Best used family car

Planning your vacation routes is one thing, but the right family car makes the whole trip smoother. Here we recommend used family cars that make both everyday life and road trips more comfortable, safer and more fun.

Find the right family car for your needs

Cargo space, comfort, driving pleasure, safety and price – everything matters when it comes to finding the perfect car for your family. There is no one-size-fits-all car, so it’s important to start with what you need and what your budget allows.

Are you looking for a used family car?

To help you find the right one, we have compared and rated eight popular family cars. The basis is based on tests and expert comments from leading Swedish and European motoring magazines. Since family life often involves a lot of packing and long driving sessions, we have placed extra focus on comfort and cargo space. Would you rather have a spacious SUV? Check out our best used family SUVs or discover our entire range of used family cars .

Also read: The cheapest family cars to own

1. Volvo V60

The V60 is the successor to the classic V70, which for so long stood as a symbol of the Swedish family car. The second-generation V60 saw the light of day in 2018 and impresses as its successor. The cargo space offers 529 liters of space before it's time to fold the rear seat - just 31 liters less than the giant V90 station wagon. And despite the smaller exterior dimensions, it offers almost the same amount of space. Sitting three adults in the back seat is no problem at all thanks to the slightly flatter seats.

The V60 also has very good driving qualities. M3 magazine calls the car “a real happy pill.” It invites you to an active and fun drive, while the fine soundproofing makes it pleasantly quiet in the cabin.

"You can barely hear whether there's a diesel or "petrol" engine under the hood unless you stand outside and listen," wrote the newspaper Högsta Växeln after its test drive.

Comfort: 5

Cargo space: 4

Security: 5

Driving characteristics : 5

Economy: 4

Total: 23 of 25

Price used Volvo V60 (three-year-old): from around SEK 160,000

See all used Volvo V60 for sale

2. KIA Cee'd SW

The KIA Cee'd SW is highly interesting for those who want a lot of family car for the money, but who don't require that little extra. The car is well equipped in the basic version, has decent driving characteristics and offers plenty of space in both the cabin and the cargo area. The Cee'd SW loads a full 625 liters with the rear seats folded up and almost 1,700 liters folded down. But there's not much more than that on the upside.

The magazine Ny Teknik draws attention to the fact that the car has higher fuel consumption than many of its competitors. In a test with the 1.4-liter gasoline engine, it was difficult to keep consumption below 0.8 l/mile, despite long highway driving. The magazine Vi Bilägare also gave the car a bad rap for sound comfort. "There is hardly anything like the annoying noise on rough surfaces," they write. No, the strongest argument for choosing the Ceed SW is undoubtedly the price tag. If you are looking for the best used family car on a tight budget, the Kia Cee'd SW might be the option for you.

Comfort: 3

Cargo space: 4

Security: 3

Driving characteristics: 4

Economy: 5

Total: 19 out of 25

Price used KIA Cee'd SW (three-year-old): from around SEK 120,000

See all used KIA Cee'd for sale

3. Ford Focus station wagon

In 2018, the fourth generation Ford Focus was launched with better comfort and spaciousness than its predecessor. At the same time, the playfulness and good driving characteristics remained – the Focus’s big trump cards. The cargo space has also grown and the Focus now boasts a cargo volume of over 600 liters. Still, the car is still a bit behind its competitors. This is according to the British Autoexpress, which writes: “The Ford Focus station wagon is not the most practical car in its class, nor the most economical, but it is more fun to drive than most others”. Inadequate soundproofing is also something that the Focus suffers from. “The noise level is okay, but as soon as the car gets up to a slightly higher speed, the road noise in particular finds its way into the cabin”, notes the magazine M3, where test editor Andreas Bergsman also complains about a hard and flat seat cushion.

Comfort: 3

Cargo space: 3

Security: 4

Driving characteristics: 5

Economy: 4

Total: 19 out of 25

Price used Ford Focus station wagon (three years old): from around SEK 100,000

See all used Ford Focus for sale

4. Peugeot 308 SW

The Peugeot 308 SW is a popular family car that has only become more elegant with each generation. In 2019, a new version rolled out of the giant factory in Sochaux in northeastern France. This time, it was no disappointment either. The interior of the new 308 SW is consistently high-quality and the body has delicious, clean lines. But, as you know, this is not a beauty contest. More important are low fuel consumption and a cargo space of over 1,600 liters with the rear seat folded down. At the same time, the British Autoexpress believes that Peugeot has not managed to combine space with usability. “Unfortunately, not enough thought has been put into life inside the car to also make it practical.” The small, low-slung steering wheel in the 308 SW is also described as “toy-like” by the magazine. And almost all experts agree – it takes a while to get used to.

