The usual Tesla minimalist theme can be found inside the refreshed Model Y, although the firm has thankfully grown out of its brief ‘no indicator stalk’ phase. We think Tesla’s infotainment system is one of the more intuitive on the current market, and it’s quick and easy to navigate. We do wish that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto would make an appearance, though.
There’s no shortage of brands trying to muscle in on Tesla’s success, and many newcomers from China are really starting to make a real name for themselves in the UK. The XPeng G6 is one such example; although the brand is still pretty much unknown on our shores, this car made a pretty strong impression on our experts during its first road test. Of course, there are also plenty more familiar rivals, such as the Volkswagen ID.5, Skoda Enyaq, Nissan Ariya and Audi Q4 e-tron.
“The Tesla’s regenerative braking is superbly composed. Nothing in this class can bring itself to a halt with the same limo driver-like smoothness as the Y, which makes low-speed manoeuvres very relaxing.” – Alex Ingram, chief reviewer.
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How we choose the best family cars
The family car has a difficult and varied role to fill and probably needs to excel in more areas than any other category of vehicle. Our road test team have driven every family car on the UK market over thousands of miles on the full range of different roads, and the best family cars listed above are the definitive view on today’s top choices.
Our exclusive Auto Express research underlines how demanding family car buyers are. Their top concern is reliability with 63.5 per cent identifying this as one of their three main priorities. Beyond that, family car customers have a wider range of priorities than those in any other market sector. Value for money was chosen by 54 per cent of people, 51 per cent identified running costs, 48 per cent chose comfort and 42 per cent picked ride and handling. Design was given less importance than in most other sectors, only being chosen by 27 per cent of our respondents.
Our testing of family cars is tailored to reflect these varied demands. We look very carefully at overall running costs from fuel economy to insurance and the warranty cover. We also evaluate the comfort and practicality of each car in great detail, taking our own measurements for rear passenger and boot space. The car’s ease of use in different driving situations is also crucial. Every car is tested in town, on B-roads and on the motorway with particular attention given to ride comfort, manoeuvrability and visibility.
How to choose the best family car
Choosing a family car is a very important decision. Here are some key questions to ask when building your shortlist…
What type of family car do I want?
As you can see, ‘family car’ is quite a broad term. There are numerous cars of varying shapes and sizes that all offer spacious cabins, cavernous boots, easy access, ISOFIX points and loads of safety equipment, but some might not necessarily work for you.