Not everyone has the space for a big family car, or the passion to drive one. This is why the small family car market has been rapidly growing, offering a range of options with good storage and features as standard. The top best small family cars can be found below.
The Golf is seen as the quality hatchback to beat. 2017 marked the release of an upgrade of the popular seventh generation, and it’s crazy to think that the Golf started out as a replacement for the Beetle. The Golf is the ultimate car for any occasion. It’s comfortable for long drives on the motorway, and quick and easy through city traffic. The engine on this used VW Golf uses two cylinders only, improving the fuel economy by kicking out just 109g/km of CO2.
Plenty of technology is available in this car, including touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity. Most come with Android or Apple connectivity as well, allowing drivers to easily sync up their music or map apps. There is ample boot space in the Volkswagen Golf, and the 3 door, 5 door, estate choices make it easy to choose something to suit any family.
The one thing that stands out with the latest Honda Civic is the incredible design, making it a stylish choice as a small family car. Honda cars are known for their practicality, and the Civic does not disappoint in this area. It has a huge boot, much bigger than any other small family car, and the rear seats fold forward in one smooth movement to give you even more room if needed.
The driving position on the Honda Civic is extremely comfortable, absorbing all bumps in the road. Honda have also done a great job with the passenger seat comfort ensuring that the seat cushioning can adapt to different road conditions and keep those sleeping passengers asleep.
The Mazda 3 is a great affordable small family car. Spacious and comfortable, it offers a good amount of legroom. Unfortunately, the boot space is not as good as the others with a boot size of 350 litres, however there are many little storage compartments throughout, the inside.
This small family car comes with plenty of standard features and kit including Bluetooth connection and air-conditioning. Really easy to drive, the Mazda 3’s engine is very economical and efficient. The 1.5 litre petrol version would be best suited for the city family, and you could even choose to go for a 2.2 litre diesel version if you want a bit more power in the countryside.
The build quality of the Mazda 3 really does impress as a family car, and feels like an extremely safe car with impressive features to keep the family entertained and connected on all car journeys.
You can tell that the design of the LEON is closely based on the Volkswagen Golf. The interior closely matches the sleek high-quality look of the Golf, and it comes with an easy connect touch screen entertainment system.
Good value for money and fun to drive, with sporty handling. Comes with a start/Stop system. For a small family car, there is tons of space for passengers, and the 380 litre boot is well laid out to provide a spacious storage area. The SEAT benefits from a variety of equipment included as standard adding to its value for money as a family car. For example, the drowsiness detection feature is very practical for long journeys with the family.
The Ford Focus had long been one of the most popular family hatchbacks, it’s so easy to drive and the safety technology features make it feel like a perfect choice for your family.
The Focus is good for family as it’s one of the most economically friendly small family cars. With very affordable running costs, low emissions and great fuel economy figures, you know you’re getting value for money and guaranteed safety with the Ford Focus. Ahead of its rivals when it comes to handling, Ford have given special care and attention to the steering and suspension systems in the Focus, providing comfort to both the driver and passengers on long journeys.
Vauxhall have really stepped up their game with the latest redesign of the Astra. The sleek design, and next level driving experience has made it a top contender for the best small family car out there in the market at the moment.
The entry level 1 litre version is the most economical and a good choice for city living with low CO2 emissions (102g/km). If you are after a more powerful small family car, there is a 1.6-litre version which does 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds. However, with 141g/km CO2 emissions means it’s a lot less environmentally friendly to run.
Although not the prettiest of interior designs, the Vauxhall Astra is practical and logical in their design feature offering. The safety technology has also been recognised for its parking and sat nav systems, perfect for a family car.
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