Top 10 family cars for 2026: Safety, space, and value

• Top 10 family cars
• Based on safety, space, value
• Mix of SUVs, hatchbacks, estates and MPVs
• Electric and traditional fuel powertrains

These are some of the best family cars available to lease - offering a winning mix of safety, practicality and affordability. 

There's 'no one size fits all' when it comes to family cars, as they come in all shapes and sizes.

But there are a few key features that will be demanded across the board, from generously-sized boots (for kids and pets) to an abundance of Isofix points. 

With so many models on the market, finding the best family car can feel overwhelming.

To make your decision easier, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the top 10 family cars to help you choose the perfect one.

1. Kia Sportage

The latest Sportage is packed with standard equipment, like sat-nav, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, LED headlights and keyless entry. Likewise, your kids will be pleased to see USB-C chargers in the front seatbacks, meaning phones and iPads will never run out of juice.

The rear seats fold in a 40/20/40 format, and the boot is bigger than that of a Nissan Qashqai and Ford Kuga at 587 litres. It’s worth noting, however, that opting for the plug-in hybrid model reduces this to 540 litres. Still, the boot is wide, meaning it’ll easily swallow prams and suitcases.

Entry-level ‘Pure’ cars come with a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine and a six-speed manual gearbox. If you want an automatic transmission, available only from the ‘GT-Line’ onwards, you’ll need to pay an additional £4,200. Opting for this trim adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and nicer upholstery.

The Kia Sportage is priced from £30,885.

 2. Skoda Kodiaq

What makes the Skoda Kodiaq a perfect family car is that it’s offered with five and seven-seat layouts, catering for families of all sizes. The five-seater is priced from £39,095, while the seven-seater costs an extra £880.

There are a few trims to choose from, but the entry-level SE has everything you’ll need, including heated front seats and steering wheel, a 13-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, smartphone connectivity, rear USB-C ports, and tonnes of safety tech.

You’ll have no issue fitting a chunky child seat or taller adults in the Kodiaq’s rear seats, and opting for the seven-seater adds a sliding second row, meaning you can give third-row occupants more legroom.

Its 910-litre boot is one of the largest offered with any SUV; if you’ve gone for the seven-seater, this number drops to 845 litres. With all the rear seats folded down, you get a mighty 2,105 litres, making those all-important Ikea trips a breeze.

3. Hyundai Tucson

It might be big and bold, but the Hyundai Tucson makes for a fantastic family car. The entry-level turbocharged 1.6-litre engine sends 158bhp to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

Power remains the same for the mild hybrid car, although this gets a seven-speed automatic transmission. Fuel consumption is also up from 40.4mpg to 44.1mpg. The more powerful and frugal full hybrid delivers 212 bhp and 47.9mpg, while the plug-in hybrid has 250bhp, a 42-mile electric range, and Hyundai claims up to 256.8mpg.

The Tucson’s rear seats fold in a 40/20/40 layout; however, boot size varies depending on which engine is chosen. For example, the Tucson Hybrid has 616 litres, while the mild hybrid is smaller at 503 litres. The plug-in hybrid sits in the middle at 558 litres.

Prices start from £36,245.

4. Dacia Bigster

The Bigster joins Dacia’s no-nonsense range, and like the Duster, it’s available in front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, the latter being a perfect choice for rural families.

It's 230mm longer, 60mm taller and has a larger wheelbase than its popular Duster sibling, meaning passengers have much more room.

Buyers can also choose from three trims: Expression, Journey and Extreme. Expression cars get wireless smartphone integration and a 360-degree camera, while Journey adds sat-nav, a fancy audio system and an electric tailgate. Extreme cars benefit from modular roof bars and a panoramic sunroof.

There are three powertrains to choose from. A 140bhp mild hybrid, a 130bhp 4x4 mild hybrid and a more powerful 155bhp full hybrid. It’s worth noting that the 4x4 variant is only available in Expression and Extreme trims.

Where the Bigster excels, however, is in the boot. Popping the boot lid in the hybrid reveals a cavernous 612 litres, which rises to 677 litres for the petrol car.

5. Kia EV9

Although a slightly more expensive option, the Kia EV9 is one of the best electric family cars available. At 5m long, almost 2m wide, and 1.8m tall, the EV9 provides passengers with more than enough room, but parking requires a bit more thought.

To assist, the EV9 has a 360-degree camera and plenty of safety tech, including parking sensors, a blind-spot monitoring system, and forward collision avoidance assist.

