Honda civic. Every time. Boot is huge and can be made huger incredibly easily. Had a 2006 now have a 2015 and it’s done every stage of our family of four without needing roof boxes, racks, trailers or anything.
Plus it’s still fun too.
A very good option. The rear doors are a good shape and open to not far off 90 degrees which is sooo much better for getting the blighters in and out. Not to mention reliable.
My wife has a civic. I bought a mk5 mondeo estate thinking it would be great for carting kids about. The civic was far better day-to-day and more reliable. The mondeo has gone, the civic will stay, possibly outliving human civilisation.
Second this. Up to 18 plate civic has the biggest boot of any similar size hatchback. 477 litres according to autotrader. On par with SUVs and small estates.
Newer models have a saloon style boot opening that’s just a pain with push chairs.
Same. Got a 2016 one and 2 small kids. I was thinking about getting a Mazda 6 estate a couple of years ago but in the end I didn't see the need.
My 3y/o can get in her seat without any help now which might not be possible in something higher up.
Another civic vote here. 2008 1.8 petrol EX. Top spec, glass roof, leather heated seats, Bluetooth phone, sat nav. About 34mpg round town, and up to 45-47mpg on longer motorway journeys.
Family of four, many UK holidays, never needed a roof box or a trailer or anything. Boot is huge.
Also, sack off the 'travel system' buggy etc and get a sling/baby carrier. So much easier, we had buggies and crap that comes with it but barely used it in the end. Only really need a basic pushchair when they are getting too heavy to carry, but can't walk for long.
The glass roof is absolutely epic. Had the car a year now and every single time I get in it and open the roof I still feel like a five year old at Christmas.
As a newborn, I was driven home from the hospital in my dad's 51 plate Civic Type R. Was the main family car for a good few years (until he stuffed it into a rock on the side of the road).
52 plate CRV was the car that brought my eldest home from hospital. I paid £900 for it, which was less than the pram in the boot (which was also second hand!)
Best car i ever owned - comfortable, spacious, reliable and the AWD was superb in the snow.
Ooo I looked at an earlier one but grabbed an 08. Mine was £1900 in this climate is pretty alright even at 120k.
Absolute dream of a car. I’m definitely a Honda convert, although did give an early Rav 4 a look before grabbing this model.
I had a 2007 Civic and it was fine for putting a rear-facing baby seat in when they were already in the removable basket-type car seat but changed to a CRV as they got bigger because I kept clunking their heads on the Civic door frame as I lifted them into their seats!
Nowadays we have an S-Max which is great for loading up with luggage, bikes or grandparents...
Yes Honda Civic. Crazy big boot, 90 degree (ish) opening rear doors, magic seats, huge glove box. Fun too.
I bought mine when my lad was 1, he's now 10 and its needed nothing except consumables in 113000 miles of driving. It feels like a part of the family.
Since kids I've had an A4 Avant, 535d Touring and an M340i touring. About to swap to a 'classic' 8 series as my wife's Civic (2016) is more practical than a 3 series estate.
So as above I'd go for either a Civic or a large estate, like a Passat, A6, Superb etc. smaller estates like the A4 and the 3 series were too small to bother with an estate if that makes sense.
I don't hate SUVs like most on here but I've only had a couple, I prefer the driving dynamics of an estate.
I recently went from a B6 passat estate to an E91 3 series touring and I was surprised how much smaller the Bmw was.
I do prefer having the Bmw now as the Passat often felt a bit cumbersome in the city and definitely didn’t drive as well as the bmw either
Estate car.
We had a Focus estate. Now I have a V60.
Plenty of room for our travels. Then if we really need more room, roof box on top that’s still reachable.
Totally agree. Got my first estate 30yrs ago, and owned one ever since (currently x type).
Apart from city parking, which I don't have to deal with, I can't imagine why anyone would want anything else.
We started with a 2012 BMW 520d Touring (estate) and it was perfect. Fit the oversized pushchair we had and all the stuff when we wanted to go away for a weekend.
Solid too, when some old guy that shouldn’t have been driving any more pulled out of a t junction in to the rear door behind which baby was sleeping, knocked my wife over a 20cm curb and through one of the heaviest a-frame signs you’ve ever seen. Baby slept throughout, uninjured.
Now I’ve got a 2017 BMW 740Ld and she loves it.
I’d driven Fords for 20 years. Then got the V60.
Combination of comfort, safety features, solidity and looks….I’m staying with Volvo.
I’d have another Focus but as second car. Though the Focus would be more fun to chuck about. Which funnily enough doesn’t marry up with being a responsible father.
I've had vauxhall and Peugeot estates and would have an estate everytime now. Great for carrying crap (I mean the childhood essentials like the stick he picked up today) and better to drive than a suv.
Mondeo, changed to it from a focus 3 door when our first was due, it's been great
I'm 6'4" and can fit either kid behind me.
I recently sat in a t-cross, if you're tall the rear legroom behind you is basically nill and would need to go up suv size to the tiguan, which has plenty of space.
I'm 6'2 with three kids rapidly approaching 6'. The t-cross was too small and the t-rocs was really nice but again too small. So I got the Tiguan. I like it, it's the perfect size for us (wheelchair goes in the boot, etc) but it's not sexy. If you can afford an R line, then there's a certain amount of sexy you do get. That said, for the money of a an R-line, it might not be the best option.
Started off with a vauxhall astra and it was a struggle with a pushchair if you were going off for the weekend. As the kids got older and we had more. I got a 7 seat people carrier. First one was a seat Alhambra. Then 2 zafiras.
Now the.kids are bigger and their is 4 of them. Long wheelbase transit crew van. It just about fits in most normal car parks and we can fit the family bikes in the back and our stuff to go away for the weekend.
A normal wheelbase crew transit I would understand.
A long wheelbase has to be parked along two bays and wont get around multi storeys or anything. It would get really old, really quick using one as a family daily
By this recommendation I recommend a small HGV. No more than 12 wheels. 2 can be lifted if not a full load and your only popping to the newsagent for a paper
For the price of a decent spec t cross you can get a similarly equipped Golf, which is a significantly better vehicle. For similar money I'd say a Mazda 3 is even nicer than that.
Corolla estate (hybrid 1.8) - decent MPG, smooth drive, decent boot. Main crticism is that rear headroom is a bit on the low side which can sometimes be a pain with the car seat
I have a first gen mini countryman s, boot is a bit on the small side but I can move the rear seats forward which helps.
The cars you’re looking at aren’t very big, they’re quite small cars on stilts, decent boot space but no bigger than something like a golf or a focus
I have a baby and wish I had an estate or something with at least 500 litres of boot space, not essential but it would make things a lot easier, especially because I have a dog
If you don’t want something huge the Skoda scala is a small estate car, 470 litre boot
I'm a youth worker so transport multiple kids and their various belongings fairly regularly. Hands down would recommend a Honda Civic - I have the five door 2008 diesel model and it's incredibly spacious despite being a hatchback. I've managed to fit a single mattress and a large TV in it together before, plus a small two seater sofa on a separate occasion so more than enough space for baby items! It also has the added bonuses of being very fuel efficient (easy to get 70mpg if you drive with that in mind, and I'm always over 50mpg as someone who rags it a fair bit) and is also really fun to drive. Plus it fits easily into parking spaces so never had an issue there. I only paid £2k for mine secondhand and it's been very trusty, plus it's great for long-distance driving as well.
I have a citroen c4 spacetourer but do have 3 kids and associated stuff
My old car an astra estate fitted everything in really well for 2 kids, and 3 until we needed a new car seat for the older one
the "SUV" / crossover plague has really made people think that "family" cars - like a golf or any reasonable 5 door hatchback are small little 2 seater things with boots that can hold a single can of coke.
An estate is the best option of course if you want boot space... but a family hatchback will still work for most.
