Which medium sized family car

Honda Civic A popular hatchback with futuristic and striking style. Volkswagen Golf The popular hatchback with a brilliant range of engine options.

Citroen C4 A family focused, compact hatchback with loads of quirky features. Vauxhall Insignia Spacious and good to drive in saloon or estate. More best cars. Best cars for motorway driving. Best cars for boot space. Best cars for pet owners. Best fun cars. Best convertible cars. We think the best engine is the 1. For those doing more miles, the most frugal diesel engine can return more than 60mpg, depending on driving style.

If you want more space, the Octavia estate offers a formidable boot, and with the sporty vRS models and a plug-in hybrid Octavia iV also on sale, the Octavia lineup has a wide variety of models to suit nearly every requirement. The Skoda Scala replaced the Skoda Rapid in the family hatchback class, and while its predecessor was rather mediocre, the Scala is anything but. Slotting into the Skoda lineup between the Fabia and larger Octavia, the new Scala is one of the best in the Skoda range and among our favourite family cars.

Compared to its nearest rivals, it's cheaper to buy and generously equipped, even in entry-level trim, and it comes with a tried-and-tested engine range that makes it efficient and affordable to run. Last but not least, the Scala has an outstanding Euro NCAP crash test result and has plenty of active safety features to keep passengers and other road users safe. It looks impressive, with a sporty grille lifted from the Kia Stinger now part of a pleasing overall style. Interior quality is another Ceed strength, with design and feel of materials genuinely matching premium rivals.

It's spacious and comfortable inside, too, with room for grown-ups in the back and a large boot that beats some of its big rivals for space. The burgeoning Kia Ceed range now includes the ProCeed coupe-estate, the Sportswagon estate and the XCeed SUV-styled hatchback - and the latter two are available as plug-in hybrids too.

The BMW 1 Series is our favourite premium small hatchback, as it offers many of the luxuries and the high-quality feel of more expensive cars without costing a fortune in monthly PCP payments.

The 1 Series delivers on efficiency and performance - no model is slow or uneconomical - while its interior features all the tech buyers have come to expect. Another VW Golf derivative, the latest Audi A3 is a marked improvement over the old model, which was starting to feel rather dated by the end of its life.

It emphasises comfort over sportiness, so keen drivers will be more at home behind the wheel of the 1 Series. This new model is crammed with the latest technology, including a twin-screen digital dashboard and Volkswagen has replaced buttons with touch panels wherever possible.

VW continues to offer one economical 2. Why is the Golf beaten by the Octavia, aside from price? As a means of transporting families, the Ford Focus hasn't always had the measure of its rivals. The latest version, though, replaces the cramped rear seats of previous models with a truly spacious passenger compartment in which three adults can sit in comfort.

There's more good news elsewhere — fuel economy is impressive, whether you choose the three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol or four-cylinder EcoBlue diesel engines, and there's loads of standard safety equipment — autonomous emergency braking on every model should make it as safe as family cars come.

And, when you're finished with the school run, the latest Focus will make you smile on a favourite country road. It's not quite the classiest family hatch, but it's a very impressive all-rounder. Safe, good to drive and with a truly special-looking interior, the A-Class is one of the most desirable family cars on sale today. And while the entry-level diesel Ad makes good sense for buyers covering lots of miles, the powerful A petrol is also worth considering.

A BMW 1 Series is more exciting in the bends, though. The Corolla's rear seats are cramped for six-footers, but this hybrid family car offers super-low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions that make it an excellent choice for both private buyers and company car drivers. In addition, the Corolla's ride is cosseting and its standard spec generous.

Among today's premium family cars, the 1 Series is great if you're looking for entertaining handling blended with decent ride quality. You also get a classy if understated interior and the most intuitive infotainment system around. The boot is on the small side, though.

A new Golf is always big news, but this latest version picks up right where the old model left off, offering buyers many of the premium features they'd expect in a more expensive car for a sensible price. It's exceedingly comfortable — especially if you opt for adaptive suspension — and offers tidy handling too. Only its distracting controls and the quality of some interior plastics disappoint.

