Best family hatchbacks 2023 - our top 7 list from the c-segment class

This is our comprehensive list of the top 7 family hatchbacks on sale right now. We've contained our winners list to cars with combustion or hybrid powertrains, each having been exhaustedly tested by our crack team of road testers to reach a verdict.
This is a new format of video we're trying out, so if you have any suggestions, or want to leave your feedback we'd love to hear it!
To read our full in-depth review of each, make sure to head over to AutoExpress.co.uk
Read more at Auto Express:
Auto Express 10 best hatchbacks: www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-ca...
SUBSCRIBE for more new car reviews and Steve Sutcliffe track tests: aex.ae/2gY9ABE
Would you like to receive the latest car news, reviews, features, pictures and videos in your e-mail inbox three times a week? The Auto Express e-mail newsletter delivers exactly that, it's free and it takes seconds to sign up: aex.ae/2ml5DOf
More Auto Express videos:
Car reviews playlist: aex.ae/2gY4ViX
Track battle playlist: aex.ae/2U8yvdf
Car news playlist: aex.ae/3vyKA8G
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:07 7th
02:06 6th
03:05 5th
04:09 4th
04:58 3rd
05:55 2nd
06:45 Auto Express wildcard
07:40 Our Winner!

[@gavinparry5426]

Had a Focus for 10 yrs. Had the new Civic Advance since May. AutoExpress spot on here. Superb car and 57mpg average over first 1,000 miles

[@gelu8312]

Same here, Focus from 2013. I can't wait to receive my Civic in mid-September.

[@v-gun9735]

Great video, keep it up.

[@TUNAsnAK]

My top three: Mazda 3 Opel Astra Peugeot 308

[@smwatson1512]

308 depreciates like crazy so price difference v Astra erased very quickly. High spec PHEV for ~£25k is absurdly good value.

[@wakomikro]

Hatchbacks are my favorite.

[@oiyou5870]

Sat in the civic the other day and the fit and and finish was brilliant very sold. I could buy one lol, im unsure of its paint quality watched video from the US and disappointing paint is questionable. Does the uk edition have the same issues.

[@GBFeb72]

Get physical reviewers back… bring on Rory

[@supermario2080]

Id agree the honda civic is good my next car lol my current daily car vw golf 1.6 diesel is very reliable and i highly recommend my no 2!

[@masterjejep1386]

Why not making a rank list in all aspect like the comfort rank acceleration rank fuel efficient rank agility rank etc

[@micksmith4951]

Like the format, would happily watch more similar content

[@davidcurtis6186]

I like the new presentation style, and personally have had experience driving the focus, corolla and golf. The screen on the focus is awesome, the corolla is very quiet and comfortable but doesnt feel like your driving a car. The golf is still great to drive in auto(dsg) but its true the infotainment system is terrible. Would love to try a Octavia and Civic, think for the value the Octavia would be my winner.

[@davidcurtis6186]

36.5k for the civic, although i do see that you have to go for the se-l trim with the octavia to get the 1.5 150dsg engine. Much prefer that engine to the 1.0 110, mpg is very similar to be honest.

[@paultasker7788]

​@@davidcurtis6186agree. Something the size of an Octavia might struggle a bit with a 1.0 engine with only 110bhp especially when loaded up.

[@paultasker7788]

I'd put the Leon on this list somewhere. Maybe 3rd?

[@Nidhoggrr]

The golf really annoyed me with some interior and console interface options flat out not being there when all their cheaper competitors give them as standard.

[@catha86]

My dad had a focus for like 10 years and now my cousin has it. Its been running with no big issues for easy 15+ years now. My brother got a kia for 8+ years and it also had 0 issues. For that reasons alone I consider those two brands but I lean more towards Toyota.

[@GK-qc5ry]

What year of make is the Focus?

[@jonathanstone..]

Don't know what ford going to offer first the mondeo the fiesta now the focus. Popular and clear nice drive these keep ford in anyone's top 3 for considerations

[@kienfung3045]

Where is Mazda 3?

[@snbala]

SUV, cool image? Haha no chance. My favourite out of the lot is the Focus, shame they are discontinuing it. Cheap to run, good to drive and alot of kit for the money. Bring hatchbacks back in fashion 👌

[@jonathan102]

Non-car people definitely thinks SUV is the coolest outside of like sports car and supercars.

[@snbala]

@@jonathan102 call a Mokka or Qashqai cool? Even a non car person should see they are hideous.

