The seven-seater VW people carrier scored the highest marks among its owners in TheBabyWebsite's study of 33 popular vehicles.

It came top in six out of the ten categories including practicality, comfort on long journeys, space for buggies, ease of getting kids in and out and value for money.

In our poll of 3,500 Mums some of the other cars rated highly include the Volvo XC90, which appeared in seven of the 10 categories, and the Toyota Avensis which also appeared in the top five seven times.

The Land Rover Discovery topped two categories for being the best for spaciousness, and best for available leg room behind the front seats.

Family Matters

Mums know how important it is to have a car which is both practical and reliable. Gone are the days where they buy cars for the sexy appearance, speed and agility. Mums are much more concerned that the car is big enough and practical enough for them to ferry the children around without hassle.

Mums want the children to have enough leg room in the back of the car to stop them from whinging on long journeys. They want to be able to throw a pushchair into the boot without having to break it down into ten pieces first! They want to be able to do a food shop to feed the five thousand, and fit it all in the boot alongside the buggy and travel bags, without having to put bags in foot-wells and on seats.

3500 Mums were asked to rate their cars by comfort on long journeys, fitting the buggy into the boot, ease of loading shopping into the boot and practicality. They were also asked to consider attractiveness, getting children in and out, leg room, spaciousness, drive and value for money.

The Mercedes-Benz topped the list for being the most attractive car to drive - but other contenders included the Volvo XC90 and the Saab 9-3. The Toyota Avensis was deemed the best 'drive' overall, but was closely followed by the Saab 9-3.

One of the cheapest cars in the list of 33 - the Skoda Octavia - was considered particularly good for its space and comfort. It also came third in the list of best value for money - a new model costs as little as £11,540.

Nine out of 10 Volkswagen Touran drivers would definitely buy the same car again - whilst 86 per cent say they bought the car specifically to suit the needs of their growing family. But 80 per cent of mums admit they would probably choose a sexier car if they didn't have children.

See the results below...

14 July 2009

Read some family car reviews here

TOP 5 FOR 'COMFORT ON LONG JOURNEYS'
1. Volkswagen Touran
2. Volvo XC90
3. Land Rover Discovery
4. Skoda Octavia
5. Nissan X Trail

TOP 5 FOR 'FITTING A BUGGY IN THE BOOT'
1. Volkswagen Touran
2. Vauxhall Zafira
3. Volvo XC90
4. Skoda Octavia
5. Ford Mondeo

TOP 5 FOR 'EASE OF LOADING SHOPPING INTO BOOT'
1. Volkswagen Touran
2. Land Rover Discovery
3. Nissan X-Trail
4. Toyota Avensis
5. Vauxhall Zafira

TOP 5 FOR 'PRACTICALITY'
1. Volkswagen Touran
2. Toyota Avensis
3. Vauxhall Zafira
4. Skoda Octavia
5. Saab 9-3

TOP 5 FOR 'GETTING CHILDREN IN AND OUT OF CAR'
1. Volkswagen Touran
2. Volvo XC90
3. Vauxhall Zafira
4. Toyota Avensis
5. Land Rover Discovery

TOP 5 FOR 'ATTRACTIVENESS'
1. Mercedes-Benz
2. Volvo XC90
3. Saab 9-3
4. Land Rover Discovery
5. Volkswagon Golf

TOP 5 FOR 'DRIVE'
1. Toyota Avensis
2. Saab 9-3
3. Mercedes-Benz
4. Volkswagen Touran
5. Volkswagen Golf

TOP 5 FOR 'LEG ROOM IN THE BACK'
1. Land Rover Discovery
2. Volkswagen Touran
3. Volvo CX90
4. Vauxhall Signum
5. Toyota Avensis

TOP 5 FOR 'SPACIOUSNESS'
1. Land Rover Discovery
2. Volkswagen Touran
3. Volvo XC90
4. Toyota Avensis
5. Nissan X-Trail

TOP 4 FOR 'VALUE FOR MONEY'
1. Volkswagen Touran
2. Toyota Avensis
3. Skoda Octavia
4. Volvo XC90

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