The Best Family Petrol Car award represents the very best of family-friendly petrol-powered models launched in the past 12 months.
The number of new petrol models entering the UK market has been gradually shrinking year-on-year, but 2025 saw several new arrivals that caught the attention of buyers interested only in combustion engines.
This category includes a handful of models marketed as ‘hybrids’ by their manufacturers, but they aren’t full-fat hybrids. In truth, they are mild-hybrids – petrol cars with a small battery that slightly boosts fuel efficiency.
Every car included here is powered predominantly by petrol, though some are also available as petrol-electric hybrid or plug-in hybrids too. The eligible cars this year were:
Best new family petrol car: Citroën C5 Aircross
The all-new Citroën C5 Aircross is an ideal family car for the half of all UK households who are not yet ready to make the jump into an EV.
Powered by a petrol engine with mild-hybrid support, the C5 Aircross delivers strong fuel economy at an affordable price. It’s also comfortable, spacious and comes loaded with kit in a way that makes some rivals look stingy.
There’s a big focus on comfort, providing a relaxing drive that seems perfectly designed for family road trips. And all this comes at a very competitive price, meaning you can enjoy driving the C5 Aircross even more.
The Car Expert Awards 2026 – all the category winners
