Best family electric cars, ranked by boot and back seat space

Looking for the best electric car for families? We've ranked seven of the top family EVs on the number that decides whether the weekly shop fits alongside the pushchair: boot space. Because we all know when kids enter the equation, storage space = life. 

• Biggest boot: Tesla Model Y, 854 litres with the seats up and 2,138 litres with them down
• Best back seat: Škoda Elroq, with three ISOFIX points and the most rear legroom here
• Safest for children, based on testing: Tesla Model Y and Leapmotor B10, both scoring 93% for child occupant protection at Euro NCAP
• Longest real-world range: Škoda Elroq 85, at 281 miles
• Biggest front boot: Changan Deepal S05 at 159 litres
• None of these seven take three ISOFIX child seats across the back seat

We ranked these family electric SUVs based on boot space with the rear seats up, biggest first. It's the one number you can check for yourself, and it's the one that decides your Tuesday.

We’ve also noted the seats-down litres, because the order changes once you fold the back seats flat. 

The Leapmotor B10 is fifth on boot space and second on maximum load space, which it could be easy to miss. Back seat space and safety scores are covered on every car, but they don't move the ranking.

Every range figure here is real-world range, not the official WLTP lab number. Lab figures come from conditions you'll never drive in. You plan the school run around the real range figure.

All seven are SUVs, and that's no coincidence. It's where the boot space is. Boot and ISOFIX figures come from the EV Database, safety scores from Euro NCAP.

The Model Y holds 854 litres with the seats up and 2,138 litres with them down, plus another 117 litres under the bonnet. That front boot is where the charging cable lives, instead of on top of the pushchair.

The back seat is nearly 2 metres across, the widest in this list, with ISOFIX on the two outer rear seats. The rear seats fold electrically from a button in the boot, which you'll appreciate the first time you're holding a baby in one arm and a bag of compost in the other.

Best for: families who've simply run out of boot space.

Real-world range is 270 miles. Euro NCAP awarded it 5 stars in 2025, with 93% for child occupant protection, the joint-best score here. It's also the priciest car on this list. The space is the reason.

See the Tesla Model Y

The Deepal S05 holds 492 litres with the seats up, 12 litres more than the JAECOO E5. That's enough to take it straight to second. Under the bonnet there's another 159 litres, the biggest front boot on this list. It's big enough for the charging cables and the muddy wellies, so they stay away from the pushchair.

Fold the seats and you get 1,250 litres. That's less than the Leapmotor B10 or the Škoda Elroq, so the S05 is better at the weekly load than the trip to IKEA.

The back seat is where it gets interesting. At 1,900mm wide, it's the second-widest car here after the Model Y. Like the Elroq, it has three ISOFIX points: the two outer rear seats plus the front passenger seat. You can switch off the front passenger airbag if you need to fit a rear-facing seat there.

Best for: families who want boot space, back seat space and safety in one car.

Real-world range is 240 miles, third-best here. Euro NCAP gave it 5 stars in 2025. It scored 94% for adult occupant protection, the best adult score on this list, and 87% for child occupant protection. If you haven't heard of Changan, those are the numbers to look at.

See the Changan Deepal S05

200mm shorter at 4,380mm. If you park on a tight driveway or squeeze into a multi-storey, that matters more than it sounds.

Best for: a big boot on a small driveway.

Fold the seats and you get 1,180 litres, so it suits the everyday load better than a trip to the tip.

ISOFIX sits on the two outer rear seats and real-world range is 200 miles. Euro NCAP hasn't tested the JAECOO E5 yet, so there's no rating to quote.

Watch our JAECOO E5 review.

See the JAECOO E5

Ten litres behind the JAECOO on boot space, the Elroq wins everything that happens in front of the boot. It's the only car here with three ISOFIX points: the two outer rear seats, plus the front passenger seat.

At 1,884mm wide with generous rear legroom, it's the one your teenagers won't complain about. There's 1,580 litres with the seats down and a 21-litre space under the bonnet.

Best for: the back seat, and the longest trips.

The Elroq 85 Edition does 281 miles in the real world, the longest range here. The Elroq 60 Edition manages 215 miles, so check which version you're looking at. Euro NCAP gave it 5 stars in 2025, with 87% for child occupant protection.

See the Škoda Elroq

At 4,395mm long, this is one of the smallest cars here, yet it swallows 460 litres and stretches to 1,600 litres with the seats down. That's more maximum space than the Elroq.

One thing to be clear about. The petrol and hybrid C3 Aircross comes with seven seats. The electric ë-C3 Aircross doesn't. It's a five-seater only, so if you need a third row this isn't the car.

ISOFIX sits on the two outer rear seats, and at 1,795mm it's the narrowest car here, so three across the back is a squeeze rather than a plan.

Best for: the most boot for the least money.

Real-world range is 180 miles, the shortest here. For local driving and the odd motorway run that's plenty. For a weekly 150-mile commute it isn't. Euro NCAP hasn't tested it yet.

See the Citroën ë-C3 Aircross

Fifth on boot space, second on everything else once those seats go flat. 430 litres with them up, 1,700 litres with them down, which beats every car here except the Model Y. Flat-pack furniture, bikes, a dog crate: this is the one.

Best for: anyone who folds the seats down.

Then there's the safety score. Euro NCAP gave the B10 5 stars in 2025, with 93% for child occupant protection and 93% for adults. If you've not heard of Leapmotor, that's the number to look at.

ISOFIX sits on the two outer rear seats and real-world range is 220 miles.

