Looking for a practical car to ferry the family around that won’t break the bank? The used market has plenty of good value-for-money deals on at the moment, and your next car could be cheaper than you think.
We’ve analysed all the used family cars available at each price point using the thousands of cars for sale from our partner Motors. Then, we have consulted our industry-leading Expert Rating Index to see which models have the highest Used Car Expert Ratings.
Our Expert Ratings are powered by comprehensive review data, safety and eco ratings, and reliability and running cost estimations, so you can be confident that this is the definitive guide to the best used family cars for every budget that are on sale in the UK right now.
Every car listed below has used models available to purchase now, each model being reasonably new; no older than three years old.
Best used family car under £10,000
Skoda Octavia
Three-year-old models on Motors for just under £10k
The dependable Skoda Octavia is well-suited to the rigours of the everyday driving, offering a leisurely driving experience and low running costs. Whether you opt for the saloon or the larger estate version, the Skoda also has more rear legroom than most alternatives in the medium car class, making it a great fit for families.
The Skoda Octavia range holds a Used Car Expert Rating of A in our Expert Rating Index, with a score of 77%.
Also available on this budget:
Ford Focus
Three-year-old models on Motors for around £9K
Available on the used market as both a hatchback and an estate car, the Ford Focus is a great all-round family car package, earning praise from the motoring media thanks to its interior quality, technology and performance.
Nissan Leaf
Three-year-old models on Motors for around £8K
Roomy, affordable and reliable – the second-generation Nissan Leaf was the best selling electric car worldwide not that long ago. That said, it has also been surpassed by newer rivals that offer a longer battery range.
Best used family car under £15,000
MG 4
Two-year-old models on Motors for around £14K
First arriving on UK roads back in 2022, the MG 4 stood out from its closest all-electric family car rivals thanks to its affordable price tag, as well as its enjoyable and comfortable driving experience. Three years on, the hatchback is also one of the most compelling value-for-money propositions on the used market too, with 100s of well-priced near-new models listed for sale in the UK.
The MG 4 range holds a Used Car Expert Rating of A in our Expert Rating Index, with a score of 80%.
Also available on this budget:
Volkswagen Golf
Two-year-old models on Motors for around £14K
The Mk8 Volkswagen Golf is five years old now, but it is just as competitive in the family hatchback class as the day it first arrived. Available as either a hatchback or estate, the Golf pairs great ride comfort with excellent safety standards.
Toyota Yaris Cross
Three-year-old models on Motors for around £14K
The taller sibling of the Yaris supermini, the Yaris Cross is a petrol-electric hybrid with class-leading fuel economy and a clever interior design well-suited to family life. Buyers should keep in mind that rear space is rather limited for adult passengers, however.
Best used family car under £20,000
Kia Sportage
Three-year-old models on Motors for around £19K
The mid-sized Kia Sportage is currently one of the most popular new cars in the UK, and for good reason. Beyond the SUV’s spacious interior and impressive interior trim and tech, the Sportage is well-equipped as standard. It is also attractively priced on the used market, with an abundance of near-new used models available for purchase with our partners below.
The Kia Sportage range holds a Used Car Expert Rating of A in our Expert Rating Index, with a score of 74%.
Also available on this budget:
Skoda Enyaq
Three-year-old models on Motors for around £16K
While new editions of the Skoda Enyaq SUV cost around £40k, three-year-old examples of the pre-facelift model shown above are listed on the used market for well under £20k. While this indicates that the electric SUV’s resale values aren’t very strong, the Skoda is a fantastic family car, boasting a roomy interior, intuitive tech, and a huge boot.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Three-year-old models on Motors for around £18K
This retro-modern Hyundai is larger than it looks and is well-mannered on the road. Reviewers are also impressed by the car’s powertrain and infotainment system, but alternatives have a softer ride. There are several near-new Ioniq 5 models on the used market with heavily discounted price tags.
