The Audi Q7 is massive - which means it’s very good at carrying people and their belongings. It’s a seven-seater, with enough room for three child seats across the middle row. Even the third row of seats is surprisingly spacious, while there are no fewer than six (yes, six!) ISOFIX child seat mounting points.

It’s a premium SUV with a superb interior, efficient engines and stylish looks. But it’s expensive - with new ones starting in the region of £58,000. By the time you’ve added a few options, it starts to get even pricier.

A used Audi Q7 represents decent value for money, though. We’ve seen year-old examples selling for around £45,000 upwards, while three-year-old models can be picked up for less than £35,000.

If you want a stylish and imposing SUV that won't break the bank like more premium offerings, the latest Kia Sorento deserves to be a contender on your shopping list for your next new car. The latest models comes with a range of mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and diesel engines and all models also comes with four Isofix points for the safe mounting of child seats. 

The Sorento is impressively spacious. You get room for six six-foot adults to sit comfortably and the cabin is so wide that even with a third person on the middle row, your passengers won't feel too squeezed. The interior marks a significant upgrade from its predecessor, with a widescreen infotainment screen that stretches from the centre of the dashboard to form the instrument binnacle behind the steering wheel.

While the technology has evolved, the driving experience in the Sorento remains consistent and enjoyable, perfect for long journeys. The 1.6-litre petrol-electric hybrid model returns fuel economy comparable to diesel alternatives, but we'd still choose 2.2-litre diesel, which produces punchy performance in an unflustered manner that suits the car's comfy nature. If you mostly do shorter trips, we'd advise choosing the plug-in hybrid, which can slash your running costs as long as you have somewhere to charge the car. 

If outright practicality is the aim of the game, then a van-based people carrier like the Citroen Berlingo could be the perfect choice for family life. As it’s based on a van, it’s very good at carrying things (including children) safely.

The standard Berlingo comes with five seats, while there’s also the seven-seat Berlingo XL. The second row is made up of three individual seats - all the same size, which should prevent arguments. Each is fitted with ISOFIX mounting points, too, which’ll mean you can fit three child seats side-by-side.

We’d recommend looking for the Flair model. This includes a number of features to make your life easier, including electric rear windows, rear parking sensors, tray tables on the back of the front seats and split-folding rear seats.

The small SUV has replaced the conventional hatchback as the family car of choice for the majority of buyers, and the stylish Peugeot 3008 is one of the best on the market. It’s better to drive than a Nissan Qashqai and has a more stylish cabin than the SEAT Ateca, while also being very versatile for family life.

It’s got Isofix points for two child seats in the rear seats and a further one on the front passenger seat. Access is easy, thanks to wide-opening doors and that high SUV seating position. It’s also got a big 520-litre boot (extending to 1670 litres with the rear seats dropped - ideal for Ikea trips), and plenty of handy cubbies and interior storage.

You’ll pay upwards of £32,000 for a new Peugeot 3008, but a three-year-old model can be found for as little as £14,000.

The humble people carrier still holds plenty of appeal for families seeking practicality, and the Volkswagen Touran is one of our favourites. It’s available with five or seven seats, each able to accommodate three child seats side by side on the second row. The third row, on the seven-seat model, easily folds away into the boot floor and includes two more anchorage points for ISOFIX child seats.

The Touran’s interior is solid, with a no-nonsense feel and plenty of hardwearing plastics, well up to handling day-to-day family life. Kids will appreciate the rear tray tables tucked into the back of the front seats, while the huge 927-litre boot will appeal to parents (this drops to just 137 litres when the third row’s in use).

Prices for a new Touran start in the region of £28,500 - although you can pick up a year-old example for just £17,000.

The oldest car on this list, the Volvo XC90 still looks every inch the contempoerary luxury SUV. It's smart interior is mirrored inside, where you'll find a beautifully designed cabin and fixings on the outer seats of the second row for two car seats. Need another? There's space on the third row for a third car seat, although it'll need to be one secured by seatbelts as there's no Isofix there.

A bit of a fudge, yes, but the XC90 is such a great family car that it might be one you're willing to make. It drives brilliantly and has been very much designed with families in mind, with myriad cupholders, storage spaces throughout the car and inidivual seats that fold up and down to give extra flexibility. The boot is massive, too.

Four-wheel drive is standard, so it'll tackle some relatively inhospitable terrain, and it's as happy on the school run as it is on a family road trip. ChHoose from petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power to suit your particular needs.

One of the finest seven-seat MPVs around, the Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer – formerly called the Grand C4 Picasso – has three individual seats on the second row. Each one has Isofix points, meaning you can get all three kids together on the same row. There's a third row of seats too, although they don't have Isofix back there. Still, you can fold them down to increase boot space if they're not needed.

As well as the triple-kid-carrying capability, the Grand C4 SpaceTourer is also one of the prettier MPVs with some stylish design elements, and it's a very comfortable driving and passenger experience, too. Practicality levels are sky high with loads of storage spaces, and the seats fold down in myriad combination.

On top of that it's available with a range of fuel-efficient engines, of which we reckon the diesels are the pick of the bunch. Various trim levels give you the option of the essentials or luxuries like active cruise control and a glass roof.

With exceptional comfort and a huge amount of practicality, the Land Rover Discovery is one of the best family cars on the market. It can carry literally loads of children - with top tether anchor points across all three rows of seats, and up to five ISOFIX mountings.

It’s also a very safe choice, with eight airbags as standard and a number of driving aids to prevent you from being in a crash in the first place (including an emergency braking system which can automatically apply the brakes if required). It scored five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests.

What’s the catch? That’ll be the start price in excess of £48,000. But you can get a two-year-old example on heycar for as little as £32,000.

The Mercedes-Benz GLE is what was formerly known as the M-Class. It’s a classy rival to cars like the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90, with a luxurious interior capable of carrying up to seven passengers.

The rear-most seats on seven-seat models are a bit snug for adults, but kids will find them comfortable enough (and enjoy the novelty of effectively sitting in the boot). There are three ISOFIX points, so fitting child seats for younger children should be a piece of cake.

Of course, the Mercedes-Benz GLE is loaded with all the safety technology you’d expect from a premium SUV. This includes automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and blind-spot monitoring - as well as a bonnet that pop ups to help protect pedestrians in a collision.

Too many people overlook the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport when looking for a new car. It might not be a fashionable choice, but the latest model represents excellent value for money.

It’s also very spacious - which is useful if you’ve got a family to transport. There are three ISOFIX points across the rear seats, while the boot is capable of lugging up to 490 litres of luggage. If you need even more room, the Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer can accommodate up to 560 litres of stuff.

There are also loads of safety features to put your mind at rest, too. Autonomous emergency braking is standard, while Euro NCAP awarded the Insignia Grand Sport a maximum five star safety rating in its crash tests.