The UK’s best cars for families with young children revealed by What Car?

• What Car? reveals the best cars for families with three children
• 16 vehicles, from luxury SUVs to MPVs, were tested to see how well they accommodate multiple child seats*
• Many modern MPVs and SUVs marketed as seven seaters only feature two ISOFIX child seat fixings, leaving parents puzzled
• To find out more about fitting a child seat in your car, visit: https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/child-car-seats-how-to...

While SUVs dominate the sales charts, new research from What Car? has found MPVs are the superior choice for families with young children thanks to their capacity to accommodate a greater number of child seats.

Although many MPVs and SUVs feature seven seats, not all of them can fit more than two child seats into the rear rows of the car. To find out which is the best for larger families, the UK’s leading consumer champion and new car buying platform, What Car?, lined up 16 leading MPV and SUV models and tested their ability to accommodate three child seats*.

Of the seven conventional-engined large SUVs tested, What Car? was able to fit all three child seats into just two models; the Peugeot 5008 and Kia Sorento. The use of a child seat in the second or third row was prohibited in four of the large SUVs tested, and the one that could take a third seat in the second row wasn’t wide enough to do this. Luxury SUVs outperformed their budget counterparts – with three of the four models tested able to accommodate three child seats.

In contrast, of the four MPVs What Car? tested, all were able to accommodate three child seats with ISOFIX points*. The latest Seat Alhambra and VW Touran models both feature ISOFIX points in all five of their rear passenger seats – a record matched by only one of the luxury SUVs; the Audi Q7.

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: “This just goes to show how important it is for new parents, especially those with multiple kids, to do their homework when buying a new car. A vehicle may feature seven seats, but if only two can accommodate a child seat, it may not be the ideal choice.”

The Tesla Model X is currently the only electric vehicle capable of accommodating the rear seats with more than two child seats*.

To find the best new car deals on SUVs and MPVs, motorists should visit: www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals

ENDS

*What Car? tested each vehicle with three different child seats, an infant carrier, a seat suitable for a toddler, and one for an older child. Child seats were only fitted in the rear seats, with the front passenger seat omitted from the test. The two larger seats could be secured only via ISOFIX points, while the Group O+ infant seat can be secured either via a seatbelt or ISOFIX. The results are based on this scenario only, other seats may differ in their size and dimensions and prove a better fit.

About What Car?

What Car?, the UK’s leading and most trusted car buying brand, has the magazine, a market-leading website and several established brand extensions. It has helped Britain’s car buyers to make purchasing decisions for more than 40 years and its tests are widely regarded as the most trusted source of new car advice.

Whatcar.com is the UK’s leading car buying website, offering trusted reviews and data on every new car. A winner of numerous awards and accolades, whatcar.com is recognised as one of the UK’s leading consumer websites and attracts 1.7m unique users every month and over 13m monthly page impressions. The brand has seen major investment in its digital infrastructure as it develops a new ecommerce platform, allowing users to act on the trusted advice What Car? offers.

With a print circulation of 55,459, combined with its mobile and social reach, What Car? has more than 5.5 million monthly points of contact with its audience on the move, at work, at home and at the crucial point of sale. It is the top performing monthly on the UK newsstand in the motoring category.

For further media information please contact
Performance Communications:
Natasha Perry or Sam Wilkinson at Performance Communications on 0208 541 3434.
natasha@performancecomms.com
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