We understand that not every family has the need — or the budget — for a 3-row family car. If you read our 12 Best Family Cars story, you saw our recommendations of 2- and 3-row SUVs, as well as our minivan picks, that provide versatile transportation for many families.
But what about the best vehicles for smaller households, for those who want the latest safety and tech but don’t want to spend too much money? We hear you. Even though the prices of cars are higher than they used to be, there are plenty of bargains to be found.
In fact, we’ve found 10 great vehicles for families with a starting price under $25,000 (not including destination). These have interiors that are easy to reconfigure, offer generous cargo space for their size, and earn excellent safety ratings.
Here are this year’s 10 Best Family Cars Under $25,000 for 2023. And if you use Kelley Blue Book’s Fair Purchase Price tool, you may be able to save even more money.
1. 2023 Kia Seltos
Starting Price: $23,340
The Kia Seltos has threepeated as Kelley Blue Book’s Subcompact SUV Best Buy Award winner. Not only does it offer a lot of value at a low starting price, but there’s a lot more cargo room than you would expect in a subcompact SUV. There’s 26.6 cubic feet of space behind the back seat, which you can boost to 62.8 cubic feet by folding down the rear seats. Another surprise: rear-seat legroom doesn’t suffer to allow for cargo in back. Second-row passengers have a relatively spacious 38.0 inches of legroom.
The Seltos, an IIHS Top Safety Pick, comes standard with Kia’s Drive Wise suite of safety tech. It includes forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and lane-following assist. In addition, the S comes standard with Blindspot Collision Avoidance and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance. An 8-inch infotainment system and smartphone connectivity are also standard. The Seltos can go up to 409 miles on a tank of gas, and fuel economy is as good as 35 mpg on the highway. See Kia Seltos models for sale near you
2. 2023 Subaru Crosstrek
Starting Price: $23,645
The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek is another great value. For its $23,645 price, you get a vehicle that is great for taking your family on outdoor adventures. It comes standard with all-wheel drive and 8.7 inches of ground clearance. And if you prefer an automatic (CVT) transmission to a manual, you can opt for it and stay under $25,000.
Not only is the vehicle well prepared for the woods, but its StarTex water-repellent upholstery makes cleanup easy, whether you were at the beach or took the doggo to the park. The Crosstrek is roomy, too, with more than 100 cubic feet of space for people and 20.8 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row. Maximum cargo volume is 55.3 cubic feet with the seats folded.
While the Crosstrek is available with two engines, plus the choice of a plug-in hybrid (if you can still find one), the base engine is the one you can get in this price range. It isn’t the fastest one in its segment, but its fuel economy is very good. With the CVT automatic, you get 33 mpg on the highway and a range of nearly 500 miles. These numbers are especially impressive, considering this is an AWD-only SUV. And if you choose the automatic transmission, this Subaru comes standard with the EyeSight suite of safety features. The Crosstrek is an IIHS Top Safety Pick and boasts excellent resale value. See Subaru Crosstrek models for sale near you
3. 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross
Starting Price: $23,610
The Toyota Corolla Cross has the practicality of the venerable Corolla — plus a higher seating position, available all-wheel drive (AWD), and a lot more cargo space. Also, like the Corolla, the Corolla Cross is backed by Toyota’s legendary reputation for reliability and safety.
Every Corolla Cross comes with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. This suite includes pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and assist, and adaptive cruise control. It’s an IIHS TSP+ (rated in 2022).
With more than 88 cubic feet of passenger space, 32 inches of rear-seat legroom, and 25.5 cubic feet of space behind the second row, the Corolla Cross makes great use of space.
Fuel economy is as good as 33 mpg with front-wheel drive (FWD). Unfortunately, the Hybrid isn’t available under $25,000. See Toyota Corolla Cross models for sale near you
4. 2023 Honda HR-V
Starting Price: $23,800
The Honda HR-V is all-new for 2023. It’s larger, more refined, and uses a more powerful engine. That larger footprint means there is 98.7 cubic feet of room for passengers, with 37.7 inches of legroom in the second row. There’s 24.4 cubic feet of cargo behind the second row, which expands to 55.1 when the rear seats are folded.
As you would expect from a Honda SUV, the HR-V comes with a wide range of standard features with an emphasis on safety. The LX, the only trim level that falls within a $25,000 price range, includes the Honda Sensing suite of safety features. That comes with driver aids like lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. The HR-V is an IIHS TSP+ for 2023. See Honda HR-V models for sale near you
5. 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Starting Price: $22,100
If you are looking for good storage space at a low price, the 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer is a great choice. You can fit 25.3 cubic feet of stuff behind the second row, which expands to 54.4 when the second row is folded. Even with that, there is 39.4 inches of legroom in the second row. Fuel economy is as good as 33 mpg on the highway.