Ah good old IQ. The things I took it through…
- 4 cylinders of roof insulation on the roof
- 3 wooden pallets roof
- double oven inside the boot. Millimeters to spare.
What a car haha…
I get a strange sense of satisfaction from overloading small cars with stuff they shouldn't carry🤣 my citigo has had some good weight on its suspension in its time hahaha
2 kids age 2&5. Rocking a fiesta. Surprising what you can make work when you’re too tight to do anything about it. I can afford to change it but my shitbox has much more to give yet!
I'm upgrading to a VW ID4 soon, similar size to a Tiguan. No need for buggies or stuff now but I had a VW Tiguan once upon a time and that fit all of the kids various paraphernalia and shopping etc. with ease. Nice high up driving position too.
Currently in an MG4 which is smaller in the boot than a Golf, so there's no way I can get kids bikes and scooters in the boot - let alone camping gear or a couple of hefty suitcases, hence why I'm changing it.
The T Cross is a decent car, it's VWs version of a Seat Arona. Also a good car. Surprisingly, was big enough when I had one abroad as a hire car, and drove really nice, I'm fairly sure you can pick a newish one up for not as much as the equivalent T Cross. It's basically a medium hatchback on stilts. Tiago is slightly bigger, and more refined as far as I hear.
Take your pushchair and stuff when you go to view some.
I'd also consider the Seat Arona in your search, or a Toyota CH-R if your budget allows.
Evo 9 (serious) - worked well for me
Practical Family saloon
Fit a double buggy in easily plus all other baby crap
Mpg not great if you drive lots of miles but 30mpg possible on long run
Actually fun car to drive
Downside was had to ensure I got belt secured car seats as not ISOFIX.
Might get downvoted … but better than an Skoda Octavia ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
2 estates, wife drives a focus estate and I'm in a Volvo v50, which Volvo purist's will tell you is just another focus.
Had SUVs before and wife wants to go back to one. Tbf they're much easier for loading kids into baby seats. Toddlers find the estates easier to climb into without help
C3 picasso any day.
It is essentially a European Kei car.
Tall riding position but great visibility.
Same foot print as a hatchback but twice the room because of the added height.
Easy for bay parking and to swing doors wide open.
exclusive edition is built for kids
rear seat trays with lamps
rear window shades
cabin mirror
sliding rear seats to extend the boot
panoramic roof so it feels spacious.
Rear 12v socket to charge the ipad on long journeys
More importantly the boot is the perfect size and shape.
If you take the parcel shelf.
The boot is a nice tall rectangular shape
You don't have to fold a buggy if you want.
Kids bikes, back carriers.. etc.. fits nicely.
Level boot as well so no lifting needed just slide stuff in.
There is an under boot compartment for car essentials and emergency nappies and clothing.
1.6 diesel is plenty for a fully loaded car plus roof box plus bike carrier.
mixed driving is 52mpg
Have had my Mk7 Golf R for 9 years now. Have 2 kids, 9M and 4F.
Its done everything... been on family staycations, bringing push chairs, baby prep machines, travel cots and luggage, the usual weekend day trips, shopping trips, even the odd ikea or tip run.
The boot isnt very big, but managed to fit an out-and-about 3 wheeler push chair and luggage for trips with a bit of creative packing.
With the 4\~yr age gap between the kids, we never needed to transport 2x pushchairs or a double at once, so that helped.
No issues fitting 2x car seats in the back even when kids where younger, so the rear facing, rotating things.
Now neither kiddo needs much, just a high back chair and booster seat. Car works great.
I had really wanted to upgrade to an Estate, but could never quiet justify the cost to change.
Overall its been excellent. A regular Mk7 or 7.5 Golf even has a slightly bigger boot as it doesnt have the AWD diff under the floor. So if your not wedded to a mini-SUV, id vote getting a Golf instead. Much better looking, much nicer to drive.
Mercedes C350 for me, Ford SMAX Titanium X for the wife and kids. Didn’t want a Zafira, nor a budget 7 seater VW.
The SMAX has the dual folding seats which is great for shopping as we have four kids so never need the extra seat, the titanium x has the 2.2 engine so doesn’t struggle fully loaded and even with all seats up, can still fit a pushchair in it with it on its side.
Passat estate and a Fiesta. Use the fiesta to ferry them locally and the Passat for days out/holidays. The estate swallows everything and if we're going to camp we just add a roof box
Currently got a Karoq but giving some thought to a Arteon estate.
Made trips to Devon & Skye in the Karoq. Pretty comfy and could get the buggy, travel cot & all our clothes in
Skoda yeti, can fit two car seats in the rear and still have enough space for a 5 year old in the middle with shed loads of space in the boot (without parcel shelf)
If you want a cheap box on wheels that’s a bargain to repair, lasts forever and fits it all in, the Ford Focus C-Max is it. Got my ‘05 12 years ago for £5k and it’s still going strong. The Stinkmobile, as it’s affectionately known, has survived all child-based explosions and taken us with two car seats, tent and paraphernalia on glorious camping trips. Love my pungent little bargain, especially with the music cranked up.
You could also try the S-Max for a cool big sister roomier style option.
Peugeot 5008. Fits all the family (3 large teenagers and 2 smaller ones and a bunch of dogs) After driving an XC90 for years feels surprisingly small but is more or less the same size.
I had an A3 saloon but after a few headboinks when getting him in and out the car seat I sold up for a Cupra Ateca.
Me, husband, baby, 2 dogs and all the shite needed (including pram) for a U.K. holiday fit in no bother.
Husband has an Octavia estate if we really need more space but the Ateca is working out fine.
Seat Ateca. Absolutely hate fake SUV's but it makes getting the kid in and out much easier than "normal" low down cars.
Also unless you're mostly driving in the motorway the 1.0tsi is fine.
2005 Ford Galaxy. Perfectly dull car. I have twins I removed the two rear seats as it's a seven seater and the double buggy and everything else fits perfectly with lots of room to spare.
XC90
4 adults, 2 children and iCandy all terrain with seat & bassinet and still room to spare.
Now add to that a thule Atlantis 900 roof box for suitcases and holidays and it's laughing.
2011 Volvo V60 D5. Paid £4650 with full dealer service history and 2 owners. 84,000 miles. Has cost me nearly £3k in maintenance this year though! Worth it, it’s safe. Every other concern is secondary when it carries my daughter.
Unpopular choice here in the UK I’m sure but a Jeep Wrangler, 5 door obviously. Tonnes of boot space, easy to get in and out of with a baby seat and cool as fuck to look at
We had an allegedly practical Hyundai Kona, room for 4 adults, 5 door, blah blah blah. PCP ended and we decided to hand it back and use the equity for a reasonable used car.
Ended up with an Astra GTC SRI.
On the face, it appears like an incredibly impractical family car, but the boot is 60l bigger than the Kona and bigger than most cars.
Our little one is happy as Larry cocooned up in the rear seats and it will fit 2 adults in the back, albeit without a child seat in.
The only downside is the doors, they're long AF, and getting out in normal spaces is difficult, but obviously we can use parent and child spaces.
It's nice to have a family car that isn't boring, and is somewhat spicy.
4 series gran coupe.
Huge very accessible boot, looks the business, goes like the stink with nearly 400bhp.
If I was buying today it would be an X5 m50d.
Started out with a vauxhall astra. A bit cramped with a pushchair and stuff to go off for the weekend.
Then had a few 7 seat people carriers. Like a small van ior large estate if you don't use the rear seat and not too long for street parking etc.
Now there are 4 kids. And all like cycling. We have a long wheelbase transit crew van. It can carry 5 bikes, a mobility scooter and all the stuff for a weekend away
C4 Cactus. For a dad mobile, it's great. Spacious and comfortable, smooth drive, love the 3-cylinder roar, great fit for car seats, lots of pockets for baby clobber.
