A HUGELY popular little hatchback has been crowned the best used car for families for 2025 – beating a host of other favourites.
The evergreen Volkswagen Polo has taken the plaudits for the year ahead of more obvious contenders from Skoda, Audi and Volvo.
Experts at Carwow praised the Polo for its surprisingly spacious cabin, premium feel and modern tech, while also claiming it’s more comfortable than its key rival, the Ford Fiesta.
What’s more, the long-standing motor – which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year – is also cheap to run, making it highly attractive for family drivers on a budget.
Inside, the newest Polo boasts 351 litres of boot space with the rear seats up, which can be stretched to 1,125 and 1,380 litres when folded.
Indeed, Carwow describes the cabin as feeling “decidedly posh” for a supermini, to the extent that it can be seen as a decent alternative to his bigger sibling, the Golf.
While new Polo models start at just over £20,000, used examples can be found for around £7,500.
A wide engine range is available for the model as well, with entry-level Polos boasting 1.0 MPI, to a turbocharged 2.0 TSI.
The Carwow experts added: “Despite its ‘small car’ tag, the Volkswagen Polo is actually very roomy.
“For passengers in the rear, leg- and headroom are about the same as what you would expect from the larger VW Golf, exceeding the spaciousness of such alternatives as the Vauxhall Corsa.”
This comes as Carwow picked the Chery Tiggo 8 as their main run Car of the Year – a new model released in the UK this year with seven seats that oozes versatility.
Loved for its level of tech and outstanding value, the Tiggo 8 is a hybrid that pairs a 1.5‑litre petrol engine with an electric motor for 201bhp.
It claims up to 56 miles of EV range from an 18.4kWh battery and up to 765 miles using both power sources.
Standard kit includes a dual screen, panoramic sunroof and adaptive cruise control.
With prices from £28,545 to £36,545, it undercuts the Skoda Kodiaq by around £5,500 – leading Carwow’s Mat Watson to call it “almost too good to be true”.
Carwow’s end‑of‑year awards, compiled by its reviewing team to highlight the best models arriving in 2025, also named fellow Chinese marque Jaecoo as Brand of the Year, noting its rapid impact since entering the UK market – which includes the Range Rover-mimicking Jaecoo 7.
