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The Top 10 Used Cars for Families

Here at MOTORHOUS we are proud to be able to offer our customers a wide range of cars from across a variety of brands. Our used car range is frequently changing and updating as cars are sold to new homes, but we work to ensure we have a variety of cars that cater for different lifestyles. If you’re in the market for a used car and want to make sure you choose an option that suits you and your family, we have put together this handy guide to help you explore some of the best options out there.

TL;DR:

  • Best used family cars: This guide compares 10 practical models, including the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Skoda Octavia Estate and Volvo XC40.
  • Key buying priorities: Look for strong safety features, affordable running costs, reliable performance, generous boot space and enough rear-seat room for children and car seats.
  • Choose the right body style: Hatchbacks suit smaller families and city driving, estates maximise luggage capacity, SUVs balance space and versatility, and MPVs can accommodate larger families.
  • Match the car to your family: Consider ISOFIX points, Euro NCAP safety ratings, fuel efficiency, insurance group, seating capacity and everyday practicality. Always make sure you book in for a test drive.

Things to Look Out For

When you’re looking for a new car for your family, there are several things that are best to keep in mind to ensure you know what really matters to you.

Safety Features

Safety is essential for family cars, and the advanced safety features of more modern models offers more reassurance to drivers than ever before. So, what sort of safety features should you look out for in your family car?

  • Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – Using cameras and radar technology, cars with this technology are designed to detect a potential collision and automatically apply the brakes if the driver fails to react.  
  • Blind-Spot Monitoring – This advanced driver-assistance system uses sensors to detect vehicles or objects in the areas alongside or beside your car, helping to avoid blind spot collisions.  
  • Multiple Airbags and ISOFIX Anchor Points – Airbags are an essential safety feature, so knowing that your car is fitted with several airbags offers reassurance that you can be protected when you need it most. Multiple ISOFIX anchor points are also of great benefit to those who need to secure car seats.    

If you’re particularly interested in finding out how the car you’re considering stands up in more rigorous safety testing, check out the safety test ratings from Euro NCAP.

Running Costs

You want your family car to make your life easier without costing a fortune. To make sure that you are choosing a family car that is both practical and cost effective, ensuring you are getting the best value for money on your initial purchase and in your car’s day to day running costs.

  • Fuel Efficiency – Choosing a car that offers improved or enhanced fuel efficiency helps to keep day to day costs low when it comes to refuelling.
  • Low Insurance Groups – If you want to find out what insurance group the car that you’re considering falls into, you can use this handy tool from MoneySuperMarket.

Practicality

If you’re looking for practical features to make your money go further, consider some of these details to make sure your family car offers you everything you need for your daily journeys at a price that suits you.

  • Boot Space – Additional boot space helps to offer enhanced practicality, giving you more room for pushchairs, shopping and even suitcases when you’re making a family road trip.
  • Rear Seat Room – For those who need extra space for car seats to the rear, choosing a car that offers additional leg and headroom is a smart choice to ensure you have capacity for everyone.

Reliability

You want to be able to rely on your car every day, avoiding unexpected costs or breakdowns where possible. That’s why it’s important to consider brands with strong reputations and a reliable service. Used cars from respectable brands that have been well-maintained by their previous owner can offer many years of value.

Choosing a Body Style

Every family will need something different from their car, so making sure you pick the right body style to suit your needs is a crucial part of the decision-making process.

  • Hatchbacks – Perfect for smaller families and those who live in cities.
  • Estates – Great for those looking for additional boot space without needing to get a larger car.
  • SUVs – The ideal option for those who want space, comfort and versatility.
  • MPVs – Less stylish than an SUV, an MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) offers versatility for larger families.
  • Many larger car models also offer 7-seater options if you need additional space for all the family, so keep an eye out for those with 7-seat capacity.

The Top 10

Once you’ve narrowed down what it is that’s important to you, now you can decide which model suits your needs. Take a look at our top 10 choices for those looking for the perfect family car that’s new to you.

Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

This hatchback is a practical choice for families, offering enhanced boot capacity and ample legroom and headroom to the rear. The outer rear seats are fitted with easy-access ISOFIX anchor points, and wide-opening rear doors help make loading child seats in and out of the car as straightforward as possible. The Volkswagen Golf is a great choice for smaller families.

Ford Focus

Ford Focus

Most recently scoring 5-stars in its Euro NCAP rating, the Ford Focus has been recognised as performing excellent in relation to child occupant protection on collision. There is a generous amount of legroom to the rear seats, perfect for those with older children, ensuring everyone is comfortable on both short and long journeys. Offering enhanced safety, fun handling and a practical amount of space. The Ford Focus is a great all-rounder.

Nissan Qashqai

A practical, comfortable and safe choice for families. The Nissan Qashqai offers wide-opening rear doors, a versatile boot with up to 504-litres of space, and advanced safety systems. The rear access doors open to nearly 90-degrees, making it easy to get children and car seats in and out of the car. Technology features such as a 360-degree camera help to make parking on errands or the school run as seamless as possible.

Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

This family SUV offers a spacious interior. The 591-litre boot offers ample space for pushchairs, shopping and holiday luggage. Awarded 5-stars by Euro NCAP, the Kia Sportage offers advanced driver assistance features such as blind-spot collision avoidance and smart cruise control, helping you to keep you and your family safe. Comfortably able to hold up to three child seats in the back, this SUV makes an excellent family car for larger families.

Skoda Octavia Estate

Skoda Octavia Estate

A top choice for families, the Skoda Octavia offers a class-leading amount of space with a 600-litre boot, expandable to 1,555-litres with the rear seats down. Rivalling other mid-size SUVs for passenger room, this model offers practical space to accommodate adults, children and child safety seats on every journey.

Peugeot 3008

Peugeot 3008

The Peugeot 3008 offers a stylish exterior and a high-tech cabin. Better suited to younger families, this family SUV offers space for child seats to the rear but doesn’t offer as much legroom as its competitors. This medium-sized SUV is perfect for those looking for a family crossover that offers a premium cabin experience and driving assistance technologies.

Citroen C3 Aircross

Available with a 7-seat configuration this compact SUV offers comfort, safety and storage as standard. Complete with Citroen’s Advanced Comfort suspension, the whole family will stay comfortable wherever they’re sitting, even on bumpy roads. The 7-seater option offers an additional third row of seating that is perfect for younger children, or over 1,200-litres of storage when folded down.

Volvo XC40

Volvo XC40

This highly rated compact premium SUV is perfect for smaller families. Offering top-tier safety performance, the Volvo XC40 is recognised as offering exceptional occupant protection and advanced safety assistance systems. Comfortably able to fit two adults to the front and two children to the rear, this SUV is a practical and enjoyable family car for a family of four.

Renault Captur

Renault Captur

A stylish, practical and compact family SUV offers generous boot capacity, up to 616-litres. The sliding bench seat feature to the rear offers enhanced interior space and practicality, movable by 16cm to offer improved balance between legroom and boot space. The Renault Captur offers up to 27 advanced safety and driving aids, including emergency braking, keeping you and your family protected when needed.

Dacia Sandero

Dacia Sandero

The Dacia Sandero is a compact hatchback that offers a surprisingly spacious 5-seat cabin, best suited to smaller families. Generous storage capacity and impressive legroom make this crossover comfortable and versatile as a small family car. The standard boot space of around 320-litres expands significantly when the rear bench seats are folded down, accommodating everything you and your family may need.

Whilst we may not always have all the options listed in stock here at MOTORHOUS Livingston, we are always sure to have a variety of cars to suit different customers. Make sure to keep an eye on our current used car range here, and if you see something that takes your fancy then don’t hesitate to book your test drive. Remember, when it’s gone it’s gone! So why not visit us here at MOTORHOUS Livingston today to find your perfect family car.

About the author

Emily Hunt

Junior Digital Marketing Executive for Greenhous Group

[email protected]

07840 850519