Give our Leapmotor B10 YouTube review a watch.

See the Leapmotor B10

380 litres with the seats up and 1,075 litres with them down puts the OMODA E5 last on both measures. Be honest about what you pack. It's enough for a family of four with one child seat and a full shop. It may not be enough for a fortnight in Cornwall with a dog.

Best for: a family of four who want range more than litres.

It gives you 228 miles of real-world range, fourth in this list, from a proper five-seat SUV rather than a stretched supermini. 

ISOFIX sits on the two outer rear seats, and Euro NCAP gave it 5 stars back in 2024, with 87% for child occupant protection.

Watch for our full lowdown on the OMODA E5.

See the OMODA E5

None of these cars have three ISOFIX points across the back seats. They all have two ISOFIX points, on the outer rear seats. The Changan Deepal S05 and the Škoda Elroq both have a third ISOFIX point, but it’s on the front passenger seat. If you fit a rear-facing seat there, you must switch off the front airbag first, as GOV.UK sets out.

Fitting three car seats across is usually a question of width rather than anchor points. A belt-fitted seat in the middle can work in the wider cars, and the Model Y gives you the best chance of it. Check your own seat against the manufacturer's compatibility list before you order, because seats vary enormously in width.

By UK guidance, children normally need a child car seat until they're 12 or 135cm tall, whichever comes first.

All seven are five-seaters, so on paper the answer is yes. In practice it depends on who's sitting in the middle.

Width decides it. The Model Y at 1,982mm and the Elroq at 1,884mm make three across the back workable. The ë-C3 Aircross at 1,795mm is a tighter squeeze, fine for shorter journeys rather than a four-hour drive. The good news is that a fifth passenger barely touches your boot. None of these seat a sixth or seventh, though.

Five of these EVs have a 5-star Euro NCAP rating. The two highest child occupant scores, both 93%, belong to the Tesla Model Y and the Leapmotor B10.

The JAECOO E5 and the Citroën ë-C3 Aircross haven't been tested yet, which isn't the same as failing. Scores from different years aren't directly comparable, because Euro NCAP tightens its standards over time, so the OMODA's 2024 result was earned against an easier bar. And a rating reflects one set of crash tests, not a promise about every accident.

Less than you think, probably. Most family driving is short: the school run, the commute, the supermarket and back.

If you drive 20 miles a day and take three or four 200-mile journeys a year, the 180-mile Citroën ë-C3 Aircross copes with one stop on the long runs. If you're doing 120 miles a day, look at the 281-mile Škoda Elroq.

Worrying about running out of charge is normal when you've driven petrol or diesel your whole life. It often fades once charging at home overnight becomes something you stop thinking about, or you see how easy it is to charge while the kids grab the snacks at a service station.

There are two key ways to get a cheaper electric car for your family. 

Entry level models: The Citroën ë-C3 Aircross gives you the most boot space for the least money here, and the OMODA E5 and JAECOO E5 sit at the affordable end too.

Used electric cars: Plenty of people don't realise it's an option, particularly when they’re looking to lease. Our approved used EVs are used cars that have been refurbished and thoroughly checked. They'll often get you into a bigger car for a similar, or cheaper, monthly figure. Stock changes constantly and each car is one of a kind, so check back often.

Here's where comparing EV leasing deals based on the monthly figure alone can mislead you.

An Octopus EV lease includes the car, road tax, MOT, and servicing in one monthly payment, with no admin, broker or delivery fees. So when a quote elsewhere looks cheaper, check what it leaves you to pay for separately.

You can also add a home charger (discounted on most cars, and completely free on others, depending on the model). Plus you’ll get access to an exclusively discounted home charging tariff from Octopus Energy. EV Saver makes overnight charging cheaper than topping up during the day.

There are two ways to get one of these cars from us. 

1. Personal EV leasing is the straightforward route that’s open to anyone.
2. Salary sacrifice is available if your employer runs a scheme, and it takes the cost from your pre-tax salary, which usually reduces the hit to your take-home pay.
3. Across both of these options, approved used is the cheaper entry point.

It depends on what you're carrying. For sheer boot space, the Tesla Model Y leads with 854 litres. For the back seat, the Škoda Elroq wins on ISOFIX points and legroom. For maximum load space with the seats folded, the Leapmotor B10 gives you 1,700 litres from a much smaller car.

None of the six here take three ISOFIX seats across the back. All have two ISOFIX points on the outer rear seats. The Škoda Elroq adds a third on the front passenger seat, where the airbag must be switched off for a rear-facing seat. A belt-fitted car seat in the middle can work in wider cars.

The Citroën ë-C3 Aircross is the most affordable new car on this list, and it offers 460 litres of boot space. Approved used electric cars are usually cheaper still, and can get you into a larger family car for a similar monthly figure. Stock changes constantly, so check back often.

Almost all new electric cars sold in the UK have ISOFIX on the two outer rear seats, and every car on this list does. Some add a point on the front passenger seat. Check the specific model, because the number and position of ISOFIX anchor points varies between cars and sometimes between trim levels.

For most families, yes. Daily driving is usually short, so 200 miles covers several days of school runs and commuting on a single charge, and handles a 200-mile trip with one stop on the way. If you regularly drive over 100 miles a day, look for 250 miles or more.

Yes, though none of the six cars here seat seven. Watch out for the Citroën C3 Aircross, which offers seven seats in petrol and hybrid form but only five in the electric ë-C3 Aircross. Larger seven-seat electric cars exist, and they cost considerably more.