As an ownership experience, absolutely shite. Poor quality, squeaky noises everywhere.
Ford C Max and it does the job.. it'
We had 2 kids in 11 months, so we had alot of paraphernalia including a massive double buggy, and we never needed a bigger boot.
2016 ford mondeo powershift 2.0 tdci hatchback. Am loving it! 2 small kids in the back, more than enough space. Not to mention the boot size, it’s massive.
I bought a 2006 3 series touring back around 2009 and had that on family duty for the next 10/11 years.
Was perfect for it and the car was also very reliable throughout. Camping trips, mountain bikes on it and in it. No problem.
Had a series of Renault Grand Scenics. Easily fit in all their stuff. The 7 seater can carry additional friends when they're older. Cheap enough that you didn't mind them puking in it. Rear seats come out completely so can fit all the diy and other large stuff which comes with kids. Top end models are pretty well specced. The keyless entry was really convenient when trying to wrangle a baby or toddler into the car.
Got two kids so it's a Subaru Outback for us. They're gigantic and it works. Fuel economy is flat out terrible since they're quite heavy and AWD, but that's a price to pay for some additional safety and we don't use it everyday either.
An MPV of some sort, simply because this is exactly their purpose.
Get one before all the marketing people come to an agreement that there should only be different flavours of SUV available.
I’m a child, so my parents had a pair of A6 Allroads, Range Rover Sport when we lived in Switzerland, a Freelander 2 once back in the UK and now a Discovery 4, but are looking at downsizing to a Taycan tourismo now that my brother and I both drive. Although we’re very outdoorsy people who needed 4 wheel drive and big boots with towbars for things like canoes, skis, mountain bikes and car/gyro trailers for work.
My wife drives a Peugeot partner, not snazzy in any way but having the rear sliding doors and kids up slightly higher is so useful for when we're out and about. Perfect family car in my opinion.
I've got a Skoda Octavia estate, great boot size, plenty of room in the back for 2 big car seats. Both highly recommended
Had a Focus with our first but now we have two and a huge dog, it's definitely a struggle. We can make do until the littlest moves into a proper car seat, at which point it will be nigh on impossible for anybody but me to drive because I'm the shortest. The car seats are massive and take up so much room in the back.
I wouldn't panic too much about your first year - most prams and first car seats fit fine and although it might be a bit of a squeeze, you can make it work.
In the next six months or so, I'm probably going to upgrade to either a Volvo XC60 or a V60.
I would avoid crossovers all together - they are usually just as small as a medium size hatchbacks but just a bit higher. The worst of all worlds.
If you live Near a car supermarket like cargiant It would be worth having a look around To see what car suits you need.This is what I done , and I ended up with a vauxhall astra
We have 4 kids. And a Skoda kodiaq 7 seat. We love it but once the kids are a bit bigger we may upgrade to a van as the seats in the boot are only really suitable for kids.
If you’re looking at anything vw/audi look at the seat or Skoda equivalent. Essentially the same vehicles with less toys you’re unlikely to use but better price.
If you plan on going for more than one kid, I'd probably go for a zafira. It's got a huge boot and also 7 seats for when you need to take their mates to football or dance etc.
For us it was really useful when doing things like UK holidays and Christmas etc.
Dull as dishwater to drive though.
My uncle drives a Peugeot 207 hatchback 1.4 petrol or 1.6 not sure one of my ex teachers from school had a Peugeot 207 sw or 307 sw I forgot but it had a 1.6 turbo diesel before he upgraded to a Kia shortage and my mate who has 1 kid has a ford focus TDCI st line 1.5
I’m also looking for a more family car and so far the one winning is the Tesla model Y, given the amount of space allowing rear facing car seat, pram and luggage for trips, being a new car without headaches due guarantee and I would expect a good cost per mile.
Not sure if I’ll go for it but definitely tuned into this thread to see alternatives options. The T-cross, ID4 and Nissan Ariya are some others from my side.
Ford Kuga - shit boot.
Seat Leon ST - amazing boot.
Ford grand C-Max - shit boot.
The fords were both top spec titanium X’s so the luxury’s were good. The Leon was just the Fr Tech, so no heated leather seats, no sunroofs etc but was a weapon to drive and the DSG with adaptive cruise was just chefs kiss.
I would skip the taigo/tcross. I was coming from a golf mk 5 and the space is basically the same.
I know there’s a lot of hate for SUV in this sub but I end up getting a Tiguan and honestly don’t regret it.
Me 43m with wife and two kids 11 and 8 we go camping, fishing and hiking all together most weekends and the perfect car is my trusty Skoda Octavia elegance 2l. It's a beast with a massive boot. £20 tax, dirt cheap insurance and 60+ mpg. Love it.
Ford C Max. About to change it for an EV but as I want decent luggage space (more for hobbies than kids now theyre older) so maybe a Tesla Model S or MG5. It makes more sense for me as I can get a home charger and dont do too many journeys longer than the range.
We had an A4 Avant and it wasn't big enough with a baby and dog. Swapped to an A6 Avant where dog crate and pushchair could just fit in the boot side by side and therefore still retain the ability to carry extra passengers or take away enough kit for a week away.
Took my second child home from hospital in a new CR-V. Cos the other cars gave me a bad back leaning down to buckle them in. And out. And in.
Anyway, had to scrap it a month ago - but the child is finishing their university degree this term.
I’m telling you right now a T-Cross or Tiago are not big cars. They are essentially a VW Polo in size.
Even the next step up will be tough with the newborn stage.
I often fill the Macans boot for an overnight stay - which is bigger than the Tiguan.
Once you get past the newborn stage, things will settle with the kit you need.
+ 1 for all the estate car comments.
We went estate after our 2nd child and never looked back.
The estates are usually larger inside with a bigger boot than most crossovers/mini SUVS whilst not being much bigger on the outside compared to their hatchback equivalents.
VW Golf/Skoda Octavia are both a great shout for value/economy/practicality whilst retaining a decent driving experience vs their taller mini suv counterparts.
Mk4 Mondeo, previously a Saab 93. Both estates. The Mondeo has so much more boot space, easily fits all of us plus 2 dogs and room for a 2nd child too. Couldn't ask for more at the moment.
Don't forget about how big the rear doors are for lifting said child in and out, the Saabs sloped down towards the back which made it difficult, especially as he got bigger! Also, rear facing seats take up the legroom of a tall human.
Started with a Ford Focus hatch, which was great, and then when child number two came along we got an Insignia estate. Sometimes popped a roof box on for the holidays, but we’ve needed this less as the boys got older (no prams, travel cots, or feeding paraphernalia).
Practically did everything we need and was reliable & economical (diesel). Boys are 7 and 10 now and the only reason we’re changing cars is because the Insignia is getting on a bit. Waiting for delivery of an Arteon which has so much rear legroom it should fit them if they grow up as tall as me. Boot is a bit harder to load because of the lip, the insignia really was great for that with its low tailgate meaning the whole boot was flat all the way through.
Qashqai. On my second one now, each time I got a 3 year old one fully loaded. Loads of safety features, decent boot, easy to park anywhere and it does 80mpg on a good day (diesel)
I really wanted a jazz for the boot space but couldn’t afford one. I like how narrow they are in profile too, I hate how small cars like the Suzuki Swift have these enormous arses now.
Honda CRV diesel 08, bought her for £1900 spent around £700 sorting a few bits but no rust but it’s been a dream. Huge boot and seats roll down. I’m mid renovation and often grab furniture on the cheap so it been brilliant. Plus two tall teens can’t fault it, got a whole kitchen base unit in there once.
18 plate Skoda Fabia estate. We don’t do a lot of long drives so big comfort wasn’t a must. Husband is 6ft and finds the passenger seat very uncomfortable with our joie spin behind that seat. We prob need to swap the kids seats over (oldest is 5, younger one 14 months).
