Used Car Buyer's Guide: Spacious Family Cars

There is one thing above anything else that anyone starting a family will need when it comes to a new car, and that’s space.

There is no getting away from the fact that having children means you’ll be carrying a lot more with you every time you head for a day out.

With that in mind, you might well be looking for a car with a much larger boot than you’re used to, and we’ve pulled together five options to consider from the used market.

Dacia Jogger: 212 - 2,085 litre boot

If you are looking for value for money, there are few cars on sale that can match the Dacia Jogger. 

The Jogger is hugely practical with low running costs, and comes from plenty of equipment for the price – with the option of both a 1.0 litre turbo-charged engine or a more efficient hybrid.

What really sets the Jogger apart from similarly-priced cars however is the fact that it comes with a huge amount of space, thanks largely to the fact it has seven seats.

Understandably, the boot isn’t the biggest when the third row of seats is in place but with the third row folded, you’ll have an impressive 700 litres to play with and with row three removed and row two folder, you’ll have a massive 2,085 litres available.

If you want an idea of how big that is, Dacia sells a sleep pack that allows you to convert the rear of the Jogger into a double bed…

Peugeot 5008: 348 - 2,232 litre boot

The Peugeot 5008 is a practical seven-seater that has become a best-seller for the brand since it morphed from being an MPV into a stylish SUV.

As a seven-seater, the 5008 is already famed for providing plenty of interior space and also offers a large list of equipment as standard, whilst the most recent version includes an impressive hybrid powertrain.

Like the Jogger, you have only limited space with the rear seats in place but when you remove those seats you get anywhere from 780 to 916 litres depending on whether you are looking at a second or third generation model.

Folding the second row means you have more than 2,000 litres of space to play with.

Skoda Superb: 690 - 1,920 litre boot

Just because you want a lot of space for your family car, you shouldn’t feel you have to opt for a large SUV and the Skoda Superb is a case in point – particularly in estate form.

That’s because the Superb provides nearly 700 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place, which increases to a maximum of more than 1,900 when the seats are folded.

The Superb may only seat five rather than seven, but is more than enough for a large number of families who will also benefit from the fact that the model has a 5* Euro NCAP safety rating.

A strong engine line-up includes a plug-in hybrid for extra efficiency and running costs are relatively low for a car of this size.

Toyota Corolla Touring: 596 - 1606 litre boot

As with the Skoda, the Toyota Corolla Touring is a spacious option for those who don’t want to make the move into an SUV and is another impressive all-rounder.

Boot space ranges from 596 litres right up to 1,606 litres so you’ll have more than enough room to carry all the extra gear that you’ll acquire with a family. It should be noted that the 2.0 litre version of the Corolla has a slightly smaller boot than the 1.8 litre due to the positioning of the battery for the hybrid system.

That hybrid system means the Corolla scores well for efficiency and benefits from low running costs, whilst you’ll get plenty of equipment regardless of trim level and benefit from Toyota’s impressive reliability record.

Volkswagen ID.Buzz: 1,121 - 2,205 litre boot

In terms of standard boot space, there are few – if any – family cars on the market that will come close to the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, although that should come as little surprise.

The standard wheelbase five seater version has a cavernous, 1,121 litres of boot space before you even consider moving any of the seats so youghave more than enough room to cram in everything you could possibly need when travelling with children.

The ID. Buzz provides impressive performance thanks to its electric powertrain despite its large size and you should be able to get more than 200 miles from a full charge which will meet the needs of the vast majority if buyers.

If you need space and want to stand out from the crowd, this could be your ideal choice…