10 Best Family Cars to Buy 2025 – Carwow

High quality family cars from rated and reviewed dealers
Choosing a family car can be a fraught process, because it truly has to be the consummate all-rounder. The perfect family car has an impossible task – buyers demand that it’s affordable but doesn’t feel cheap, spacious inside yet easy to park, has a faultless safety record and yet is uncomplicated with super-low running costs.
Decades ago, the default family car in the UK would have been a mid-sized saloon – or perhaps the estate version for particularly large crowds. In the 1990s and 2000s, hatchbacks such as the Volkswagen Golf became the typical option – with the rise of the seven-seat MPV catering for those who needed lots of seats.
In 2025, though, you’ll probably find yourself drawn to an SUV as a family car – you’ll find plenty on our top 10 list below. The good news is that SUVs these days come in all shapes and sizes – from small SUVs to big seven-seater SUVs, and with various electric or hybrid powertrain options in addition to more traditional choices.
But there are still some alternatives out there which use a more traditional bodystyle to great effect, and some of our all-time favourite family car options are hatchbacks or MPVs.
There are options for all budgets, whether you’re trying to keep costs low or considering splashing out on something seriously posh. And there’s something for every size of family too, whether you’ve got just the one offspring or a whole litter of them.
There’s a Skoda Superb if you want roominess mixed with classiness mixed with affordability, or a Toyota Corolla Touring Sports hybrid if you want the ultimate in fuel economy. Need lots of seats? Consider a VW Multivan or a Kia EV9. Or if you want bragging rights at the school gate, get a BMW X5.
Some factors are common to all of these cars, though – they’re all cheap to run, great to drive, practical for their size and a pleasure to own.
Our expert reviews team gets loads of seat time in all the best family cars on sale today, so we know what we’re talking about when we recommend them. Many of our writers have families of their own but you can rest assured that all of us are making sure child seats fit in the back, buggies can go in the boot and that the surfaces can stand up to sticky fingers.
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Family cars to avoid
The Omoda 5 is an example of a Chinese SUV that’s come to the UK guns blazing, offering striking looks and loads of standard kit at a highly competitive price – but it’s just nowhere near as refined as the typical alternatives. The 1.6-litre petrol engine is powerful but very thirsty and polluting, and the infotainment system is annoying to use.
Fiat has actually made a rather good car in the 600 and 600e. It’s comfortable and efficient, and it’s actually quite good value, but for a small SUV it’s really impractical. Rear passengers will find their knees in the seatbacks, it’s a squeeze for three adults and the 385-litre boot leaves a lot to be desired – an adequate car, just not for family life
Carwow has partnered with MotorEasy to provide GAP insurance. GAP insurance covers the difference between the amount you paid for your car, or owe on your car if you have finance, and the amount an insurance company would give you if your car is declared a total loss or write-off. This can protect you financially from a shortfall of potentially thousands of pounds. MotorEasy is offering a 15% discount to all Carwow customers who take out GAP insurance with them.

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 often at full stretch. These days, it’s definitely worth looking long and hard at electric cars.
There are a few great options here. For example, the Volkswagen Multivan, which offers palatial space for seven in an immensely practical package. There's also the Kia EV9 if you're looking for an electric SUV. Neither are particularly cheap, though, so an 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 need 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.
If you're looking for an efficient electric car, the Tesla Model 3 is a great option – we saw a brilliant 4.6mi/kWh during our time with the car. If you do a lot of motorway miles, the 150hp diesel in the Skoda Superb sees 58mpg in official tests. If your budget can stretch to a plug-in hybrid car, and you can keep the batteries regularly charged, the payoff will be ultra-low running costs. The Citroen C5 Aircross and BMW 3 Series Touring have plug-in hybrid options.
Want to save money at the pumps? Check out our guide on how to improve your car's MPG.
Safety experts Euro NCAP test cars in a number of areas, from occupant protection to driver assistance technology. Some of the models that have scored very well for both adult and child protection include the Mercedes E-Class, Volkswagen Passat, Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Tiguan.
To find out more on car safety, read our explainer guide on Euro NCAP ratings.
The Citroen C5 Aircross and Renault Clio are the best-value cars in this list. The Renault costs less, but it is quite a small car. The Citroen is particularly impressive because its pricing is similar to much smaller cars, meaning you get more for your money.
According to the 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, the most reliable family cars are the Toyota RAV4, Skoda Kodiaq and Mazda CX-5.
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 seven-year warranty on all models, as does Chinese-owned MG. You can check out the most reliable car manufacturers here.
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* Please contact the dealer for a personalised quote, including terms and conditions. Quote is subject to dealer requirements, including status and availability. Illustrations are based on personal contract hire, 9 month upfront fee, 48 month term, 8000 miles annually, inc VAT, excluding fees. Vehicle returned at term end.
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Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Carwow vs manufacturer RRP. Where it is shown that the EV Grant is included, this refers to the Government grant awarded to manufacturers on certain EV models and derivatives, the amount awarded under the EV Grant is included in the Savings stated and applied at the point of sale. Carwow is the trading name of Carwow Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and insurance distribution activities (firm reference number: 767155). Carwow Leasey Limited is an appointed representative of ITC Compliance Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking (firm reference number: 313486) Carwow and Carwow Leasey Limited are each credit brokers and not a lenders. Carwow and Carwow Leasey Limited may receive a fee from retailers advertising finance and may receive a commission from partners (including dealers) for introducing customers. All finance offers and monthly payments shown are subject to application and status. Carwow is covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (please see www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk for more information). Carwow Ltd is registered in England (company number 07103079), registered office 2nd Floor, Verde Building, 10 Bressenden Place, London, England, SW1E 5DH. Carwow Leasey Limited is registered in England (company number 13601174), registered office 2nd Floor, Verde Building, 10 Bressenden Place, London, England, SW1E 5DH and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Carwow Ltd.

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