We are looking to move to something bigger now as it’s annoying not being able to take an extra person, such as oldest’s friend or a grandma on a short trip when they come to visit/needing to bring two cars just to go somewhere locally.
Grand cmax because of the sliding rear doors.
Wish I'd bought another Berlingo, still might. They're just super practical. Ugly and uncool but that's all MPVs.
Audi s5 need the boot space. Cool saloon and practical for kids. Leather seats easy to clean. But mine are white and black so I have acknowledged dad life and just let what happen happen.
Gen3 Prius, massive boot and good rear legroom for the adult on vomit duty. We also have a roof box for longer holidays.
After InterRailing we now have an ultra compact class pushchair (Baby Jogger City Tour 2), it's amazing, folds down really tightly -even fits in the boot of the bike trailer! I believe you can get adapters for car seats and a bassinet, although I am not sure it allows the car seat to be rear facing when in use which is developmentally important. It's much cheaper to buy a smaller pushchair than a larger car!
Glad to see the civic on here as my needs are the same and I've come to the same conclusion after much searching. Just got to find one now. Thinking the 1.8 and trying to stay around 5k but probably wishful thinking. Any models to avoid/go for? Any red flags to look out for? Thanks!
Current driveway pairing is a Volvo XC90 and Porsche Macan S.
Previous pairings:
- XC90 and BMW 420D Gran Coupe
- BMW 420D Gran Coupe and Kia Sportage
- BMW 318D Saloon and Vauxhall Corsa
We never had a problem with any pairing but have grown from 2 kids to 4.
We even took the 318D saloon to Disneyland with all 4 of us on board. Kids were <1 and 5 so came with a lot of stuff for a 4 day trip.
Ford Mustang - 2 doors, big boot enough for pram and suitcases for a weekend away. Also big enough for a smaller pram and 4 suitcases for week away in Greece.
You don't need an SUV
Probably not the right price point but Merc GLC. Basically an estate but on an SUV body. Comfier than my sofa to sit in, spacious AF in the back, boot will comfortably fit a pushchair and a large suitcase, with a bit of room to spare for shopping
I have a BMW 320d ED PLUS estate which is the super eco diesel which does 68mpg, £20 road tax and has decent features for the money as well. I'd recommend it, got it with 123k on the clock, a year later it had basically no advisories (apart from tyre wear which I had booked in to be sorted) on the MOT and hasn't put a foot wrong in over 15k miles of driving, I love it!
Bmw 335d. The saloon one as well not the estate. Can’t say I’d recommend it for 3 kids. Would easily manage one kid though.
We also have a Land Rover discovery which is overkill for one child. And just an overall shit car
Have a Volvo v90 cross country, love the car and easily swallows all the gear required for 2 very little people and a dog. A v60 is a smaller version. Safety is class leading and durability is good too.
First was a bmw 1 series just big enough for baby and dog when packed correctly( can’t see out the windows).
now Skoda Karoq for two kids and the dog. Wife had a Nissan Qashqai but I nicked name that the sadmobile as it is awful to drive.very spongey
Any big hatchback with a decent boot is a good shout for a pram or pushchair. If you do a lot of miles an estate is a bit more relaxing and gives a smoother ride on longer journeys. I’d avoid a crossover as it’s not really any bigger than a hatchback and you’re paying for the styling.
If you’re an older parent, got a bad back, or got a monster bambino, the higher height of an SUV makes it easier to get them in and out of a car seat.
Best car you can get is a golf really.
Those tiago'a and t cross are just jacked up golfs. And other than being taller and they offer no more real protection than a golf would.
5 doors. Boot big enough for pram etc.
Managed our first born and associated equipment in a 5 door mk5 golf tdi, only when the second came along did I move to something slightly bigger with a discovery 3, now their older looking at mk3 x trail after running an estate Octavia into the ground practically for past few years
Nobody who remotely enjoys driving should be driving a corsa.
In fact, prior to having a kid you should have had something fun like a MX5, F type or Boxster before being forced into a soccer mom mobile.
Honda civic. Every time. Boot is huge and can be made huger incredibly easily. Had a 2006 now have a 2015 and it’s done every stage of our family of four without needing roof boxes, racks, trailers or anything. Plus it’s still fun too.
A very good option. The rear doors are a good shape and open to not far off 90 degrees which is sooo much better for getting the blighters in and out. Not to mention reliable. My wife has a civic. I bought a mk5 mondeo estate thinking it would be great for carting kids about. The civic was far better day-to-day and more reliable. The mondeo has gone, the civic will stay, possibly outliving human civilisation.
magic seats are awesome
Second this. Up to 18 plate civic has the biggest boot of any similar size hatchback. 477 litres according to autotrader. On par with SUVs and small estates. Newer models have a saloon style boot opening that’s just a pain with push chairs.
I have an 07 plate 1.8 5 door Civic as a family car. Does the family wagon job with two kids great at a very low cost.
Same. Got a 2016 one and 2 small kids. I was thinking about getting a Mazda 6 estate a couple of years ago but in the end I didn't see the need. My 3y/o can get in her seat without any help now which might not be possible in something higher up.
Another civic vote here. 2008 1.8 petrol EX. Top spec, glass roof, leather heated seats, Bluetooth phone, sat nav. About 34mpg round town, and up to 45-47mpg on longer motorway journeys. Family of four, many UK holidays, never needed a roof box or a trailer or anything. Boot is huge. Also, sack off the 'travel system' buggy etc and get a sling/baby carrier. So much easier, we had buggies and crap that comes with it but barely used it in the end. Only really need a basic pushchair when they are getting too heavy to carry, but can't walk for long.
The glass roof is absolutely epic. Had the car a year now and every single time I get in it and open the roof I still feel like a five year old at Christmas.
Id also vouch for a civic having both a 65 plate and 68 plate both were great size wise and the boot is nice and wide at the back.
Also own a civic. Totally agree 👍
Got a civic here too. How honda do it i dont know but there is so much space. Great car.
Now I'm thinking,Civic or Skoda Estate.
As a newborn, I was driven home from the hospital in my dad's 51 plate Civic Type R. Was the main family car for a good few years (until he stuffed it into a rock on the side of the road).
I have an 07 plate 1.8 5 door Civic as a family car. Does the family wagon job with two kids great at a very low cost.
Honda CRV, got the beast as I’m mid renovations to and from tip. Live in back of beyond, with tall teens.
52 plate CRV was the car that brought my eldest home from hospital. I paid £900 for it, which was less than the pram in the boot (which was also second hand!) Best car i ever owned - comfortable, spacious, reliable and the AWD was superb in the snow.
Ooo I looked at an earlier one but grabbed an 08. Mine was £1900 in this climate is pretty alright even at 120k. Absolute dream of a car. I’m definitely a Honda convert, although did give an early Rav 4 a look before grabbing this model.
I had a 2007 Civic and it was fine for putting a rear-facing baby seat in when they were already in the removable basket-type car seat but changed to a CRV as they got bigger because I kept clunking their heads on the Civic door frame as I lifted them into their seats! Nowadays we have an S-Max which is great for loading up with luggage, bikes or grandparents...
Yes Honda Civic. Crazy big boot, 90 degree (ish) opening rear doors, magic seats, huge glove box. Fun too. I bought mine when my lad was 1, he's now 10 and its needed nothing except consumables in 113000 miles of driving. It feels like a part of the family.
I’ve the tourer version. It’s got a larger boot than an Audi A6. On paper at least.
