Top 10 Best Family Cars to Buy
Discover the best 5-seater and 7-seater cars for families large and small
One of the most important decisions a motorist can make is the vehicle that they choose to transport their family in. Regardless of whether you’re accommodating little ones, growing teens, or have the added consideration of the family dog, there are lots of boxes to tick, and a world of choices to narrow down.
EMG are proud to represent MG, Nissan, Kia and Mazda, and with all of these manufacturers offering some top family cars, we know a thing or two about the type of vehicle that will be up to the important job of ferrying the family around…
What makes a good family car?
Safety
When your car is carrying such precious passengers, you’ll want to rest assured that every safety precaution has been taken by the manufacturer. With this in mind, it’s wise only to consider vehicles with a high Euro NCAP rating.
Euro NCAP is an independent body created to offer consumers direct safety comparisons of vehicles on the market; you can find the safety credentials of most modern cars via their website. They use a star rating system based on a series of crash tests that are as true-to-life as possible. A car with a 3-star or below rating isn’t necessarily unsafe, but 4 or 5 stars indicates the presence of extra safety features and robust responses to risks.
Beyond this, look for features such as lane assist, autonomous emergency braking, and blind spot monitoring, as this is the kind of technology designed to reduce the likelihood of an accident. If you’ve got very little ones, consider the rear seat’s suitability for child seats too!
Practicality
Family life demands practicality, and your new car will need to have this in spades. We’re talking about lots of legroom, a large boot, plenty of storage, and ideally an interior that’s easily cleaned!
Reliability
Being broken down at the side of the motorway with the kids in tow isn’t the best way to spend a family holiday. Of course, you can never guarantee that something won’t go wrong with your car, but one that you can generally rely on makes family life a lot easier.
Features
Creature comforts are the key to quiet trips, so sat nav for straightforward journeys, climate control for a cool cabin, and in-car audio streaming are all features to keep an eye out for; we just can’t guarantee you’ll all be able to all agree on the tunes!
With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at all the new vehicles that we offer from Nissan, MG, Kia and Mazda, here at EMG, and rounded up our top 10 family cars…
Nissan Juke
It’s got a bold look, and even bolder credentials as a family car. It can easily accommodate four adults, or a small family of five, and the standard front-wheel drive models contain a 354-litre boot space. This quickly increases to a very useable 1,189-litre capacity when the 60/40 split-folding rear seats are folded down.
In terms of safety, you can’t ask for much more from this small SUV - it’s got a glowing 5-star Euro NCAP rating! An anti-lock braking system, electronic stability control, six airbags, tamper-proof rear doors and ISOFIX child-seat fixtures all come as standard.
Find out more about the Nissan Juke here.
Kia Sportage
Putting the sport in Sportage, this family model from Kia ensures that practicality doesn’t come at the cost of style. Inside you’ll find premium interior styling, with a multi-mode display, ensuring Kia Connect, voice control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are just the mere touch of a button away.
With wide-opening doors and plenty of legroom, taller passengers and those in car seats alike are comfortably accommodated. It’s a well-equipped and spacious all-rounder, meeting many expectations of your next family car.
Take a look at the all-new Kia Sportage now.
Mazda CX-5
Comfort is King in the Mazda CX-5, with plenty of room for five occupants, and rear doors that open wide enough for easy access for passengers. There are plenty of storage compartments on board, ideal for carrying drinks, mobile devices and other belongings, and the very generous 506-litre boot is enough for shopping, golf clubs, prams - or even the dog!
The Mazda CX-5 received a 5-star Euro NCAP rating, making it a natural family car contender, with many driving aids and safety features such as autonomous emergency braking, which warns you of an impending collision.
Explore the Mazda CX-5 here.
MG ZS
As a fine-looking SUV from MG, the ZS offers space and style in equal measure, with plenty of tech on board to keep everyone happy! The updated interior now offers even more boot space, making it a very attractive prospect for those regularly carrying cargo. The MG ZS comes with 7 year/80,000 mile warranty, which is the ultimate manufacturer reassurance.
MG is the fastest-growing car brand in the UK, and we’re so excited to be offering MGs in Ipswich. Fancy making the MG ZS your next family car? Check it out here.
Nissan Qashqai
It could be said that the Qashqai started the explosion in popularity of the mainstream SUV, and it remains a much-loved family vehicle indeed - it’s one of the best-selling cars in the UK. A 504-litre boot is music to any busy family’s ears, and massaging front seats will certainly make longer trips more enjoyable.
What contributes to the Nissan Qashqai’s appeal as a family car is its safety rating - it boasts a glowing 5 stars from Euro NCAP thanks to its autonomous emergency braking, speed assistance, and lane-keeping support, with excellent adult and child protection. Talk about peace of mind!
Check out this super popular family car here.
Kia Sorento
If you’ve got a bigger crew, only a 7-seater will do, and the Kia Sorento could just be your new best friend if you need that extra passenger space. Access is easy, with wide opening doors, and a second row of rear seats that slide backwards and forwards. Finding a place to put things isn’t a problem, with lots of handy storage, and a whopping 660-litre boot with the third seat row folded down.
The Kia Sorento is another 5-star Euro NCAP rated model, with vehicle stability management and electronic stability control fitted as standard, amongst a whole host of other safety considerations.
Does the Kia Sorento sound like your next family car? See more about it here.
Mazda6
The Mazda6 is the largest car in Mazda’s fleet, and arguably the most elegant too. This 5-door saloon makes a stylish family vehicle, with a luxurious interior that makes longer journeys a dream. Two-zone climate control ensures everyone stays comfortable, and the decent infotainment features should set every trip to whatever music you choose.
Euro NCAP awarded this vehicle the maximum 5-star crash-test rating, with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) on board.
Take a look at the Mazda6 here.
MG HS
It’s a large SUV that sits head and shoulders above the rest - quite literally, it seems! It’s a high-quality addition to the SUV market, with a sporty exterior and large interior that lends itself well to family life. Not only this, but this MG quality comes at an affordable price - they start at just £22,995!
Explore the MG HS here.
All New Kia-Niro
Sleek yet striking; the all-new Kia Niro’s exterior has ‘future’ written all over it! With a stylish front bonnet framed around a signature matt/gloss two-tone tiger nose grille, this upfront design confidence is built on a powerful lower cladding for an extra-wide look that accommodates an integrated central charging point.
As a clear statement of Kia’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, they’ve developed the interior so that the seats are engineered from recycled materials.
Fancy yourself as a motorist of the future? Check out the all-new Kia Niro here.
Kia Ceed
Last but certainly not least is the Kia Ceed, an impressive car in its class - it’s appeared in AutoExpress’s list of top 10 hatchbacks, and for good reason; it’s fuel-efficient, deceptively spacious, and a pleasure to drive. There’s storage aplenty, and a 395-litre boot offers greater space than the Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf.
The Kia Ceed is a Euro NCAP 5-star rated vehicle, with multiple airbags, seatbelt reminders and ISOFIX child-seat attachments, to keep precious cargo safe.
Take a look at the Kia Ceed here.
Upgrade your family car at EMG
Whatever you need from your next family car, we’ve got the choice and the knowledge available at our EMG sites in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire and Hertfordshire to help you find it. With over 25 years of experience, we can match you with the ideal family vehicle, catering to the needs of you, your little ones, and your lifestyle.
With a whole host of new family cars available as well as over 500 used cars in stock, you’ll be spoilt for choice! Why not pop along to one of our dealerships and test drive the cars that you think would slot into your family life? Find out where you can find us here.