'RELIABLE & CHEAP TO RUN'
Four best family cars for under £5,000 to pick up in 2024 including ‘hugely practical’ Honda hatchback
Plus great alternatives in each age bracket
THE best family cars for 2024 have been revealed, including a "hugely practical" Honda hatchback - and they're all under £5,000.
Experts from CarGurus shared their top picks for getting the kids from A to B across a number of age ranges.
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Babies up to 2 years: Honda Jazz
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Boot space is the big thing when it comes to families with young babies thanks to the sheer amount of stuff they need to travel with.
Everything from toys to a nappy bag to spare clothes and a pushchair will need to be designated a place in the motor.
Chris Knapman, CarGurus' UK Editorial Director, said: "This is the age where parents will feel they are continually having to perform some sort of conjuring trick because they’ll need to pack the car with a small department store’s worth of baby equipment.
"So, when choosing a car, regardless of if it's a family hatchback or a family SUV, the first rule is to check it has a large boot that can cope with carrying lots of stuff."
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To this end, he recommended the Honda Jazz hatchback as "hugely practical inside, famously reliable, and cheap to run."
The car comes with a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, the standard used across the UK and EU, for models made after 2009.
Examples from around that time can be picked up for as little as £1,700, while a lower mileage Jazz will still only set you back around £3,500, making it one of the cheapest on the list.
Other great options for parents of young babies include the Skoda Octavia, Ford B-Max and Nissan Qashqai, all of which are a bit larger than the Jazz but a little pricier.
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Toddlers aged 2-5 years: Audi A3
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The A3 is the spirit and style of Audi's signature A range distilled into a smaller hatchback shell, but no less potent.
The model actually topped CarGurus' picks for the best used family car to buy across all age ranges.
Versions from 2012 and beyond enjoy the five-star NCAP rating and can be found for less than £3,000 at the cheaper end.
High-quality A3s from within the last ten years only slightly tip over the budget at around £7,000.
Chris also recommended the Honda Civic and Renault Scenic in a similar price range and the Toyota Corolla as a hybrid option, though these cost a little more.
Kids aged 5-11 years: Ford Focus
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Chris said: "Hurrah! Buggies are a thing of the past, but don’t think you’ll get off that lightly, because there’s always something else to put in the boot.
"For children of school age, that’s most likely to be a scooter, a balance bike or their first bicycle, so you need to size up whether these things will fit alongside the cage for the puppy that they will have inevitably persuaded you is just what the family needs."
The Ford Focus has consistently been one of Britain's favourite estate cars and fits the needs of parents with school-aged kids perfectly.
Models from 2012 onwards enjoy the top safety rating and provide ample space both in the cabin and in the boot.
And thanks to its popularity, the model is both easily available and cheap on second-hand sites.
A 2012/13 Focus can be had for less than £3,000 and the odd 2015 version still sneaks in at £4,990.
The Skoda Octavia makes for a hatchback alternative, while the larger Kodiaq model gives a bit of extra room.
Teens aged 11-18: Seat Alhambra
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Chris added: "Teenagers want their own space and won’t be shy in telling you as much when you’re stuck in the car.
"Most of them will also refuse to go anywhere without their phone.
"That means any car with USB-type charging ports in the back is alright with the kids.
"And as they get older, parties of the teenage sort will beckon, so be prepared to have to ferry them there and return with an unexpected number of friends."
SUVs and MPVs probably do best in that regard and, while the Kia Sorento is a great pick in terms of the former, CarGurus plumped for the Seat Alhambra.
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Those from between 2010 and 2019 fit well within the budget and come with the five-star NCAP rating.
Just bear in mind that this was changed to four stars in 2019, but the newer Alhambras are out of the price range anyway.