The best and the biggest family cars

Kia’s flagship seven-seater SUV takes some beating as a means to ferry around a large family in comfort. It’s spacious inside, with flexible cabin space making this a versatile vehicle that can handle school runs, bulk shopping trips and family holidays. In five-seater mode, the boot offers a generous 608 litres. The handling is optimised for comfort, helping to make long road trips less of a challenge. Safety stats are impressive, with all models after the 2003 first-generation boasting the full five stars from Euro NCAP. Running costs are pretty low compared to rivals and the seven-year/100,000-mile warranty is one of the best out there. Various generations of Sorentos are available as a diesel, petrol, hybrid or plug-in hybrid, so you can choose the option that suits you.

With a large family to move around, practicality and convenience are likely to be your watchwords. The Skoda Superb majors in both, with a spacious interior, good safety stats and reputation for reliability. It may not have the wow factor, but the handling and aesthetics have been given enough thought that you don’t have to entirely sacrifice style on the altar of sensible family motoring. It offers great driver visibility, making school runs where hordes of kids are crossing the road less nerve-racking, and the most recent Euro NCAP tests awarded it 86% for how well it protects children. It’s a very fuel-efficient car, helping to make it an economical option in the long term. There’s a wide range of engine options to choose from, including an eco-friendly hybrid.

SUVs have been the family car of choice for some years now, thanks to their combination of space, high driving position and stylish looks. And while they’ve sometimes come in for criticism for their less-than-green credentials, the Toyota RAV4 answers such charges with aplomb, with the hybrid SUV emitting less CO2 than the average small city car. It’s also bristling with safety tech, has a great reputation for reliability and feels generally well put together. If you’re looking to square your eco-conscience with a desire for the looks and practicality of a family SUV, the RAV4 could be the answer.

The Ford Mondeo has been around for nearly 30 years, and remains a popular choice for families looking to combine practicality with style. It’s not the cheapest car of its kind, but the later models in particular offer smart and well-equipped interiors that can compete with more obviously premium vehicles. Inside the cabin it feels comfortable and elegant. Safety stats are impressive too, with the full five stars from Euro NCAP and an 87% score for child protection. The current iteration of the Mondeo is an estate, but older versions were also available as saloons.

For families with a lot of people and stuff to move around, the Ford Galaxy has been a hugely popular choice for more than 25 years. The focus on flexibility over fashion not only makes it a practical large family car, it also means there’s great value to be found in the second-hand market. The most obvious selling point is the acres of space inside the cabin, with seven seats that all have plenty of room for adults. Fold the rear two rows flat, and you’ve got the carrying capacity of a small van. Despite its size, it has a surprisingly small turning circle, making it one of the easiest MPVs to park. While the original Galaxy was very much a box on wheels, the 2006 relaunch turned it into a more stylish vehicle, with the higher-level trims adding a touch of pizzazz.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been a flagship for the German marque since the middle of the 20th century. Today, it retains the values it has always stood for – refined luxury, state-of-the-art tech and distinguished styling. Comfort is prioritised, and there’s plenty of legroom wherever you’re sitting. It’s also one of the few cars to be available as a diesel hybrid, ideal for canny and responsible drivers looking to blend cheap running costs, flexibility and low emissions. The most recent version comes with a spacious 540-litre boot, which expands to a whopping 1,820 litres if you fold the seats down.

If you like the idea of a luxury SUV but balk at paying serious money for a badge, the Volkswagen Touareg could be worth a look. Older versions were deliberately understated, but the current iteration was given a makeover that added some bling. Underneath, there’s the same practical vehicle that delivers much of what any driver with a large family will be looking for. Its five seats offer generous space, so you can comfortably fit three lanky teenagers in the back. The boot will hold up to 10 carry-on suitcases and expands to 1,800 litres if you fold down the seats, and there are plenty of cubbyholes for odds and ends. The Touareg also boasts impressive safety stats and is competitively priced against its rivals, beating many of those on running costs too.

In a world dominated by SUVs, the SEAT Alhambra is flying the flag for old-school values. This traditional MPV has plenty of space for seven people. It’s based on a car rather than the commercial vehicles that inspired many other MPVs, so it handles well and offers good control around bends. Foldable picnic tables and individually sliding seats help you make the most of all that interior space. The sliding doors can also be a godsend when you’ve slotted this large vehicle into a tight parking space and need to unload the family. The lack of wow factor compared to its sexier SUV rivals means there’s good value to be found on the second-hand market, and insurance and running costs are competitive.

Jaguar invested huge amounts of money in developing its debut electric car, and the I-Pace is the result. The absence of a conventional engine frees up lots of space for children and all the stuff that comes with them, and the 656-litre boot outdoes its rivals. There are also plenty of cubbyholes for gadgets, books and toys. As you might expect from a Jag, it looks fantastic and is a lot of fun to drive. When it comes to safety, it was awarded the full five stars from Euro NCAP, and has tech including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and driver condition monitoring. If you can accommodate the price tag in your family budget, the Jaguar I-Pace is a practical family car with a great deal of flair that can help protect the planet those kids will grow up on.

Need space and practicality for a growing family but don’t want to compromise on luxury and style? Audi’s flagship A8 is a top-of-the-range luxury saloon that offers a plush ride with an opulent, if minimalist, interior to match. Modern versions come with a raft of safety tech including AEB, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warnings. It’s available in petrol, diesel and hybrid versions, with the latter able to handle most school runs without requiring you to turn on the engine. As a luxury limo, it’s never going to be the cheapest car to buy, but new models depreciate quickly in the first few years, meaning there are good second-hand deals to be had.

With large family cars in all kinds of styles available to meet all budgets, it’s well worth comparing what’s out there. Wondering which car would be best for a big family? Check out our cars hub for tips on what to look for, browse our listings and find the best spacious family car for you.