The EV9 also boasts a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating and an 88% child occupancy score. Fitting child seats won’t be an issue either, as ISOFIX top tethers and anchor fittings can be found in the second and third row.

Likewise, older children will be pleased to see two USB-C charging ports in the second row and third row, and there’s plenty of space throughout the cabin to store larger items like iPads.

£65,985 gets you the base ‘Air’ featuring a 99.8kWh battery that’s good for 349 miles (WLTP). Charging via a 7.4kW wallbox from 10 to 80% takes around nine hours, but a 350kW DC charger chops this to just 24 minutes.

6. Renault Megane E-Tech

The stylish Renault Megane E-Tech offers a 280-mile electric range and charges up to 130kW, but why is it on our list?

The Megane E-Tech is safe and has a roomy interior. It also has a larger boot than a CUPRA Born at 440 litres, and there’s an extra 33 litres under the boot floor for storing cables, meaning you can utilise the boot’s entirety for a buggy or suitcase.

On longer runs, the Megane will average around 4.1mi/kWh, giving it a real-world range of around 250 miles. Charging from empty to full via a 7.4kW wallbox takes around nine hours.

Buyers can also spec a touring pack that includes roof bars and a 480-litre roof box. If you need more storage, there’s a pack that adds magnetic smartphone holders and rear tray tables. The Renault Megane E-Tech is priced from £31,295.

7. MG4 EV

Cheap and family car don’t often go together nowadays, but this can’t be said for the MG4. The all-electric MG4, priced from £27,245, offers a range of up to 329 miles and will comfortably fit a family of five.

There are four trims to choose from, but the entry-level SE offers sat-nav, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a reversing camera, and rear ISOFIX points as standard. And although its 363-litre boot isn’t the largest, you’ll manage to squeeze in a few suitcases for those family road trips.

The SE returns up to 218 miles (WLTP) and will charge from 10 to 100% via a 7.4kW home charger in circa seven hours. Plugging it into a 150kW system reduces this to around 50 minutes.

MG has thrown in intelligent safety systems, including lane-keep assist, active emergency braking, high beam assist, and adaptive cruise control, but blind-spot detection, rear collision warning, and door opening warning systems are only available at the Trophy trim level.

8. Volkswagen ID. Buzz

This could easily be one of the coolest-looking cars on our list. Styling aside, the all-electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz is available in five, six, or seven-seat layouts and includes four USB-C charging ports in the rear.

Standard equipment includes sat-nav, wireless smartphone connectivity, park ssist pro, front, rear and side cameras, ambient lighting and a heated steering wheel. It also has wireless phone charging and a nine-speaker audio system, meaning the whole family can sing along while your smartphone streams your favourite music.

Volkswagen claims the base ID. Buzz Life will return up to 286 miles (WLTP) from a single charge and charge up to 170kW DC, while charging via a 7.4kW home charger will take roughly eight hours and 30 minutes.

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is priced from £60,005.

9. Skoda Superb Estate

The Skoda Superb lives up to its name. While available as a saloon, the estate has a family-friendly 690-litre boot, which expands to 1,920 litres with the rear seats folded. This makes it one of the most spacious estates in its class.

The cavernous boot is great, but it’s not the only reason you should consider the Superb. Skoda is known to think outside the box, and all Superbs come with the brand’s ‘Simply Clever’ features, including door-integrated umbrellas, like a Rolls-Royce, and an ice scraper behind the fuel flap.

You needn’t spend much, either, as the SE Technology trim, priced from £38,120, includes a rear-view camera, heated front seats, 5 USB-C sockets, wireless smartphone charging, and a child seat anchor system.

There’s also the option to spec a family pack, which adds a media holder bracket, rear seat sleep headrests and a blanket, waste bins, and rear sunblinds.

10. BMW 3-Series Touring

Fancy something premium? The BMW 3-Series Touring will do the trick. The handsome 3-Series Touring offers a 500-litre boot that still features the useful separate-opening tailgate glass.

Sadly, if you want a diesel, you’ll be disappointed, as this has been discontinued. However, we can vouch for the 330e plug-in hybrid as it offers plenty of punch, has a 58-mile electric range, and will return upwards of 100mpg if driven carefully.

It’s worth noting, however, that you lose a bit of boot space with the plug-in hybrid. The seats are split 40/20/40, and there’s a nifty through-loading system, meaning those longer loads will be easier to transport.

While the 3-Series has a decent standard tech list, you’ll need to pay extra for lumbar support and wireless phone charging. BMW also offers a whole host of roof boxes and roof bars. The BMW 320i is priced from £44,575, while the 330e comes in at £48,985.

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