Best family cars in the UK
High quality family cars from rated and reviewed dealers
Last updated November 21, 2025 by
Mario Christou
Best family cars of 2025
With families coming in all shapes and sizes, it can be hard to pin down the best family car on sale - because what suits one family unit might be totally different for another. Packaging aside, a good family car has to be practical, safe and comfortable.
The days of family hatchbacks ruling the roost are long-gone, with the SUV now the most popular car on the school run. Examples such as the Citroen C5 Aircross and BMW X5 suit most people, while there’s still love for a sleek estate car such as the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports and Mercedes E-Class.
Our expert reviews team have put every family car on sale through its paces in comprehensive, real-world testing. Here are the ten best on sale in the UK:
2026
Family Values Award
Winner
Key features: The Citroen C5 Aircross has been updated with sharp, modern looks and a spacious cabin with a large portrait-orientated screen in the centre. Interior storage is great and at 565 litres the boot is practical. You also have a choice of two hybrid engines, and there’s the all-electric e-C5 Aircross too.
Who is it for?: Its fantastic drive comfort makes the C5 Aircross great for families who take regular road trips.
Why is it number 1?: It’s our Family Values winner in the 2026 Carwow Car of the Year Awards because it’s practical, comfortable, and now has the styling to be genuinely desirable, too
Who is it for?: Its fantastic drive comfort makes the C5 Aircross great for families who take regular road trips.
Why is it number 1?: It’s our Family Values winner in the 2026 Carwow Car of the Year Awards because it’s practical, comfortable, and now has the styling to be genuinely desirable, too
2026
Car of the Year Award
Key features: Value for money is the Tiggo 8’s crown jewel, not because it’s cheap and cheerful, but because it’s highly efficient as a hybrid, feels properly luxurious inside and offers lots of room at a fantastic price.
Who is it for?: It’s perfect for families who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg for a seven-seater SUV, but still want something luxurious to potter about in.
Why is it number 1?: While the Chery Tiggo 8 is our 2026 Carwow Car of the Year, its size is a bit unnecessary should you not need a seven-seater car, which earns it second place here.
Who is it for?: It’s perfect for families who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg for a seven-seater SUV, but still want something luxurious to potter about in.
Why is it number 1?: While the Chery Tiggo 8 is our 2026 Carwow Car of the Year, its size is a bit unnecessary should you not need a seven-seater car, which earns it second place here.
Key features: The Hyundai Santa Fe is a big old beast with futuristic styling, space for seven and efficient hybrid engines to keep running costs down. There’s so much storage in the cabin you’ll struggle to fill it and even with all seven seats in place the boot is big enough for a weekly shop.
Who is it for?: It’s for families who need lots of seats and/or space, like the idea of electrification but don’t want to go fully electric just yet, and like their cars to really stand out on the road.
Why is it number 1?: The Hyundai Santa Fe is so good it was crowned Carwow Car of the Year 2025 for its combination of practicality and desirability.
Who is it for?: It’s for families who need lots of seats and/or space, like the idea of electrification but don’t want to go fully electric just yet, and like their cars to really stand out on the road.
Why is it number 1?: The Hyundai Santa Fe is so good it was crowned Carwow Car of the Year 2025 for its combination of practicality and desirability.
Battery range up to 45 miles
Key features: Nothing else is such a good all-rounder as the BMW X5. It’s properly posh inside and out, drives really well and has enough space for most families. The twin-screen setup inside is modern and works well, and although the 650-litre boot is down on alternatives, that’s still loads of space.
Who is it for?: The BMW X5 is a car for anyone who wants a posh family car that’s genuinely rewarding to drive when you take the scenic route home.
Why is it number 2?: It’s practical and good to drive, yet also feels really premium inside, so you feel like you’re buying with your head and your heart at the same time.
Who is it for?: The BMW X5 is a car for anyone who wants a posh family car that’s genuinely rewarding to drive when you take the scenic route home.
Why is it number 2?: It’s practical and good to drive, yet also feels really premium inside, so you feel like you’re buying with your head and your heart at the same time.
Key features: The Skoda Superb is available as both a saloon and an estate with a choice of petrol and diesel engines (and a plug-in hybrid if you go for the estate). Practicality is its key selling point, with a roomy cabin and a massive 645 litres of boot space. And it’s so comfy it won the Comfortable Cruiser award at the Carwow Car of the Year Awards 2-25.
Who is it for?: With acres of space it’s the ideal car for anyone who wants something practical but doesn’t want the obvious choice of an SUV.
