one of the safest cars you can buy, for example - Volvo reckons that not a single person in the UK has been killed in an XC90 since it first launched, which is an admirable record. A posh interior, seven seats and efficient hybrid engines are further strings in its impressively stylish bow.
Ford Puma

10. Ford Puma

8/10
Ford Puma review
The Puma may not be the biggest car around - you'll want to leave the horse box and the rugby team at home - but if you're a smaller family, it's one of the best small SUVs money can buy. Loads of room in the back and an amazingly useful boot - complete with huge underfloor storage area - combine to make a car that's far more versatile than it looks from the outside. It's also brilliant fun to drive.

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Advice about family cars

Family cars FAQs

There are three overriding concerns for family buyers. Space, so that you can fit everyone in. Reliability, because you don’t want a non-starter on the school run. And economy, because family budgets are always at full stretch. These days, it’s definitely worth looking long and hard at electric-powered cars.

The all-but unquestionable answer here is the Volkswagen Multivan, which offers palatial space for seven in an immensely practical package. It's pricey, though. Honourable mention goes to the Dacia Jogger, which is incredibly good value - but we wouldn't blame you if its poor crash safety rating turned you off.

If you’re trying to carry five, you probably don’t want to go down the route of a seven-seater, but you’ll still want a car with three individual seats in the back. This means you’re best looking for an MPV, such as the Volkswagen Touran, Peugeot 5008, or the (now electric-only) Citroen e-Berlingo or Vauxhall Combo-e Life.

In terms of family-sized cars with the most frugal powertrains, you could look at the Hyundai Ioniq Electric (which scores a tough-to-beat 4.5 miles per kWh), or a Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid (up to 62mpg). If you’re still keen on diesel, then look at Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI 116hp (which can get up to 68mpg).

Want to save money at the pumps? Check out our guide on how to improve your car's MPG.

While there are family cars with better individual safety ratings in some categories, the mainstream car with the best-combined adult and child occupant protection rating is the Nissan Qashqai, which scores 91% in both categories, according to Euro NCAP. The Skoda Enyaq has a higher adult occupant rating (94%) but loses out on child occupant protection (89%). The Hyundai Ioniq 6 has a better rating for adult protection than the Qashqai and Enyaq (97%), but a slightly lower child occupant score of 87%.
The only car with a better overall occupant rating than the Qashqai is the all-electric Mercedes EQS, but that’s only a family car if the family has won the lottery.

To find out more on car safety, read our explainer guide on Euro NCAP ratings.

The most affordable car on this list of best family cars is the Vauxhall Astra, with prices starting around £21,000. In its latest form, it looks snazzy and drives nicely too. Plus, it's large enough to keep the kids happy and hold your weekly shop.

Brands from Japan and Korea tend to rank the highest in surveys, meaning the most reliable family cars tend to come from the likes of Toyota, Kia and Honda, among others. It's worth noting that Kia offers a 7-year warranty on all models, as does Chinese-owned MG.

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