The Best Value Family Car award is given to the best value-for-money purchase capable of ferrying the family from A to B.
The common denominator in this category is price tag, and from there, the vast collection of aggregated media review scores in our Expert Rating Index indicates which of these budget-end runarounds is best suited to becoming a new member of the family.
Size and powertrain aren’t taken into account here, with pint-sized electric city cars and large, bulky petrol SUVs all in the mix for this award. The eligible cars this year were:
Best new value family car: Citroën ë-C3 Aircross
The Citroën ë-C3 Aircross serves up a top value family car that should be at the top of your shopping list in 2026 – especially when you look at the price tag.
It packs plenty of practicality into a compact footprint, with more space than you’ll find in many larger cars. The electric motor is smooth and refined, beautifully complementing the comfortable ride, and the equipment levels are far beyond what you’d expect for the money.
Citroën has done a genuinely impressive job with the ë-C3 Aircross. It makes budget-brand offerings look cheap and other mainstream rivals overpriced. With household budgets getting ever-tighter, this could be the smartest car-buying decision you could make in 2026.
- Citroën ë-C3 Aircross (2025 onwards) – Expert Rating
- More Citroën Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features
