Five of the best new family cars for less than £20,000

This week we're looking at that dullard of motoring, the family car. But wait: it's not so dull any more, as this list proves, mostly. Until recently it was evidently assumed that family buyers were interested in space and very little else. Got a family? Get a saloon. That was about the size of it. But times have changed. Everyone wants a bit of prestige these days, and nobody likes to admit that their car is simply a very utilitarian way of getting the kids to school and back. So, the car makers are coming up with all kinds of inventive ways to make family motoring sexy.

This week's list includes five great family cars, each of which will serve the singular purpose of being at least able to carry an entire nuclear family, but each approaching it in an entirely different way. Every one can be had for under £20,000 too, which we reckon is a reasonable outlay for a reasonably sized family runabout. And only one of them is a people carrier, you may be pleased to note.