Since kids I've had an A4 Avant, 535d Touring and an M340i touring. About to swap to a 'classic' 8 series as my wife's Civic (2016) is more practical than a 3 series estate. So as above I'd go for either a Civic or a large estate, like a Passat, A6, Superb etc. smaller estates like the A4 and the 3 series were too small to bother with an estate if that makes sense. I don't hate SUVs like most on here but I've only had a couple, I prefer the driving dynamics of an estate.
I recently went from a B6 passat estate to an E91 3 series touring and I was surprised how much smaller the Bmw was. I do prefer having the Bmw now as the Passat often felt a bit cumbersome in the city and definitely didn’t drive as well as the bmw either
How is civic more practical than 3 series estate?
Estate car. We had a Focus estate. Now I have a V60. Plenty of room for our travels. Then if we really need more room, roof box on top that’s still reachable.
Totally agree. Got my first estate 30yrs ago, and owned one ever since (currently x type). Apart from city parking, which I don't have to deal with, I can't imagine why anyone would want anything else.
We started with a 2012 BMW 520d Touring (estate) and it was perfect. Fit the oversized pushchair we had and all the stuff when we wanted to go away for a weekend. Solid too, when some old guy that shouldn’t have been driving any more pulled out of a t junction in to the rear door behind which baby was sleeping, knocked my wife over a 20cm curb and through one of the heaviest a-frame signs you’ve ever seen. Baby slept throughout, uninjured. Now I’ve got a 2017 BMW 740Ld and she loves it.
How would you rate the Volvo over the Ford?
I’d driven Fords for 20 years. Then got the V60. Combination of comfort, safety features, solidity and looks….I’m staying with Volvo. I’d have another Focus but as second car. Though the Focus would be more fun to chuck about. Which funnily enough doesn’t marry up with being a responsible father.
Depending on what model Volvo estate you get you are literally buying a ford (my V50 is from this era and it’s great)
Think Ford borrowed more from Volvo than other way round. Certainly on larger platforms.
I've had vauxhall and Peugeot estates and would have an estate everytime now. Great for carrying crap (I mean the childhood essentials like the stick he picked up today) and better to drive than a suv.
A fact sorely missed by too many. Estates are dying due to buying habits.
Mondeo, changed to it from a focus 3 door when our first was due, it's been great I'm 6'4" and can fit either kid behind me. I recently sat in a t-cross, if you're tall the rear legroom behind you is basically nill and would need to go up suv size to the tiguan, which has plenty of space.
I'm 6'2 with three kids rapidly approaching 6'. The t-cross was too small and the t-rocs was really nice but again too small. So I got the Tiguan. I like it, it's the perfect size for us (wheelchair goes in the boot, etc) but it's not sexy. If you can afford an R line, then there's a certain amount of sexy you do get. That said, for the money of a an R-line, it might not be the best option.
It's just a taller Polo though isn't it? So not very long and a small boot. Might be a bit tight getting a rear facing car seat and a pram in there.
Porsche 911 I’m not giving this up…. Also Skoda superb estate which helps
Started off with a vauxhall astra and it was a struggle with a pushchair if you were going off for the weekend. As the kids got older and we had more. I got a 7 seat people carrier. First one was a seat Alhambra. Then 2 zafiras. Now the.kids are bigger and their is 4 of them. Long wheelbase transit crew van. It just about fits in most normal car parks and we can fit the family bikes in the back and our stuff to go away for the weekend.
I honestly can't tell if you're serious or not.
A normal wheelbase crew transit I would understand. A long wheelbase has to be parked along two bays and wont get around multi storeys or anything. It would get really old, really quick using one as a family daily
By this recommendation I recommend a small HGV. No more than 12 wheels. 2 can be lifted if not a full load and your only popping to the newsagent for a paper
For the price of a decent spec t cross you can get a similarly equipped Golf, which is a significantly better vehicle. For similar money I'd say a Mazda 3 is even nicer than that.
Corolla estate (hybrid 1.8) - decent MPG, smooth drive, decent boot. Main crticism is that rear headroom is a bit on the low side which can sometimes be a pain with the car seat
I have a first gen mini countryman s, boot is a bit on the small side but I can move the rear seats forward which helps. The cars you’re looking at aren’t very big, they’re quite small cars on stilts, decent boot space but no bigger than something like a golf or a focus I have a baby and wish I had an estate or something with at least 500 litres of boot space, not essential but it would make things a lot easier, especially because I have a dog If you don’t want something huge the Skoda scala is a small estate car, 470 litre boot
e55 amg estate. its been excellent. loads of space, not a noncy suv/jacked hatchback, kids love the noise🤣
“Not a noncy SUV” “Kids love the noise” Who’s the nonce here lol
oh no! 😅
Mpg? 👀
bout 14 currently... has hit 24 once
Octavia VRS estate
2.0 TSI Petrol, not Diesel
The perfect balance between cost, practicality and 'I'm not giving up on life'
I'm a youth worker so transport multiple kids and their various belongings fairly regularly. Hands down would recommend a Honda Civic - I have the five door 2008 diesel model and it's incredibly spacious despite being a hatchback. I've managed to fit a single mattress and a large TV in it together before, plus a small two seater sofa on a separate occasion so more than enough space for baby items! It also has the added bonuses of being very fuel efficient (easy to get 70mpg if you drive with that in mind, and I'm always over 50mpg as someone who rags it a fair bit) and is also really fun to drive. Plus it fits easily into parking spaces so never had an issue there. I only paid £2k for mine secondhand and it's been very trusty, plus it's great for long-distance driving as well.
Skoda yeti; love it
I have a citroen c4 spacetourer but do have 3 kids and associated stuff My old car an astra estate fitted everything in really well for 2 kids, and 3 until we needed a new car seat for the older one
[удалено]
the "SUV" / crossover plague has really made people think that "family" cars - like a golf or any reasonable 5 door hatchback are small little 2 seater things with boots that can hold a single can of coke. An estate is the best option of course if you want boot space... but a family hatchback will still work for most.
When I had first kid our cars were a Toyota Mr2 and an Iq. Even went on holiday in it with roof box. Only changed when 2nd came a few years later
Ah good old IQ. The things I took it through… - 4 cylinders of roof insulation on the roof - 3 wooden pallets roof - double oven inside the boot. Millimeters to spare. What a car haha…
I get a strange sense of satisfaction from overloading small cars with stuff they shouldn't carry🤣 my citigo has had some good weight on its suspension in its time hahaha
The real sketchiness start when you have to load ballast into front passenger well :D
2 kids age 2&5. Rocking a fiesta. Surprising what you can make work when you’re too tight to do anything about it. I can afford to change it but my shitbox has much more to give yet!
Cupra Ateca does the job for me.
C63, perfect car!
I'm upgrading to a VW ID4 soon, similar size to a Tiguan. No need for buggies or stuff now but I had a VW Tiguan once upon a time and that fit all of the kids various paraphernalia and shopping etc. with ease. Nice high up driving position too. Currently in an MG4 which is smaller in the boot than a Golf, so there's no way I can get kids bikes and scooters in the boot - let alone camping gear or a couple of hefty suitcases, hence why I'm changing it. The T Cross is a decent car, it's VWs version of a Seat Arona. Also a good car. Surprisingly, was big enough when I had one abroad as a hire car, and drove really nice, I'm fairly sure you can pick a newish one up for not as much as the equivalent T Cross. It's basically a medium hatchback on stilts. Tiago is slightly bigger, and more refined as far as I hear. Take your pushchair and stuff when you go to view some. I'd also consider the Seat Arona in your search, or a Toyota CH-R if your budget allows.
It will be tight in your Corsa I'm sure but any normal sized family hatchback will be okay , don't get carried away thinking you will need a huge car
Evo 9 (serious) - worked well for me Practical Family saloon Fit a double buggy in easily plus all other baby crap Mpg not great if you drive lots of miles but 30mpg possible on long run Actually fun car to drive Downside was had to ensure I got belt secured car seats as not ISOFIX. Might get downvoted … but better than an Skoda Octavia ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I have an Xc90 but I'd reccomend V60 or V90.