Comfort: 4

Cargo space: 5

Security: 3

Driving characteristics: 3

Economy: 4

Total: 19 out of 25

Price used Peugeot 308 SW (three-year-old): from around SEK 100,000

See all used Peugeot 308 for sale

5. Skoda Octavia

Do you like the VW Passat and Golf? Then we think you also like Skoda and the flagship Octavia – Europe's best-selling station wagon. Skoda's cars are in many ways similar to their siblings within the VW group, but are kinder to the wallet. The Octavia is spacious, functional and well-equipped even in the basic version. It behaves briskly on the road and is not at all boring to drive, which is otherwise a common prejudice against Skoda. Another big plus is the cargo space. If you buy the fourth-generation Octavia, which made its debut in Sweden in 2019, you get a cargo space that swallows a whopping 640 liters. With the rear seat folded down, you can load a whopping 1,740 liters. Håkan Nilsson at the magazine Ny Teknik praises the new Skoda Octavia and calls the car a "really smart buy".

Comfort : 4

Cargo space: 5

Security: 5

Driving characteristics: 4

Economy: 5

Total: 23 of 25

Price used Skoda Octavia (three-year-old): from around SEK 100,000

See all used Skoda Octavia for sale

6. Volkswagen Passat

It is easy to understand that the VW Passat is Sweden's most popular family car after Volvo's station wagon models. It is a car that performs at the top in most respects. "The Passat is spacious, comfortable and affordable - exactly what you want in a family car", writes the magazine Auto Motor & Sport. The Passat is also a real packhorse. The cargo space swallows a whopping 650 liters, or 1,780 liters if you fold the rear seat. There is a large selection of Volkswagen Passats on the second-hand market, so it is possible to make a bargain.

Comfort: 4

Cargo space: 5

Security: 5

Driving characteristics: 4

Economy: 5

Total: 23 of 25

Price used Volkswagen Passat (three-year-old): from around SEK 150,000

See all used Volkswagen Passat for sale

7. Toyota Corolla Touring Sports

55 years ago, the Toyota Corolla first saw the light of day. Since then, it has sold over 46 million units and is the world's best-selling car, even though it was called the Auris for many years. When the new Toyota Corolla, the twelfth generation, came to Europe two or three years ago, it was a larger car that was presented. Legroom has improved both in the back and front, while the cabin has become more airy and comfortable. The cargo space now swallows 598 liters with the rear seats up and just over 1,600 liters with the rear seats down, on an almost completely flat cargo area. The magazine Vi Bilägare writes, among other things, that "The Corolla feels small and nimble on winding roads while being sufficiently stable on the motorway". However, they also note that the soundproofing leaves a lot to be desired. "Both road and wind noise leak in and disrupt the comfort in the cabin until the engine roars up and drowns out the noise". This can be particularly unbearable on longer journeys. If the Corolla had been Mercedes-quiet, the rating would have been better.

Comfort: 3

Cargo space: 4

Security: 5

Driving characteristics: 4

Economy: 5

Total: 21 of 25

Price used Toyota Corolla Touring Sports (three-year-old): from around SEK 120,000 (Auris Touring Sports)

See all used Toyota Corolla for sale

8. Audi A4 Avant

The Audi A4 Avant is a stylish and comfortable family car that has become a real classic on Swedish roads. It has generous space, comfortable soft seats, a high-class interior and lots of infotainment. The engine is strong while running impressively quietly. Audi is known for not compromising on quality and it shows. But if you taste it, you pay for it.

“The Audi A4 is an expensive car – and when you add extra equipment to it properly, it becomes very expensive,” wrote the motoring site Allt om bilar when it reviewed the then-newly released fifth-generation A4 in 2016. It’s no problem to spend a couple of hundred thousand on options. The A4 Avant’s cargo space swallows 495 liters with the rear seats up and 1495 liters if they are folded. That’s okay, but the Avant is no big-loader. The wide loading opening, smooth surfaces and low loading sill partially compensate for this, but one might well ask why a premium station wagon should load less than one in the budget class?

Comfort: 5

Cargo space: 3

Security: 5

Driving characteristics: 4

Economy: 3

Total: 20 out of 25

Price used Audi A4 Avant (three-year-old): from around SEK 170,000

See all used Audi A4 for sale

Read also: Guide to 7-seater cars