Every Trailblazer comes with the Chevy Safety Assist system, which includes forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist with lane-departure warning, and a rear-seat reminder. Also standard is Chevrolet’s Teen Driver safety suite. The Trailblazer is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. See Chevrolet Trailblazer models for sale near you
6. 2023 Volkswagen Taos
Starting Price: $24,155
Slotting in below the Tiguan, the Volkswagen Taos is the company’s subcompact SUV. It shares its attractive looks with the rest of the VW SUV line. Its fuel-efficient engine gives the Taos 409 miles of range, and fuel economy up to 36 mpg on the highway.
Of all the vehicles on this list, the Taos has the best combination of rear-seat legroom and cargo space behind the second row. With 99.5 cubic feet of passenger space, 37.9 inches of rear-seat legroom, and 27.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats (in FWD models), this is the one to choose for the most useful all-around interior room. And that cargo can expand to 65.9 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded.
Our budget affords the FWD S. That comes with safety features like forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian monitoring. It also has blind spot monitoring and VW’s Digital Cockpit. The S is available with AWD, but that addition puts it over $25,000. It received four Good and two Acceptable ratings from the IIHS. See Volkswagen Taos models for sale near you
7. 2023 Mazda CX-30
Starting Price: $22,950
Buying a family car does not mean you have to say goodbye to fun. In fact, Mazda has two terrific sub-$25,000 family car choices. There’s the CX-30 subcompact SUV and the Mazda3 hatchback. They are both on the same terrific platform, both have similar cargo volume, and both are IIHS Top Safety Picks.
While they are both good choices, we landed on the CX-30 side of the fence. The CX-30 comes standard with all-wheel drive. To get AWD in the Mazda3 Hatchback, it’ll run $29,600 for the Carbon Edition, and AWD is an option. The CX-30 also has added ride height and ground clearance. The Hatchback has its own advantages, with better handling and better fuel economy, thanks to front-wheel drive.
Features like adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beams are standard with the CX-30 and the Mazda3. See Mazda CX-30 models for sale near you
8. 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback
Starting Price: $24,750
The Honda Civic Hatchback is a great way to combine your love of family with your love of cars. All-new last year, the Hatchback has more cargo space than the Civic sedan. With the 5-passenger, 5-door Civic, you get about 25 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up, and considerably more with the second row down. That’s plenty of space for supplies from the local big box store.
The Civic has fuel economy as high as 39 mpg, with more than 430 miles of range on a single tank. The Civic is an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and the Honda Sensing suite of safety features comes standard. This includes collision mitigation braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, road departure mitigation, and automatic high beams. See Honda Civic models for sale near you
9. 2023 Kia Soul
Starting Price: $19,890
Is the Kia Soul a hatchback? Is it an SUV? It depends on who you ask. However you see it, the Soul is an affordable, fuel-efficient way to carry people and their items to birthday parties, soccer games, and more.
That appealing boxy styling creates a cabin that’s great for tall passengers while allowing for terrific cargo space. With all the seats upright, you’ll have 24.2 cubic feet of space where you can store your gear. Fold down that second row, and cargo volume goes up to 62.1 cubic feet, which is more than you’ll get in some subcompact SUVs.
The Soul’s starting price is so low that you can work your way high up the trim ladder and get plenty of great features — all while staying under $25,000. The Kia Soul EX gets you forward collision avoidance, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist, and much more. The Soul received a Good rating from the IIHS. See Kia Soul models for sale near you
10. 2023 Hyundai Kona
Starting Price: $22,140
With a small footprint and a frugal engine, the Hyundai Kona is a great choice for any small family that lives in the city. This subcompact is a past Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award winner, with a versatile interior and plenty of features for the money.
Last year’s update included refreshed styling with more cargo space and rear-seat legroom. There’s 45.8 cubic feet of room behind the front seats and 113 cubic feet of total volume in the cabin.
Every Kona comes standard with forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, and a driver attention monitor. More active safety features are available on higher trim levels. In fact, you can get into the well-equipped SEL for less than $25,000.
The fuel-efficient Kona nets fuel economy as high as 35 mpg in the gas-powered models and up to 134 MPGe in the Kona Electric. It also has a terrific warranty and a full roster of standard tech and convenience, all for an affordable price. It received a Good rating from IIHS. See Hyundai Kona models for sale near you
10 Best Family Cars Under $25,000
- 2023 Kia Seltos
- 2023 Subaru Crosstrek
- 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross
- 2023 Honda HR-V
- 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer
- 2023 Volkswagen Taos
- 2023 Mazda CX-30
- 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback
- 2023 Kia Soul
- 2023 Hyundai Kona