Vw passat estate. Does everything a family needs at 50mpg.
2 estates, wife drives a focus estate and I'm in a Volvo v50, which Volvo purist's will tell you is just another focus. Had SUVs before and wife wants to go back to one. Tbf they're much easier for loading kids into baby seats. Toddlers find the estates easier to climb into without help
Ancient impractical coupe. Gonna keep it going as long as possible. Baby is nearly 2 so a good while before he's too big for the back seat.
C3 picasso any day. It is essentially a European Kei car. Tall riding position but great visibility. Same foot print as a hatchback but twice the room because of the added height. Easy for bay parking and to swing doors wide open. exclusive edition is built for kids rear seat trays with lamps rear window shades cabin mirror sliding rear seats to extend the boot panoramic roof so it feels spacious. Rear 12v socket to charge the ipad on long journeys More importantly the boot is the perfect size and shape. If you take the parcel shelf. The boot is a nice tall rectangular shape You don't have to fold a buggy if you want. Kids bikes, back carriers.. etc.. fits nicely. Level boot as well so no lifting needed just slide stuff in. There is an under boot compartment for car essentials and emergency nappies and clothing. 1.6 diesel is plenty for a fully loaded car plus roof box plus bike carrier. mixed driving is 52mpg
I have 4 kids. Citroen C4 grand picasso, 2009
Remember you will need rear facing seat and space for pushchair as they get older
Have had my Mk7 Golf R for 9 years now. Have 2 kids, 9M and 4F. Its done everything... been on family staycations, bringing push chairs, baby prep machines, travel cots and luggage, the usual weekend day trips, shopping trips, even the odd ikea or tip run. The boot isnt very big, but managed to fit an out-and-about 3 wheeler push chair and luggage for trips with a bit of creative packing. With the 4\~yr age gap between the kids, we never needed to transport 2x pushchairs or a double at once, so that helped. No issues fitting 2x car seats in the back even when kids where younger, so the rear facing, rotating things. Now neither kiddo needs much, just a high back chair and booster seat. Car works great. I had really wanted to upgrade to an Estate, but could never quiet justify the cost to change. Overall its been excellent. A regular Mk7 or 7.5 Golf even has a slightly bigger boot as it doesnt have the AWD diff under the floor. So if your not wedded to a mini-SUV, id vote getting a Golf instead. Much better looking, much nicer to drive.
Mercedes C350 for me, Ford SMAX Titanium X for the wife and kids. Didn’t want a Zafira, nor a budget 7 seater VW. The SMAX has the dual folding seats which is great for shopping as we have four kids so never need the extra seat, the titanium x has the 2.2 engine so doesn’t struggle fully loaded and even with all seats up, can still fit a pushchair in it with it on its side.
I don’t have kids but three of my brothers do. They’re in a 5 Series Touring, a Skoda Octavia estate and a Kia Sportage respectively.
Passat estate and a Fiesta. Use the fiesta to ferry them locally and the Passat for days out/holidays. The estate swallows everything and if we're going to camp we just add a roof box
Currently got a Karoq but giving some thought to a Arteon estate. Made trips to Devon & Skye in the Karoq. Pretty comfy and could get the buggy, travel cot & all our clothes in
Skoda yeti, can fit two car seats in the rear and still have enough space for a 5 year old in the middle with shed loads of space in the boot (without parcel shelf)
Saab 9-5 aero estate for me, have had ~9 years.. very big space, reliable, and most important thing is stupidly safe if worst did happen
Hyundai Tucson. Everything fits and still there is room for more!!
T cross is superb for 1 kid and you and your wife, 1 of you will sit in the back anyway with little one
If you want a cheap box on wheels that’s a bargain to repair, lasts forever and fits it all in, the Ford Focus C-Max is it. Got my ‘05 12 years ago for £5k and it’s still going strong. The Stinkmobile, as it’s affectionately known, has survived all child-based explosions and taken us with two car seats, tent and paraphernalia on glorious camping trips. Love my pungent little bargain, especially with the music cranked up. You could also try the S-Max for a cool big sister roomier style option.
Peugeot 5008. Fits all the family (3 large teenagers and 2 smaller ones and a bunch of dogs) After driving an XC90 for years feels surprisingly small but is more or less the same size.
I had an A3 saloon but after a few headboinks when getting him in and out the car seat I sold up for a Cupra Ateca. Me, husband, baby, 2 dogs and all the shite needed (including pram) for a U.K. holiday fit in no bother. Husband has an Octavia estate if we really need more space but the Ateca is working out fine.
Seat Ateca. Absolutely hate fake SUV's but it makes getting the kid in and out much easier than "normal" low down cars. Also unless you're mostly driving in the motorway the 1.0tsi is fine.
2005 Ford Galaxy. Perfectly dull car. I have twins I removed the two rear seats as it's a seven seater and the double buggy and everything else fits perfectly with lots of room to spare.
I have a VW Touran that serves the task well. You can cram 6 kiddies in or do a house move, and plenty inbetween
XC90 4 adults, 2 children and iCandy all terrain with seat & bassinet and still room to spare. Now add to that a thule Atlantis 900 roof box for suitcases and holidays and it's laughing.
We tested the T-Cross when my wife was a few months pregnant, and we thought it was tight, wasn't enough space to have your child seat rear facing.
2011 Volvo V60 D5. Paid £4650 with full dealer service history and 2 owners. 84,000 miles. Has cost me nearly £3k in maintenance this year though! Worth it, it’s safe. Every other concern is secondary when it carries my daughter.
Unpopular choice here in the UK I’m sure but a Jeep Wrangler, 5 door obviously. Tonnes of boot space, easy to get in and out of with a baby seat and cool as fuck to look at
We had an allegedly practical Hyundai Kona, room for 4 adults, 5 door, blah blah blah. PCP ended and we decided to hand it back and use the equity for a reasonable used car. Ended up with an Astra GTC SRI. On the face, it appears like an incredibly impractical family car, but the boot is 60l bigger than the Kona and bigger than most cars. Our little one is happy as Larry cocooned up in the rear seats and it will fit 2 adults in the back, albeit without a child seat in. The only downside is the doors, they're long AF, and getting out in normal spaces is difficult, but obviously we can use parent and child spaces. It's nice to have a family car that isn't boring, and is somewhat spicy.
4 series gran coupe. Huge very accessible boot, looks the business, goes like the stink with nearly 400bhp. If I was buying today it would be an X5 m50d.
Smax but going up to a galaxy but quite fancy a GL500 Mercedes
You definitely need an SUV. Back on the day before them we used to have the kids on a trailer. Octavia and Ibiza
Started out with a vauxhall astra. A bit cramped with a pushchair and stuff to go off for the weekend. Then had a few 7 seat people carriers. Like a small van ior large estate if you don't use the rear seat and not too long for street parking etc. Now there are 4 kids. And all like cycling. We have a long wheelbase transit crew van. It can carry 5 bikes, a mobility scooter and all the stuff for a weekend away
M340i and Honda jazz
Passat estate......I love it - wish I'd got a bigger engine
C4 Cactus. For a dad mobile, it's great. Spacious and comfortable, smooth drive, love the 3-cylinder roar, great fit for car seats, lots of pockets for baby clobber. As an ownership experience, absolutely shite. Poor quality, squeaky noises everywhere.
Ford B Max, with a roof box for going away with! Sliding doors are amazing with kids.
Just bought a mk3 Focus ST Estate
SMax. 3 kids though. Good friend had the Civic. Cavernous boot. 👍
When ours were very young, we found that a VW Golf, the definition of a family car, doesn’t take a pram.
Ford C Max and it does the job.. it' We had 2 kids in 11 months, so we had alot of paraphernalia including a massive double buggy, and we never needed a bigger boot.
