CAR experts have shared four spacious motors perfect for families and pet owners – all priced under £12,000.
With summer holiday season rapidly approaching, it’s the perfect time to pick up an affordable set of wheels that can get you – and all your stuff – where you need to go.
If there’s one trait that kids and pets share it is that they both come with a lot of kit.
Most parents will be familiar with the feeling of trying to force pushchairs, nappy bags or dog beds into the boot when there’s simply no room left.
Fortunately, Carwow’s review editor Darren Cassey is on hand with some top recommendations for how to shift plenty of items on a budget.
Put simply, it’s hard to find a bigger and more spacious car for the money
Darren Cassey
Darren said: “Dogs remain the most popular pets in the UK, with 12 million households across the country home to a four-legged furry friend.
“Furthermore, Britain’s pampered pooches regularly take to the road, with two in five dog owners saying that they take them in the car with them on a daily basis.
“Naturally, man’s best friend deserves to travel in comfort and style, so picking a car that can keep a pooch pleased on the way to and from walkies is an important consideration for owners.”
Darren praised the Astra for its looks but emphasised that it is “not a case of form over function”.
It is capable of holding up to 540 litres in its boot, which extends to a “massive” 1,630 when the rear seats are folded down.
That gives it one of the largest offerings on the market right now in its class.
Amazingly, it manages to provide that without being a chunky SUV, with more of an estate car feel allowing you to cruise in comfort while turning heads along the way.
From £6,998
The Clio has been a staple of British roads since the 1990s and has met with great acclaim from drivers.
According to Darren, it boasts “the biggest boot of any similarly sized hatchback”, making it a great pick as a spacious supermini.
It won’t give you as much room as an estate or SUV of course but if you’re looking for a small, nippy motor with enough space to stretch out in you can’t really go wrong
Plus, it gives you some neat mod cons including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into the bargain.
From £9,000
Darren said: “This mega-spacious estate car is a dream.
“It has 650 litres of boot space, a low load lip for your pooch to get in and plenty of cubby spaces for leads and – more importantly – treats.
“When you’re ferrying around your less furry friends, the Passat offers acres of space in the back seats as well as in the front.
“Fitting a child seat is also a breeze thanks to the wide rear door and easy-access ISOFIX anchors.”
The Passat has been around since 1973, too, so there are plenty of second-hand models available for cheap.
From £9,799
Dubbed a “value champion” by Carwow, the Aircross C5 is one of the more expensive entries on the list.
However, that may have something to do with the fact that it’s a hulking, and decently powerful, SUV mixing among budget estates and hatchbacks.
Darren added: “Put simply, it’s hard to find a bigger and more spacious car for the money.”
From £11,961
