Best family cars 2023

What makes a good family hatchback and which models should you be considering? Here we count down the top 10 – and reveal the ones to avoid...

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by
Alasdair Rodden
Updated11 April 2022

Best family cars

Given the popularity of family SUVs, you’d be forgiven for thinking there’s not much going on in the world of the traditional ‘family car’, but that's not the case.

Family hatchbacks still account for a huge number of UK new car sales with plenty of models battling it out in a highly competitive segment of the car market.

The demands of family life are a big ask for a car, of course. Practicality, safety and reliability are all essential, but it's also important to find something with low running costs and a comfortable ride on long journeys.

You wouldn't expect a family car to be as exciting to drive as a sports car, but many of models on this list offer an engaging and enjoyable driving experience.

Below are our top 10 family cars – as well as two models we'd avoid – and a summary of what we think of each of them. If one of our favourites takes your fancy, you can click through to our full review to read more, or find the best prices available through our free New Car Buying pages.

1

Honda Civic

The Civic tops this list because it’s the best all-rounder on the market, and strikes a wonderful balance between practicality, quality, efficiency and driving pleasure.

It feels refined and precise, thanks to a combination of good handling, reasonable performance and a comfortable ride. The hybrid set-up allows it to achieve impressive fuel economy figures too, and drive using the electric motor alone at low speeds.

So much useful kit is included as standard that we recommend sticking with the entry-level Elegance trim.

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Pros

  • Impressive fuel economy
  • Big boot
  • Lots of luxury and safety kit

Cons

  • Quite pricey
  • Rear head room isn't great
  • Road noise intrudes
2

Toyota Corolla

Conventional petrol-electric hybrids are popular with family car buyers because they offer better fuel economy than their pure-petrol counterparts, but don't need to be plugged in. And the Corolla’s 1.8-litre hybrid system is one of the best in the business; when we subjected an earlier version to a real-world fuel economy test, it averaged more than 60mpg.

There’s plenty of room in the front, so the driver can make the most of the Corolla’s cosseting ride, although rear space is disappointing.

The long list of standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control and heated front seats. Upgrading to Icon trim adds sat-nav and a bunch of other handy features while keeping the price reasonable.

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Pros

  • Low CO2 emissions and great fuel economy
  • Comfortable ride
  • Loads of standard kit

Cons

  • Cramped in the back
  • So-so infotainment system
  • 12.3in digital instrument cluster could be easier to use
3

Seat Leon

A former What Car? Family Car of the Year, the Leon is a good buy for anyone looking for fun and practical family transport.

On the fun side, the 128bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine has plenty of punch, plus the steering is well-weighted and the suspension performs well on twisty roads. Meanwhile, practicality is boosted by a highly adjustable driving position, suitable for a driver of almost any height, plenty of leg and head room in the rear, and a capacious boot.

The Leon comes well equipped as standard, but we’d recommend upgrading to FR trim, which adds an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, rain-sensing wipers and more.

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Pros

  • Great to drive
  • Loads of space in the back
  • Well equipped

Cons

  • Firm ride on FR models
  • Road noise
  • Fiddly infotainment system
4

Audi A3

Among premium family cars, the A3 Sportback is the best you can buy. It’s not as posh inside as the previous-generation car, but it’s still plush and well built, with a fantastic driving position.

It's great to drive, too – handling well without sacrificing comfort, and the ride is forgiving.

Engines are plentiful, with diesel, petrol and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options available. Our favourite is the 40 TFSIe PHEV, which can officially travel 40 miles on electric power alone. Its low CO2 output keeps taxes low for company car drivers.

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Pros

  • Sharp handling
  • Excellent driving position
  • Strong and frugal engines, including the excellent plug-in hybrid

Cons

  • Interior quality is good but could be better
  • Fiddly infotainment system
  • Audi's unimpressive reliability record
5

Skoda Octavia

If practicality is your priority, look no further than the Octavia. Taller people will be comfortable in the front and rear, thanks to generous leg and head room. The back seat is wide, too, which makes carrying three back-seat passengers easier than in many rivals.

The boot capacity is 600 litres, which is colossal for the class, and even big by the standards of family SUVs (for example, the Kia Sportage has 591 litres of boot space).

The Octavia’s comfort and frugality make it an excellent car for covering long distances. Even in more expensive trim levels, it's cheaper than many rivals, whether you're a cash buyer or use a PCP finance deal.

