7 of the best hatchbacks for families

7 of the best hatchbacks to lease for your family

Buying a car for your family means considering affordability, safety, size, and reliability. After all, no one wants to break down with kids repeatedly asking, “Are we there yet?”

The humble hatchback is the backbone of daily life. From the school run to family holidays, from trips into town to running between clubs…

You name it, the hatchback has dealt with it.

But not all hatchbacks are built for family life.

So, we’ve rounded up a selection of our favourite family-friendly (say that five times fast) hatchbacks, picked for their practicality, boot space, and general ability to ‘do’ life.

Cars that are more affordable to run than their popular SUV counterparts, and much easier to squeeze in tight spots.

From stalwarts of the class to an upstart EV, there’s a hatchback lease for everyone – and we’re on a mission to prove it.

Volkswagen Golf

In your search for a hatchback, chances are you’ve come across the Volkswagen Golf.

A staple of the small car scene, the VW Golf was launched back in the ‘70s. Yet it remains popular, even now, despite its fierce competition.

There’s a range of engines on offer, including standard and mild-hybrid petrols, ICE-only diesels, and a plug-in hybrid.

For a simple family car, it’s one of the best out there.

It’ll get you from A to B without breaking into a sweat, the boot clocks in at a respectable 380L, and the rear seats are spacious enough to house three children without the usual arguments.

Safety? The Golf has earned its five-star Euro NCAP rating.

Audi A3

The Audi A3 has not changed much over the years, except from offering a more eco-friendly option with the mild hybrid or the plug-in hybrid.

The Audi A3 Sportback (a hatchback with a sporty roof) is probably one of the best premium hatchbacks on the market.

And for a growing family, it’s brilliant.

It looks good, the drive is refined, but it still has that sense of fun lurking underneath the sensible family car exterior. It might not be as sporty as the BMW 1 Series, but it is well-rounded.

The interior is just as good, and it’s roomy enough for two adults in the back. The middle seat is more of a squeeze, with a high floor tunnel taking up space, but three kids will fit just fine.

IKEA trip gone wrong? Bought more than you went in for (we’ve all been there)? This is no problem with its 380 litre boot.

Once again, the A3 joins the safety club with yet another 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

SKODA Octavia

Though its estate sibling might hog the headlines, the SKODA Octavia hatchback is a not-so-little gem of a car.

It’s typically SKODA sensible, though not lacking in either style or tech, and its bigger liftback shape makes it much more practical than many of its rivals, with the more horizontal slope to the boot.

If you’re after a smaller car, but need to lug a lot of stuff around? The Octavia is the hatchback for you with its 600-640 litre boot.

It’s getting repetitive now, but no surprise, the Octavia joins the others in our list with a 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

BMW 1 Series

Spacious, light, and efficient, the BMW 1 Series is better than ever before.

There’s easier access to the back and more head, knee, and elbowroom throughout.

Entry-level variants tend to be stronger all-rounders than performance variants – unless you’re a fan of stomping down deserted roads – but in any spec the handling is impressive and the ride even better.

The interior also features plenty of cubby holes for stashing away all of life’s odds and ends, and there are handy USB ports in both the front and back.

With 300-380 litres available in the boot, you’ll have plenty of space for ferrying around the kids to the various clubs they do with all the kit that comes with them.

Football kit, hockey kit, and hockey stick, or swimming costume and towel – you’ll have room for it all in this BMW.

As you may have guessed, the 1 Series has also earned a 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

Volkswagen ID.3

In a world dominated by traditional combustion engine hatches, the VW ID.3 is one of the best family-friendly electric hatchbacks on the market.

The first of Volkswagen’s new ID-badged electric cars, the ID.3 is a Golf-sized family hatch with lofty ambitions to be VW’s next people pleaser. It rivals the likes of the Nissan LEAF and the BMW i3, but offers something a little more exciting than the former and more affordable than the latter.

It’s an excellent town car – the stop/start driving suits the electric motor, and its compact size makes it perfect for squeezing into tight spots and around obstacles. But it’s also surprisingly roomy. There’s plenty of space for a growing family, and clever storage dotted throughout the cabin to make life that bit easier.

And with a claimed range of between 260 and 338 miles dependent on battery size, it’s more than enough to do your school runs and get you to and from work.

There’s 385 litres in the boot, and the ID.3 once again has a 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

CUPRA Born        

Named the best electric family car at the 2022 What Car? Electric car awards, the CUPRA Born is an electric hatchback that combines sporty performance with the efficiency of electric propulsion.

The interior design is focused around you, the driver. Your comfort is key, but don’t worry, your family will also feel at home. 

But this car is all about you.

The Born has a sporty interior with CUP Bucket seats and regenerative paddle shifts on the steering wheel. 

With 385 litres of boot space, 264-342 mile range (depending on battery size), and a 5-star Euro NCAP rating, what’s not to love about this CUPRA?

MG4 EV

A relatively new car in the game, the MG4 EV was rolled out in 2022 and was MG Motor UK’s first fully-electric hatchback.

This affordable electric hatchback comes packed with innovation and style, with zippy dynamics and good handling.

Not only is it classed as better than a lot of its more expensive rivals, but it also boasts a 218-323 mile range (depending on battery size) and has a 363 litre boot.

Plenty of space for family life and enough battery to get you around on your daily errands (often referred to as the mum and dad taxi service).

What about safety? Well, you’ll be glad to hear that we didn’t break the streak. The MG4 also has a 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

Hatchbacks are a fantastic choice for families, offering the perfect blend of practicality and style. Whether you’re eyeing electric stars like the CUPRA Born or MG4 EV, or leaning towards timeless favourites like the Golf, or Audi A3, there’s something for everyone.

We’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to. 

Now, grab a cuppa, enjoy some quality time with your loved ones, and let us help you find the perfect hatchback for your family.

7 of the best hatchbacks for families to lease

1. Volkswagen Golf
2. Audi A3
3. Skoda Octavia
4. BMW 1 Series
5. Volkswagen ID.3
6. CUPRA Born
7. MG4 EV