Best used family car under £30,000
Honda Civic
Two-year-old models on Motors for around £23k
Offering arguably the best ride comfort and handling in the medium car class, the 11th-generation Honda Civic is a well-rounded family-friendly saloon with low running costs, punchy hybrid performance, a large boot and a high-quality interior fit and finish. Larger family cars can be found on the used market for much cheaper, but two-year-old Civic models can be picked up for around £23k at the moment, which is a great value-for-money deal.
The Honda Civic range holds a Used Car Expert Rating of A in our Expert Rating Index, with a score of 78%.
Also available on this budget:
Audi Q4 e-tron
Two-year-old models on Motors for around £26K
While structurally similar alternatives like the Skoda Enyaq are cheaper on the used market, the electric Audi Q4 e-tron has excellent family car credentials, including its comfortable driving experience, its roomy and practical design and its cabin quality, which is a step above its closest rivals.
Volvo XC60
Three-year-old models on Motors for around £27k
Volvo cars are known for their industry-leading safety standards, and the mid-sized XC60 SUV is no exception. It’s not that exciting to drive, but as a family car it is a real class act – comfortable, spacious, reliable and rather economical in plug-in hybrid form.
Best used family car under £40,000
Renault Scenic E-Tech
One-year-old models on Motors for around £32K
Should you have a budget of around £40k, you might have decided on a more luxurious brand than Renault. But before you settle on the likes of an Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz, we recommend that you give the electric Scenic E-Tech a test drive first. Winner of The Car Expert’s Best Medium Car of 2025, the Scenic E-Tech is only a year old – hence its higher pricing – and has excellent safety credentials, a spacious and practical interior, and a competitive battery range.
The Renault Scenic E-Tech range holds a Used Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 79%.
Also available on this budget:
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Two-year-old models on Motors for around £39K
A battery-powered people carrier with unique styling, competitive battery range and more space and practicality than similarly priced SUVs, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz is an ideal fit for a family of five. It has strong resale values on the used market, which means that models are still pretty pricey even at three years old.
BMW 5 Series
One-year-old models on Motors for around £36K
Available as either a saloon or estate at this price point, the eighth-generation BMW 5 Series is the benchmark model in the executive car class. Comfortable, great to drive and luxurious inside, one-year-old versions of the BMW are currently available for around £36k, £15k cheaper than the lead-in showroom price.
Best used family car under £50,000
Kia EV9
One-year-old models on Motors for just under £50K
The winner of The Car Expert’s Best Premium Large Car of 2025, the seven-seat Kia EV9 SUV has stellar family car credentials. Besides its seriously spacious cabin and acres of storage space, the all-electric Kia is fun to drive, well-equipped as standard and reassuringly safe. It is certainly expensive – in fact, it’s the most expensive Kia ever sold in the UK – but one-year-old models can be purchased for just under £50k at the moment, which is £15k cheaper than the showroom price.
The Kia EV9 range holds a Used Car Expert Rating of A in our Expert Rating Index, with a score of 71%.
Also available on this budget:
Mercedes-Benz EQE
One-year-old models on Motors for just under £50k
If high-end luxury is a must-have consideration for your next family car, a used Mercedes-Benz EQE saloon should be on your shortlist. Pickings are few and far between on the used market, but one-year-old models are available at just under £50k. The comfortable all-electric long-distance cruiser has a long battery range and class-leading onboard tech.
Hyundai Santa Fe
One-year-old models on Motors for around £44K
Winner of The Car Expert’s Best Large Car of 2025, the fifth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe has higher build quality than its predecessor, which in turn means higher pricing. The large six- or seven-seat hybrid SUV is one of the most spacious and practical family cars on the market, and one-year-old models are listed on the used market at around £44k.
For the definitive rankings of the best used family cars for every budget, we’ve used The Car Expert’s industry-leading Expert Rating index. The index analyses new car reviews from 35 of the top UK motoring websites, plus Euro NCAP safety ratings, five-year running costs and reliability data, all feeding into a sophisticated algorithm that we have refined over the last six years specifically to compare new cars (and now used cars up to ten years old as well).
The Index is recalculated every month with all the very latest data to make sure you’re getting the most accurate and reliable ratings for every new or near-new car.