When reviewing family cars, we looked at how a car handled the chaos of domestic life. We thought about practicality, packaging, interior flexibility, refinement, overall usability and safety.
Here’s what we assessed:
1. Practicality
We tested real-world boot capacity to see if it could handle bulky items like suitcases. We considered the benefits of underfloor storage, as well as how useful a frunk can be in an electric car. We also scrutinised the cabin for clever storage compartments, large door bins and how flexible the interior layout was.
2. Cabin space
We tested the ease of access to childseat mounting points and whether the door aperture is wide enough to load a bulky seat. For larger cars and seven-seaters, we checked if the middle seat or third row is actually usable for passengers or strictly for luggage.
3. Refinement and ride quality
We measured cabin noise at 70mph and evaluated how the suspension handled broken surfaces and potholes. We looked for a composed ride and good body control.
4. Ownership
We analysed real-world fuel economy in ICE cars and electric efficiency in EVs and hybrids. We also factored in projected residual values to ensure the cars on this list represent a sound financial investment over a three-to-four-year ownership period.
5. Safety and driver assistance
We assessed the active safety tech, such as lane keeping assistance, to ensure they’re helpful rather than intrusive annoyances.
