Compare the best used family cars
High quality used cars for families from rated and reviewed dealers
Best used family cars of 2024
A good second-hand family car needs to be practical, cheap-to-run and safe. Carwow has put together a list of the ten best used family cars available right now to help you pick the perfect new model.
We’ve selected a variety of cars to suit different situations. Whether you need a city runaround or a big SUV for lugging the family to the south of France, we’ll have the right car for you.
What's good
What’s not so good
The Polo’s cabin feels decidedly posh for a supermini, and this combined with the space on offer almost makes it an alternative to the Volkswagen Golf. Every Polo gets at least an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard, and you can upgrade the dials to a digital cluster.
What's good
What’s not so good
Of the engines on offer, the 2.0-litre diesel engine in the 40TDI model is the best all-rounder. It’s punchy enough on the motorway to deal with overtaking and it will return good economy as well. If you want something a bit sportier, then you can have a 340hp 3.0-litre V6 petrol model, but this will cost you more to buy and run.
What's good
What’s not so good
If most of your driving is done in town, you’l be fine with the basic 115hp petrol engine. It’s nippy enough, returns decent economy and is capable on the odd motorway run. Sharp overtaking manoeuvres may catch it out though, and this is where the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol comes in. It has 150hp and a lot more grunt, without compromising on efficiency.
What's good
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Go for the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and it’ll have plenty of power for around town and on the motorway, while also being frugal and cheap to run. Inside you’ll find a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It may not be the best system on the market, but it still works fine.
What's good
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There's almost nothing not to like, although some might feels it's just a tiny bit too sensible for its own good.
As an all-rounder, the 150hp D3 diesel engine has enough power and excellent fuel economy. It’s hard to hide the diesel clatter under hard acceleration though. The D4 diesel has more power, and is therefore better suited to hauling larger loads. If it’s a sporty edge you’re after, go for the 250hp 2.0-litre petrol, although this feels like overkill in a relaxed cruiser like this.
What's good
What’s not so good
There are only two engine options on offer, a petrol and a diesel. The 1.5-litre petrol is a cracking option, depending on what sort of driving you do. If you do a mixture of around town and motorway work, it’s punchy and quiet. If you spend most of your time lugging loads up and down the motorway, you’ll be better off with the 2.0-litre diesel for its added grunt.
What's good
What’s not so good
As standard, the Leaf has a claimed 168 miles of range. If this isn’t enough for you then there’s the Leaf e+ with a 239-mile range. Just bear in mind that, depending on the age and mileage of the car you buy, this may have gone down as the battery ages. It can be fast charged though, meaning you’ll get 80% of the range back from empty in about an hour.
What's good
What’s not so good
If you want near hot-hatch levels of performance, you’ll need the A250 petrol engine. It can do 0-60mph in just over six seconds and it’s not bad on fuel either. The slightly less powerful A200 is decent as well, and offers the best blend of performance and economy. The A200 diesel is the best for motorway work though, as its more economical still.
What's good
What’s not so good
Power comes from a range of 1.2-litre petrol engines or a 1.5-litre diesel, and we'd go for the 110hp PureTech model as it offers the best balance of power and efficiency.
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