REVEALED: The 10 best used family cars, according to science

Finding the best second-hand car isn’t the easiest task, especially with so many vehicles to choose from.

But for those wanting a used family motor, scientists from the Centre for Automotive Industry Research at Cardiff University have carried out an academic study to rank the 10 best models. 

The research is based on affordability and a number of other metrics most important to buyers of practical vehicles used to transport their kids.

This includes the car’s dimensions – determining how easy it is to park but also the roomiest available to occupants – as well as the boot space, crash test rating and duration of warranty available on three-year-old examples.

It too measured running costs, inclusive of pence per mile calculations, insurance group and the level of depreciation as they get older.

Extra points were also rewarded to vehicles that – as standard – had the most ‘must have’ features families are looking for, which ranges from driver assistance systems like lane departure warning, to practical cupholders and USB access for rear-seat passengers.

And the family car ranked highest of all is the rear-wheel-drive variant of Elon Musk’s Tesla Model Y.

The American SUV scored 58 points out of a potential 100, which is more than any other vehicles included in the study.

Only motors that cost under £25,000 for a three-year-old example were included, which eliminated a number of larger SUV models.

However, given the poor residual value of electric cars from new, the Tesla Model Y RWD’s average second-hand price – according to Cazoo – sits below that price threshold.

Professor Peter Wells, who conducted the study, said the Tesla’s recommendation was a result of perfect scores (a maximum of ten points) in three categories: safety, warranty and boot volume. 

It has an industry-leading eight-year warranty and has a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. 

It also scored highly on additional characteristics which looked at ‘bonus features’ such as climate control, parking cameras and a lane departure warning system.

The calculation provided additional points to used models that also came with front seat and steering wheel heating, phone charging facilities in the rear seats, back-seat tray tables and cupholders, power-assisted boot lids, 60:40-split folding rear seats, a collision avoidance warning system and automatic – rain-sensing – window wipers.

Despite the high cost of the Tesla, with an average price of £22,428 for a three-year-old model, the high performance and low running costs offset the initial investment.

Also coming highly commended were three-year-old examples of the Ford Focus with the 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol engine (53 out of 100) and the 50kWh battery Vauxhall Corsa Electric (50) – both long-standing car choices for families. 

They earned high scores with solid performances across the features analysed, which paired with a low insurance group and price make them popular and easily accessible choices.

The study looked at both petrol and electric cars. And it found a ‘clear strength of EVs’, with Professor Wells saying this is a ‘symptom of the wider industry movement’. 

In fact, half of the top ten cars are hybrids or fully electric.

‘EVs’ strong overall performance was largely led by their low per-mile running costs and long battery warranty periods,’ the study concluded.

‘These models also benefitted by combining relative affordability with high-spec features,’ it added.

And the university said choosing a 2023 model – such as the ones analysed – protects buyers from the painful initial depreciation suffered by electric cars currently. 

‘This then allows them to benefit from premium features for a fraction of the original price,’ it said.

Professor Peter Wells, director of the Centre for Automotive Industry Research at Cardiff University, added: ‘With so much opinion available on the ‘best’ cars, it’s always been tricky for consumers to navigate the buying decision. 

‘This new top ten list identifies the hard facts that family car buyers care about. 

‘While each factor plays a unique role, this innovative approach has been valuable to decipher the perfect combination of key appeal features. 

‘In this case, the Tesla Model Y takes it. 

‘Despite being a more pricey option, the car meets that ideal balance between value and quality.   

‘That said, it’s worth looking into several on the top 10 list, as each will provide a feature beneficial to family life.’