One of the most important decisions you’ll make for your family is which car to buy. There are so many things to consider – size, interior space, boot capacity, what features would be useful, safety, cost, and so on. Many families now get an SUV because they tick so many boxes, but there are plenty of other options when it comes to the best family cars.
We’re talking about hatchbacks, estates and people carriers, and there are all sorts of electric family cars, too. Point is, there’s a huge variety of family cars available covering a wide range of shapes, sizes, budgets and lifestyles. Some of them are great all-rounders, while some have fantastic unique selling points that could prove appealing to you.
Scroll down the page to see our list of the best family cars available to buy new in 2024. And if our choices don’t grab your fancy, check out the Parkers car reviews to help you find your next family car.
Top 10 best family cars 2024
Great value for money with a massive boot
The Octavia is packed full of Skoda’s Simply Clever features – storage drawers, a parking ticket holder, an ice scraper clipped onto the fuel filler flap and so on. It’s not the sharpest drive but is very comfortable and refined. Great value, too.
To find out more, read our full Skoda Octavia Estate review
Pros
- An awful lot of car for the money
- Huge interior and boot
- Very competitive finance deals
Cons
- Infotainment system can annoy
- Some questionable interior plastics
Brilliant to drive, very efficient and stylish with it
On top of that, the Civic’s hybrid powertrain delivers peppy performance and diesel-like fuel economy, it handles neatly and rides comfortably. There are three generously-equipped trim levels to choose, all of them quite reasonably priced. It’s a bit of a looker, too.
To find out more, read our full Honda Civic review
Pros
- Great handling
- Economical hybrid powertrain
- High quality interior materials
Cons
- Small model range
- Poor fuel range
Excellent family wagon offering great value
There’s a lot to like elsewhere in the Leon Estate. There’s generous space for a family of four, it’s comfortable, there’s loads of safety tech and the handling is as sharp as the car’s looks. It’s good value, too, and available in petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid form. SEAT’s sister brand Cupra does sporty versions of the Leon Estate including one with 310hp.
To find out more, read our full SEAT Leon Estate review
Pros
- Lots of engine choices
- Good to drive
- Big boot
Cons
- Fiddly touch-sensitive controls
- Firm-riding FR Sport models
Spacious seven-seater bargain
Children will love the space and the near-panoramic view out. The ride is really comfy, it’s surprisingly fun to drive, even the base-spec model comes pretty well-equipped for the money and it costs little to run. A hint of SUV-ness in the Jogger’s styling ups its street cred.
To find out more, read our full Dacia Jogger review
Pros
- Amazing value for money
- Cavernous interior with room for seven
- Comfortable ride
Cons
- Limited engine range
- Prices have been creeping up
Kia EV6
Long-range electric car exuding cool
It’s an easy car to travel long distances in. Every model has a WLTP range of at least 300 miles and high-speed charging capability. It’s great to drive, too, if a little firm-riding. The 577hp GT model is seriously fast, the others merely very swift.
To find out more, read our full Kia EV6 review
Pros
- More than 300 miles of range
- Zero local emissions
- Stylish, roomy interior
Cons
- More expensive than direct rivals
- Interior layout isn’t entirely logical
Comfortable, reasonably priced non-conformist
The 1.2-litre petrol engine is the best option, it’s efficient and quick enough. The plug-in hybrids are costly and not particularly smooth. It’s a really likeable car, the C5 X, that looks and feels different to the SUV norm. If Citroen has its way, cars like this will become the new norm.
To find out more, read our full Citroen C5 X review
Pros
- Great value entry-level models
- Hugely comfortable and refined
- Unique styling
Cons
- Unconvincing plug-in hybrid version
- Limited rear headroom
Distinctive compact SUV ideal for small families
The Kamiq’s interior is very solidly made and there’s plenty of useful tech, even in the base model. It’s only available with petrol engines, which are impressively quiet and refined. It drives neatly and rides comfortably, too. Running costs are low and it doesn’t cost much to buy, either.
To find out more, read our full Skoda Kamiq review
Pros
- Up-to-date tech
- Comfortable ride
- Big boot
Cons
- Low seating position for an SUV
- Automatic lacks responsiveness
Versatile MPV with tech focus and green credentials
The Multivan is superbly quiet and comfortable to travel in, the view out is fantastic. It even handles neatly, despite its considerable size. The plug-in hybrid version boosts the car’s green cred. Just looking at it makes you want to adventure with it.
To find out more, read our full Volkswagen Multivan review
Pros
- Massive, flexible interior
- Plug-in hybrid available
- Loads of options to choose from
Cons
- Costs a lot more than rivals
- Thirsty petrol engines
MG5 EV
Affordable electric estate with lots of standard kit
The latest version of the MG 5 has 250 miles of WLTP range, performance is spritely and it’s even quite enjoyable to drive. The ride’s smooth but the seats won’t suit everyone. A generous helping of standard features is thrown in for a very affordable price.
To find out more, read our full MG5 EV review
Pros
- Really very good value for money
- Long-range version available
- Zero local emissions
Cons
- Boot is on the small side
- Seats could be more comfortable
The electric family car par excellence
The entry-level Enyaq 60 offers 247 miles of range, big-battery Enyaq 80 models can go at least 300 miles on the WLTP cycle – a psychologically important boundary for many prospective EV buyers. Throw in very reasonable prices and you get the idea that owning and using the Enyaq is as hassle-free as possible. No wonder it was our 2022 Car of the Year.
To find out more, read our full Skoda Enyaq iV review
Pros
- Roomy, practical interior
- Long range on big-battery version
- Zero local emissions
Cons
- Option packs are costly
- Not particularly engaging to drive
Why we’ve chosen this Top 10
The Parkers team tests hundreds of cars every year and this list reflects their expert views. Some of them have families of their own and closely scrutinise the family car credentials of the models they test.
We’ve included a number of cars we highly recommended in the SUV, people carrier, hatchback and estate car sectors of the market. After all, a great family car can have any one of these bodystyles – many lists of the best family cars found elsewhere just focus on one type of car.
Right now, SUVs are the most popular family cars. That’s because people like their style and height, which gives a great view out and makes it easier to lift small children in and out. Many also have features useful for active, outdoorsy families – multi-level boot floors, additional power outlets and so on. However, you’ll often find more passenger space in a people carrier and a bigger boot in an estate. SUVs aren’t the most economical of cars, either.
If passenger space is your main priority, it’s still hard to beat a people carrier (also known as an MPV). Especially ones like the Citroen Berlingo and Ford Tourneo which are based on vans designed to maximise interior space. Most have seven seats, some of the bigger ones can seat nine, in many cases the back seats can be configured in dozens of different layouts. You’ll find yourself sat as high up as SUV occupants in a lot of people carriers, as well. On the downside, they just don’t have the style and kudos of an SUV.
Many hatchbacks have more than enough passenger and boot space to suit most families’ needs. They also generally offer the best driving experience and fuel economy of all the types of family car. However, an estate might be a better option because of their extra boot space – no need to pack light for family holidays. There’s no real compromise in efficiency or handling, either.
If you take one thing from reading this, try out as many different types of family car as you can before making a decision. You never know, you might find you prefer something you hadn’t considered before. Most importantly, get the car that works best for you and your family.