Why is it number 3?: Because not only is it spacious, the Skoda Superb has retained its value for money position despite feeling more upmarket inside than ever.
Who is it for?: With acres of space it’s the ideal car for anyone who wants something practical but doesn’t want the obvious choice of an SUV.
Why is it number 3?: Because not only is it spacious, the Skoda Superb has retained its value for money position despite feeling more upmarket inside than ever.
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Key features: The Dacia Duster is a rugged and off-road ready SUV, but it’s also incredibly affordable, which makes it brilliant budget-friendly family transport. The interior isn’t particularly plush and it lacks some of the tech you get on more expensive models, but it’ll stand up to whatever family life throws at it. It comes with a petrol engine, but if you can stretch your budget a bit there’s also a hybrid version.
Who is it for?: Families who want a new car but don’t want to spend too much cash.
Why is it number 5?: The Dacia Duster is incredible value for money, and its rugged design is genuinely appealing, but being cheaper does mean there are some scratchy plastics inside and some desirable tech missing.
Who is it for?: Families who want a new car but don’t want to spend too much cash.
Why is it number 5?: The Dacia Duster is incredible value for money, and its rugged design is genuinely appealing, but being cheaper does mean there are some scratchy plastics inside and some desirable tech missing.
Battery range up to 349 miles
Key features: There aren’t a huge amount of electric seven seaters to choose from, the Kia EV9 is one – and a good one, at that. It’s available with a choice of six- or seven-seat layouts and has a hugely roomy interior. Range is pretty good at up to 349 miles, but it’s not particularly efficient. At least you get very fast public charge speeds, helping make long journeys easier.
Who is it for?: If you need seven seats and want an electric car, it’s the best one you can buy.
Why is it number 6?: Space, practicality and fast charging make the EV9 a great all-rounder, but it’s important to note it isn’t cheap.
Who is it for?: If you need seven seats and want an electric car, it’s the best one you can buy.
Why is it number 6?: Space, practicality and fast charging make the EV9 a great all-rounder, but it’s important to note it isn’t cheap.
Key features: If you want the most practicality from your family car, forget SUVs and go for an MPV like the Volkswagen Multivan. It has loads of space in every seat, and you can even remove some chairs for extra load space. It gets all the tech you want from Volkswagen’s cars, and has a plug-in hybrid engine option to keep running costs low.
Who is it for?: The Multivan is a great option if you regularly carry a lot of adults around in your car, because there’s plenty of space wherever you’re sitting.
Why is it number 7?: Practicality is its forte, but the van-like shape won’t appeal to everyone.
Who is it for?: The Multivan is a great option if you regularly carry a lot of adults around in your car, because there’s plenty of space wherever you’re sitting.
Why is it number 7?: Practicality is its forte, but the van-like shape won’t appeal to everyone.
2026
Adventurer's Choice Award
Highly Commended
Key features: Skoda is known for building clever practical touches into its cars and the Kodiaq is no different, meaning there’s plenty of space and storage for all the family. There’s a choice of five- and seven-seat layouts, as well as petrol, diesel and hybrid engines.
Who is it for?: Families who want practicality above all else, but also want something with a nice cabin that’s also good to drive.
Why is it number 8?: There’s little to complain about with Skoda Kodiaq, but it does lose some marks for not being quite as cheap as you might hope, and you can’t get the hybrid version with seven seats.
Who is it for?: Families who want practicality above all else, but also want something with a nice cabin that’s also good to drive.
Why is it number 8?: There’s little to complain about with Skoda Kodiaq, but it does lose some marks for not being quite as cheap as you might hope, and you can’t get the hybrid version with seven seats.
Key features: The key selling point of the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports is its hybrid engine, which is incredibly efficient. It’s also really easy and relaxing to drive, and you get lots of tech included as standard. At 598 litres the boot is big, but the Volkswagen Golf Estate has more capacity. The warranty can be extended up to ten years with annual servicing, too.
Who is it for?: People who want something a bit different from your usual SUV family car, and want low running costs too.
Why is it number 9?: It’s a strong all-rounder and it’s perfect for people who want a car that will last, with the long warranty an added bonus. It does lose some marks for practicality compared with alternatives, but it should be spacious enough for most.
Who is it for?: People who want something a bit different from your usual SUV family car, and want low running costs too.
Why is it number 9?: It’s a strong all-rounder and it’s perfect for people who want a car that will last, with the long warranty an added bonus. It does lose some marks for practicality compared with alternatives, but it should be spacious enough for most.
Family cars to avoid
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