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Pros

  • Plush interior
  • Huge boot
  • Low BIK rates for plug-in 1.4 TSI iV 204

Cons

  • Heating controls are in the touchscreen
  • Rivals sharper to drive
  • Touchscreen can be tricky to use on the move
6

Skoda Scala

The Scala represents one of the cheapest ways of getting behind the wheel of a great family car. It has a comfortable ride, precise steering and a highly adjustable driving position.

Head and leg room are impressive, whether you're in the front seats or the rear, and the boot is one of the biggest in the class. In fact, one of the only cars that can beat the Scala in those areas is the slightly more expensive Skoda Octavia.

Entry-level SE trim comes with all of the kit you’re likely to need, including cruise control, automatic lights and automatic wipers.

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Pros

  • Comfortable ride and tidy handling
  • Spacious rear seats and a big boot
  • Cheap to buy and run

Cons

  • Noisier at speed than the quietest rivals
  • Poorer resale values than its main rivals
  • Interior feels a little cheap
7

Cupra Born

If you like the sound of a Volkswagen ID 3, you’ll love the Born. It's based on the same underpinnings but gets more angular styling and a more polished interior.

The suspension has been lowered and stiffened for sportier handling, making it sharper and more engaging to than its Volkswagen sibling. An e-Boost option temporarily increases the power output from 201bhp to 228bhp, but its impact feels minor from behind the wheel.

Overall, the Born improves on the ID 3, but the volume and climate-control buttons on the dashboard and steering wheel are too fiddly.

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Pros

  • Good electric range
  • Sprightly performance
  • Decent to drive

Cons

  • Charging network weaker than Tesla’s
  • Touch-sensitive buttons are awkward to use
  • Slightly firmer ride than ID 3
8

Volkswagen ID 3

For those who want their next family car to be electric, the ID 3 might still be worth considering. It’s as practical as many petrol-powered models, and has roughly similar dimensions to the Volkswagen Golf.

Well-weighted steering and fantastic body control help make it genuinely fun to drive too – something that can’t be said of all its electric car rivals. Performance is good, with 148bhp or 201bhp motors available, and larger of the two battery options gives you an official range of up to 336 miles.

Unfortunately, the ID 3 is let down by a cheap-feeling interior and a fiddly, laggy infotainment system.

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Pros

  • Good electric range
  • Sprightly performance
  • Decent to drive

Cons

  • Iffy interior quality, especially for the pricier versions
  • Charging network weaker than Tesla’s
  • Infotainment system needs some upgrades
9

Ford Focus

If you want a family car that’s great fun to drive, it’s hard to go wrong with the Focus. No matter how you spec it, Ford’s family car will offer a good balance of handling and comfort. The ride is firmer than in rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf but not to the point of being uncomfortable.

The entry-level 1.0 Ecoboost 125 petrol engine is our favourite, because it offers decent performance and fuel economy for a reasonable price.

The Focus comes well equipped as standard, and its low price makes it an attractive cash buy, but an underwhelming interior and faster depreciation than some rivals prevent it from moving higher up our list.

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Pros

  • Great handling
  • Well equipped
  • Roomy rear seats

Cons

  • Not that cheap to buy
  • Low-rent interior
  • Octavia has a much bigger boot
10

BMW 1 Series

In at number 10 is the 1 Series – a great example of a premium and dynamic family car. Build quality is rock solid, and the interior's soft-touch materials and sturdy switches make it a more pleasant place to spend time than the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class.

The quality feel continues with the infotainment system – BMW’s iDrive is second to none, combining physical controls with a touchscreen for maximum versatility.

A reasonable ride, sporty handling and quick steering mean the 1 Series is as good to drive as it is to sit in, and the entry-level 118i petrol engine is brisk and easy to live with.

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Pros

  • Superb build quality
  • Sporty handling
  • Class-leading infotainment system

Cons

  • Mercedes A-Class is safer
  • SE trim not that well equipped
  • Road noise at speed

And the family cars to avoid...

Fiat Tipo

The Tipo is a spacious choice, but it's let down by poor resale values values and a cheap feeling interior, plus many rivals are both better to drive and more comfortable. Read our review

Subaru Impreza

The safety kit on the Impreza is impressive, but it's expensive to buy and run, despite being less practical than plenty of rivals and worse to drive. Read our review