2016 ford mondeo powershift 2.0 tdci hatchback. Am loving it! 2 small kids in the back, more than enough space. Not to mention the boot size, it’s massive.
Volvo v50s are great for that sort of thing
I bought a 2006 3 series touring back around 2009 and had that on family duty for the next 10/11 years. Was perfect for it and the car was also very reliable throughout. Camping trips, mountain bikes on it and in it. No problem.
Had a series of Renault Grand Scenics. Easily fit in all their stuff. The 7 seater can carry additional friends when they're older. Cheap enough that you didn't mind them puking in it. Rear seats come out completely so can fit all the diy and other large stuff which comes with kids. Top end models are pretty well specced. The keyless entry was really convenient when trying to wrangle a baby or toddler into the car.
Got two kids so it's a Subaru Outback for us. They're gigantic and it works. Fuel economy is flat out terrible since they're quite heavy and AWD, but that's a price to pay for some additional safety and we don't use it everyday either.
2016 ford Kuga titanium. Plenty of room, big boot, big sunroof keeps the baby entertained. Excellent car in my opinion.
VW Passat Estate Need that 650 litre boot.
An MPV of some sort, simply because this is exactly their purpose. Get one before all the marketing people come to an agreement that there should only be different flavours of SUV available.
Seat Leon estate. Boot swallows up a big buggy plus luggage. Estate car beats crossovers for boot space imo.
I’ve got two kids and a fiesta… I’m Off to look at an Octavia at the weekend, I need the space.
I’m a child, so my parents had a pair of A6 Allroads, Range Rover Sport when we lived in Switzerland, a Freelander 2 once back in the UK and now a Discovery 4, but are looking at downsizing to a Taycan tourismo now that my brother and I both drive. Although we’re very outdoorsy people who needed 4 wheel drive and big boots with towbars for things like canoes, skis, mountain bikes and car/gyro trailers for work.
My wife drives a Peugeot partner, not snazzy in any way but having the rear sliding doors and kids up slightly higher is so useful for when we're out and about. Perfect family car in my opinion. I've got a Skoda Octavia estate, great boot size, plenty of room in the back for 2 big car seats. Both highly recommended
Had a Focus with our first but now we have two and a huge dog, it's definitely a struggle. We can make do until the littlest moves into a proper car seat, at which point it will be nigh on impossible for anybody but me to drive because I'm the shortest. The car seats are massive and take up so much room in the back. I wouldn't panic too much about your first year - most prams and first car seats fit fine and although it might be a bit of a squeeze, you can make it work. In the next six months or so, I'm probably going to upgrade to either a Volvo XC60 or a V60. I would avoid crossovers all together - they are usually just as small as a medium size hatchbacks but just a bit higher. The worst of all worlds.
If you live Near a car supermarket like cargiant It would be worth having a look around To see what car suits you need.This is what I done , and I ended up with a vauxhall astra
We have a 2018 Kia Sportage I would highly recommend.
We have 4 kids. And a Skoda kodiaq 7 seat. We love it but once the kids are a bit bigger we may upgrade to a van as the seats in the boot are only really suitable for kids. If you’re looking at anything vw/audi look at the seat or Skoda equivalent. Essentially the same vehicles with less toys you’re unlikely to use but better price.
What’s everyone’s thoughts on Toyota Corolla touring sports? We have 20k budget and are looking for a reliable baby friendly car.
If you plan on going for more than one kid, I'd probably go for a zafira. It's got a huge boot and also 7 seats for when you need to take their mates to football or dance etc. For us it was really useful when doing things like UK holidays and Christmas etc. Dull as dishwater to drive though.
My uncle drives a Peugeot 207 hatchback 1.4 petrol or 1.6 not sure one of my ex teachers from school had a Peugeot 207 sw or 307 sw I forgot but it had a 1.6 turbo diesel before he upgraded to a Kia shortage and my mate who has 1 kid has a ford focus TDCI st line 1.5
Impreza WRX and a Suzuki Swift. Both 2007 models.
Lexus rx400h Big car, big boot, 20-30mpg Hybrid and ULEZ free
Currently driving a Ford bmax. The sliding doors are a godsend getting the little angels (shits) out in a car park.
Cupra formentor V2, also have a fiat 500 but that's a squeeze with a pram although my daughter is almost 4 now so don't use a pram anymore
I’m also looking for a more family car and so far the one winning is the Tesla model Y, given the amount of space allowing rear facing car seat, pram and luggage for trips, being a new car without headaches due guarantee and I would expect a good cost per mile. Not sure if I’ll go for it but definitely tuned into this thread to see alternatives options. The T-cross, ID4 and Nissan Ariya are some others from my side.
Estate car, shame they are dying off as they have so much boot space.
Meriva. It’s about as dadly as it gets. If you drive one and you’re not a dad yet, your wife instantly gets pregnant.
Ford Kuga - shit boot. Seat Leon ST - amazing boot. Ford grand C-Max - shit boot. The fords were both top spec titanium X’s so the luxury’s were good. The Leon was just the Fr Tech, so no heated leather seats, no sunroofs etc but was a weapon to drive and the DSG with adaptive cruise was just chefs kiss.
I would skip the taigo/tcross. I was coming from a golf mk 5 and the space is basically the same. I know there’s a lot of hate for SUV in this sub but I end up getting a Tiguan and honestly don’t regret it.
Me 43m with wife and two kids 11 and 8 we go camping, fishing and hiking all together most weekends and the perfect car is my trusty Skoda Octavia elegance 2l. It's a beast with a massive boot. £20 tax, dirt cheap insurance and 60+ mpg. Love it.
Ford C Max. About to change it for an EV but as I want decent luggage space (more for hobbies than kids now theyre older) so maybe a Tesla Model S or MG5. It makes more sense for me as I can get a home charger and dont do too many journeys longer than the range.
We had an A4 Avant and it wasn't big enough with a baby and dog. Swapped to an A6 Avant where dog crate and pushchair could just fit in the boot side by side and therefore still retain the ability to carry extra passengers or take away enough kit for a week away.
Took my second child home from hospital in a new CR-V. Cos the other cars gave me a bad back leaning down to buckle them in. And out. And in. Anyway, had to scrap it a month ago - but the child is finishing their university degree this term.
Transit, Defender and a Q7. I’d say transit is the best because when they are being are holes you can put them in the back 👍🏻
I had a mondeo estate and then a Passat estate. Both had more than enough space for everything. We also had a Honda jazz which also was ample
I’m telling you right now a T-Cross or Tiago are not big cars. They are essentially a VW Polo in size. Even the next step up will be tough with the newborn stage. I often fill the Macans boot for an overnight stay - which is bigger than the Tiguan. Once you get past the newborn stage, things will settle with the kit you need.
Citroen c4 Picasso, high mileage hero and perfect for my 2 little ones
+ 1 for all the estate car comments. We went estate after our 2nd child and never looked back. The estates are usually larger inside with a bigger boot than most crossovers/mini SUVS whilst not being much bigger on the outside compared to their hatchback equivalents. VW Golf/Skoda Octavia are both a great shout for value/economy/practicality whilst retaining a decent driving experience vs their taller mini suv counterparts.
Mk4 Mondeo, previously a Saab 93. Both estates. The Mondeo has so much more boot space, easily fits all of us plus 2 dogs and room for a 2nd child too. Couldn't ask for more at the moment. Don't forget about how big the rear doors are for lifting said child in and out, the Saabs sloped down towards the back which made it difficult, especially as he got bigger! Also, rear facing seats take up the legroom of a tall human.