While the latest A3 isn't as well finished inside as the previous model , it still rates well against the premium competition of the day. What's more, the A3 offers a comfortable, enjoyable drive, has space for the family and a range of punchy petrol, diesel and hybrid engines. Like the Focus, because it's been around for many years and several generations, there's an abundance of different models, specifications, colours and even engine choices available across the many years of production.

Whichever one you go for, the Astra will become a faithful family member for years to come. Search Used Vauxhall Astra. Long heralded as the go-to used family car, the Volkswagen Golf has spent more than four decades building up its reputation as a dependable, reliable and practical hatchback. Its popularity remains as strong as ever because of its no-fuss attitude towards dealing with everyday life.

It just does everything you would expect a family car would do, with poise, comfort and precision. Part of its great appeal is that it can be found in varying levels of specification and with many different engines, including petrol, diesel and even plug-in hybrid variants too, with performance-focused GTI and R models topping the range.

Search Used Volkswagen Golf. The i30 stakes its claim as one of the top used family cars simply because of the generous amount of standard equipment that you get when you buy one. Even Active models come with alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, air conditioning and rear parking sensors. They haven't skimped on safety either, with both current and previous models receiving a five-star rating from Euro NCAP.

There are both petrol and diesel variants to choose from and you'll notice from looking at the used market that i30 models represent excellent value, especially compared with similar models from other manufacturers.

Search Used Hyundai i There's now more premium options in the used family hatchback market, including the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the Audi A3. Here we're looking at the BMW 1 Series , which wins a place in the list thanks to superior driving dynamics.

It still possesses the must-have large boot, which is actually more roomy than the one you'll find on a third-generation Ford Focus. Being a BMW , you'll also benefit from premium-quality materials and high levels of refinement, plus strong engines that have been engineered for performance and efficiency; diesel 1 Series models are some of the most economical used hatchbacks you can buy.

It's built right here in Britain at Nissan's Sunderland manufacturing facility, making it a rarity amongst other SUVs and family cars you'll find on British roads, most of which are built overseas. Its reliable and dependable powertrains are complemented by a supremely practical, not too-big-but-not-too-small body that has the raised ride height that drivers enjoy.

You can opt for petrol or diesel models on the used market, and because they are so popular as new cars , you can often find used bargains simply by having a look through what Qashqais are available. Search Used Nissan Qashqai. For affordable and practical family SUV motoring on a budget, you can't really beat the back-to-basics Dacia Duster. Impressive stuff. Go for the Duster and you'll be getting an honest, robust SUV with the option of four-wheel drive models should you require it.

Base-level models don't have much in the way of technology, some people actually prefer that, but creature comforts are available on higher-spec models if you want them. Search Used Dacia Duster. Back in the late s, Ford recognised that there was a growing market for family SUVs and launched the Kuga to tremendous fanfare and excellent sales.

Now in its third generation, most of the ones you'll find for sale are second generation models that were sold between and , which is no bad thing as they're well equipped, practical models that drive impressively well.

Generally the used examples you'll find are diesel, however Ford have sold increasing numbers of petrol-powered Kugas in recent years. There's also mix of two-wheel and four-wheel drive models plus manual and automatic versions too. Family-friendly features such as Bluetooth music streaming and lots of safety tech are standard across the range.

Search Used Ford Kuga. The latest generation of the Peugeot is surely one of the best-looking family SUVs you can buy right now, with a strikingly handsome front-end that'll go down well on the school run.

It's not all style over substance though, the interior is just as nice, with premium-quality materials and the latest technology at your fingertips. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity means that the kids can play their music on the sound system if you want them to and roomy back seats plus a big boot means there's plenty of room for a five-person family.

Older s were more of an MPV , but they're now bargains if you want a practical family motor. Search Used Peugeot Based on the ever-popular Corsa hatchback, the Mokka X adds an extra dose of practicality and ride height to an already convincing family supermini package.

Buyers will enjoy the generous standard specification, with all models coming with the impressive IntelliLink touchscreen media system that features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

It's far more spacious than a Corsa, but it is still a compact car so it's good that they've included a large glovebox, sizeable door bins and plenty of other little storage spaces too. The boot is comparable in size to the family hatchbacks we've already talked about, and safety is five-star rated.