5 of the best cars for long family journeys

School’s out for summer, which means it's time to prepare for long journeys to theme parks, the beach or just for a nice break away. 

Finding the right car for a long family journey can be difficult. You want something that is efficient yet powerful enough to carry 5 or more people without difficulty. Space and comfort are key factors too, with plenty of room for luggage and a drive smooth enough to lull the kids to sleep, essential! 

With that in mind, we’ve picked out a few family cars that are ideal for long journeys.

Ford Mondeo Estate

The Mondeo brand isn’t synonymous with family friendly vehicles, but the Estate model combines the Mondeo’s smooth ride and control with a spacious and comfortable vehicle. 

With low tax, low CO2 emissions and an excellent fuel economy, the Mondeo Estate is an ideal family car for money-savvy drivers. It boasts numerous safety features too, including 7 airbags and automatic emergency braking. It has a 5 star crash rating from Euro NCAP too, which means you can drive knowing that your family is as safe as can be. 

The Estate has 525 litres of boot space, with plenty of rear seat space for the kids. It’s not a huge amount of space in comparison to some of the other cars in this post, but it should be more than enough for a small family. 

The Mondeo Estate has a number of engine options, with the 1.6 litre diesel particularly good on tax. If power is a concern, the 158bhp 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine has you covered.

Audi Q5

Who said family cars can’t look good? The Audi Q5 is a seriously stylish vehicle that just happens to be spacious, comfortable and pretty powerful too! 

The Q5 is ideal for drivers who haven’t taken the wheel of an SUV before, with great handling and a smooth ride making you feel instantly comfortable. It has surprisingly good fuel economy for a 4x4 too, and the reasonable CO2 emissions mean it doesn’t cost too much to tax either. 

In short, the Q5 is good looking, spacious and a dream to drive - what more could you ask for?

Nissan Qashqai

The Qashqai is an excellent family car that you won’t mind driving on your own either. With plenty of engines to choose from, including a 161bhp 1.6 petrol engine and a 129bhp 1.6 diesel, you can tailor the Nissan Qashqai to your needs relatively easily. 

Whichever engine you choose, you’ll get a vehicle that handles well and provides a nice smooth ride on long journeys. It’s a sound financial choice too, with top fuel efficiency and tax-busting low carbon emissions. 

While it’s not the biggest car, it’s an ideal compromise between an SUV and something more stylish. It’s highly reliable too, as most Nissans are!

Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

The C4 Picasso is the best car on this list for larger families, with seven seats and a huge amount of boot space. 

With a nice smooth ride and climate control, the Picasso is comfortable enough to lull the kids to sleep and give you peace on a long journey. Even with 7 people and a full boot, the Picasso still doesn’t feel cramped. 

Admittedly, it’s not the most exciting of driving experiences but that isn’t really what the Picasso is about: the 113bhp 1.6 diesel and the 118bhp 1.6 petrol are more than adequate for a smooth, enjoyable journey.

Renault Grand Scenic

The Grand Scenic is a bigger version of the Renault’s established line of vehicles, with 7 seats and plenty of luggage space too. With low running costs (the 1.5 diesel runs to 70 miles per gallon) and a 5 star crash rating from Euro NCAP, this is an excellent family vehicle that is reassuringly safe and cheap to run. 

Have we missed your favourite family vehicle? Share it with us on Facebook and Twitter. And if you’re planning to upgrade this summer, take a look at our car lease deals!

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