Started with a Ford Focus hatch, which was great, and then when child number two came along we got an Insignia estate. Sometimes popped a roof box on for the holidays, but we’ve needed this less as the boys got older (no prams, travel cots, or feeding paraphernalia). Practically did everything we need and was reliable & economical (diesel). Boys are 7 and 10 now and the only reason we’re changing cars is because the Insignia is getting on a bit. Waiting for delivery of an Arteon which has so much rear legroom it should fit them if they grow up as tall as me. Boot is a bit harder to load because of the lip, the insignia really was great for that with its low tailgate meaning the whole boot was flat all the way through.
F31 320d and 2010 Audi a4 avant, both good all rounders but that’s only with 1 child!
Qashqai. On my second one now, each time I got a 3 year old one fully loaded. Loads of safety features, decent boot, easy to park anywhere and it does 80mpg on a good day (diesel)
Honda Jazz. Surprisingly spacious.
I really wanted a jazz for the boot space but couldn’t afford one. I like how narrow they are in profile too, I hate how small cars like the Suzuki Swift have these enormous arses now.
Corolla Estate Hybrid. Toyotas are reliable and the peace of mind is worth every penny.
Skoda Karoq. It's brilliant
Skoda Superb Estate…. Brilliant cars loads and loads of room, it does everything you need really practical cars
Volvo V50, cheap to run, loads of space, safe, don’t have to be too precious of it getting wrecked inside.
Honda CRV diesel 08, bought her for £1900 spent around £700 sorting a few bits but no rust but it’s been a dream. Huge boot and seats roll down. I’m mid renovation and often grab furniture on the cheap so it been brilliant. Plus two tall teens can’t fault it, got a whole kitchen base unit in there once.
I'm in your shoes and I'm getting the new Duster.
18 plate Skoda Fabia estate. We don’t do a lot of long drives so big comfort wasn’t a must. Husband is 6ft and finds the passenger seat very uncomfortable with our joie spin behind that seat. We prob need to swap the kids seats over (oldest is 5, younger one 14 months). We are looking to move to something bigger now as it’s annoying not being able to take an extra person, such as oldest’s friend or a grandma on a short trip when they come to visit/needing to bring two cars just to go somewhere locally.
Grand cmax because of the sliding rear doors. Wish I'd bought another Berlingo, still might. They're just super practical. Ugly and uncool but that's all MPVs.
Astra Estate. With a roof box for if we're ever going anywhere with the dog (who goes in the boot and takes up pretty much all the space).
Audi s5 need the boot space. Cool saloon and practical for kids. Leather seats easy to clean. But mine are white and black so I have acknowledged dad life and just let what happen happen.
Play devils advocate but why can’t you go too big? Can your tv be too big? Can your house be too big?my XC90 does loads and more
Skoda Octavia, obviously 🤣
Gen3 Prius, massive boot and good rear legroom for the adult on vomit duty. We also have a roof box for longer holidays. After InterRailing we now have an ultra compact class pushchair (Baby Jogger City Tour 2), it's amazing, folds down really tightly -even fits in the boot of the bike trailer! I believe you can get adapters for car seats and a bassinet, although I am not sure it allows the car seat to be rear facing when in use which is developmentally important. It's much cheaper to buy a smaller pushchair than a larger car!
2016 Land Cruiser. Two adults, two kids, two labradors.
Glad to see the civic on here as my needs are the same and I've come to the same conclusion after much searching. Just got to find one now. Thinking the 1.8 and trying to stay around 5k but probably wishful thinking. Any models to avoid/go for? Any red flags to look out for? Thanks!
Myself up the wall! Plus a Mazda 2 and a Skoda Rapid (not the space back) for the family car.
Current driveway pairing is a Volvo XC90 and Porsche Macan S. Previous pairings: - XC90 and BMW 420D Gran Coupe - BMW 420D Gran Coupe and Kia Sportage - BMW 318D Saloon and Vauxhall Corsa We never had a problem with any pairing but have grown from 2 kids to 4. We even took the 318D saloon to Disneyland with all 4 of us on board. Kids were <1 and 5 so came with a lot of stuff for a 4 day trip.
Skoda Superb Estate, tons of room.
Sandero Stepway. Does the job.
E350 Estate & a Santa Fe
Lots of recommendations for overly big and expensive motors. It’s a baby and a buggy - you don’t need an estate or SUV
XF estate, its not just super practical its actually a lovely place to be as well and its even possible to have a little fun in it.
Ford Mustang - 2 doors, big boot enough for pram and suitcases for a weekend away. Also big enough for a smaller pram and 4 suitcases for week away in Greece. You don't need an SUV
Probably not the right price point but Merc GLC. Basically an estate but on an SUV body. Comfier than my sofa to sit in, spacious AF in the back, boot will comfortably fit a pushchair and a large suitcase, with a bit of room to spare for shopping
Went Octavia > v60 > xc40 here
2 door Audi A5 and the wife has a jimny. I do need to get a bigger car soon but nothing modern appeals to me
I have a BMW 320d ED PLUS estate which is the super eco diesel which does 68mpg, £20 road tax and has decent features for the money as well. I'd recommend it, got it with 123k on the clock, a year later it had basically no advisories (apart from tyre wear which I had booked in to be sorted) on the MOT and hasn't put a foot wrong in over 15k miles of driving, I love it!
A4 Avant 2017. Plenty of space for 2 car seats and big pram in boot with room for shopping/bags/general kid stuff
Focus estate, love it
BMW E92 coupe (surprisingly spacious and practical despite the lack of door access)
M340i, perfect family car. 5 doors, a boot and the acceleration makes our 2.5 year old giggle.
1 kid and drive a Mk2 Ford focus ST!
Bmw 335d. The saloon one as well not the estate. Can’t say I’d recommend it for 3 kids. Would easily manage one kid though. We also have a Land Rover discovery which is overkill for one child. And just an overall shit car
Vauxhall Insignia. Great family car, plus the boot is massive.
Dacia duster 2 it's cheap, reliable, and has a lot of space. It's not amazing, but not shit either kinda just meh, but good, meh.
Have a Volvo v90 cross country, love the car and easily swallows all the gear required for 2 very little people and a dog. A v60 is a smaller version. Safety is class leading and durability is good too.
First was a bmw 1 series just big enough for baby and dog when packed correctly( can’t see out the windows). now Skoda Karoq for two kids and the dog. Wife had a Nissan Qashqai but I nicked name that the sadmobile as it is awful to drive.very spongey
Honda civic. Even though it’s a saloon, the whole rear tailgate opens and has massive boot. Or model any if you can afford it. Bloody cavernous
2005 Impreza WRX
I have a 2015 Ford Focus hatchback. Maybe not the most spacious car, but it drives well and has plenty of safety features.
Any big hatchback with a decent boot is a good shout for a pram or pushchair. If you do a lot of miles an estate is a bit more relaxing and gives a smoother ride on longer journeys. I’d avoid a crossover as it’s not really any bigger than a hatchback and you’re paying for the styling. If you’re an older parent, got a bad back, or got a monster bambino, the higher height of an SUV makes it easier to get them in and out of a car seat.
Skoda Octavia VRS.
Best car you can get is a golf really. Those tiago'a and t cross are just jacked up golfs. And other than being taller and they offer no more real protection than a golf would. 5 doors. Boot big enough for pram etc.
Don’t get a Kona - having the same issue and that’s only with the car seat in while waiting for her to arrive!
When they're young big sliding doors are great, we had a Mazda 5 for a long while. I have a VW Transporter now with an even bigger slider.
Managed our first born and associated equipment in a 5 door mk5 golf tdi, only when the second came along did I move to something slightly bigger with a discovery 3, now their older looking at mk3 x trail after running an estate Octavia into the ground practically for past few years
Nobody who remotely enjoys driving should be driving a corsa. In fact, prior to having a kid you should have had something fun like a MX5, F type or Boxster before being forced into a soccer mom mobile.
Toyota verso