8/10FordS-MAX£27,825 – £39,310More useful than the biggest estates, and good to drive. Avoid the SUV rat-race.
8/10Mercedes-BenzV-Class Marco Polo£48,770 – £59,185Every bit as convincing as the VW California. What is loses in the finer packaging details, it makes up for in quality and design.
7/10KiaCarens£17,995 – £27,095It’s handsome, well-built and pleasant, with Kia’s monster warranty an added draw.
7/10FordB-Max£15,160 – £20,420An excellent and eminently practical car from Ford. Clever design, good to drive.
7/10RenaultScenic£19,015 – £27,655MPV sales are down, but the stylish Scenic has every chance of reversing the trend.
7/10CitroenC4 Picasso/Grand C4 Picasso£25,730A people-carrier range that’s aimed at passengers not drivers.
7/10FordC-Max/Grand C-Max£22,075 – £28,575Not quite as convincing as the larger S-Max, but it's now not all that far off.
7/10FordGalaxy£29,375 – £40,310A big step up from the old one, but still overshadowed by the brilliant S-Max.
7/10VauxhallCrossland X£17,490 – £23,920It presents enough rational arguments that it'll insinuate itself deep into many families' lives.
7/10Fiat500L£14,375 – £21,325It’s certainly different. It’s also very practical, with enough charm to appeal.
7/10VolkswagenTouran£23,345 – £33,015Better than the car it replaces, but not interesting, exciting or memorable.
7/10SeatAlhambra£27,020 – £37,755Seat’s most complete car. It has no real weaknesses – but we just know you’d rather have the VW…
7/10VolkswagenSharan£27,645 – £38,780It’s big, expensive and not especially clever, but it is really, really good at ferrying lots of people about. Really, really quietly.
6/10CitroenBerlingo£18,385Epic value from Citroen here. The Berlingo majors on comfort, economical diesels and an enormous interior. Practical.
6/10BMW2 Series Active/Gran Tourer£24,055 – £37,045Cosier and more expensive than rivals, but appealing badge and quality
5/10ToyotaVerso£23,515 – £26,695A household appliance of a car, but easy to live with and well priced.
4/10Hyundaii800£25,530 – £27,920Failed your family planning classes? You need a Hyundai i800. More budget airline than captain's chair, but needs must.