[@auchen888dolly8]

Ford focus is a great car great job team ❤

[@sammyt3514]

I would much sooner pick a Mazda 3 over any other car on the list except for the Corolla and the Civic.

[@sergiosanmuahahaha]

Same here, not crazy expensive, very good interior, lovely manual transmission and reliable too. Also personally in sedan form, the prettiest of them all

[@bojansalmic9811]

honda civic is great but much tooe xpensive in my country Slovenija. I think the bets is Skoda Octavia Kombi.

[@jonathancollard3710]

Overdub narrative needs to slow down a tad and also get ride of the naff jiggling background music please 🧐

[@JINNY-dl5yk]

Physical buttons > everything else

[@robirator]

no Kia Ceed in the list?

[@jageg462]

Views like a montage that has been generated by AI. The voice is off also. Keep your presenters in the video rather than using AI versions of their voices. Not a fan.

[@Lando-kx6so]

Some of these so called crossovers are hatchbacks if strictly looking at their dimensions. Ford Puma, Vauxhall Mokka, Kia Niro, Kia Stonic, Volvo EX30 & a couple more are all really just hatchbacks by looking at their dimensions

[@sergiosanmuahahaha]

Yeah, had a Kia stonic parked besides my fiat Tipo, and honestly, it's just a hatchback with plastic around the wheels, somehow it looked even more cramped inside than "normal" hatches

[@craig559]

I was watching this video to replace my civic and number 1 is the civic haha

[@brianhume4743]

WHERE IS NICOLA ???

[@zeezay3787]

She would never put an Octavia ahead of a focus 😪😪

[@GarryMcGovern]

I'd take ANY of them over a poxy SUV!

[@928ruf]

Focus (outdated car) ahead of a sexy 308 and the boring to drive Corolla so high in your ranking? Ok to say the Honda is a great car but the engine offer is far too limited…surprised by this strange ranking.

[@gelu8312]

How many engine versions do you still need? The Civic's engine is powerful, has torque from low revs (thanks to the electric motor), is economical and practical, feels like an electric motor...it's there whenever you need it. Those from Honda managed to offer a "3 in 1". The fact that the offer is extremely limited does not diminish the excellent qualities of the car and the engine.

[@928ruf]

@@gelu8312 Ok, not everyone needs to have a pricy hybrid engine with 180+ horsepower. A cheaper mild hybrid gasoline version would be interesting especially for those mostly driving their car on freeways where you will have 0 benefit of having an hybrid car..

[@1Mrhustler]

Where's Nicola?

[@fan2lexus]

The Honda civic is the best in this segment by a very large margin.

[@4u2watch6]

Could not agree more. Only pitfall is that 2.0 lt only. Would jump in it if it was 1.6 or 1.8

[@KrusssH]

Seat Leon is definitely better than the Golf, and better looking.

[@TheCarGuru]

Where's Nicola? Is she gone?

[@asimpleguy9667]

the civic is literally a sedan for its size

[@sergiosanmuahahaha]

Yeah same with the Octavia

[@Sherukka]

Peugeot is my choice!🎉 Golf is one of the worst in class!? How much have they paid to get into this list? Suspension is bad for the civic…

[@tobybushnell]

Honda Civic is a great car. No MG4 on your list though??

[@rogerbourne4377]

Really getting fed up with all this background music which detracts from all these reviews now

[@davidcurtis6186]

Mazda 3 beautiful looking car

[@TheEryk03]

pitty that it's only thing it can offer

[@kienfung3045]

@@TheEryk03 rather a 2liter engine from Mazda, then a 1.nothing with a little turbo. While the fuel consumption is almost the same.

[@kienfung3045]

Mazda 3 in Soul red 👍I have to keep looking when i see one. Really beautiful

[@TheEryk03]

@@kienfung3045 But you can choose 2 l in others.

[@kienfung3045]

@@TheEryk03 an 2L in other cars is immediately more expensive and are mostly the top of the range. While Mazda Only have 2L with 3 power outputs.

[@fergalreidy9669]

like diesels...................will stick with them as long as i can.....................

[@bigboystu1661]

Hate the background music

[@soultanasmaga9661]

Dujdjdid

[@Geometric-Rate]

Not a fan of this new format. It's like a brochure that you can just pic up and read about a car. Theirs is no personality about the format and falls flat. Pay Rory what he is worth if the argument is about money.

[@2011robertw]

The ŠKODA SCALA would be my choice.

[@pcprincipal345]

This is obv. paid review. Octavia 2nd and 308 is the last 😂

[@x3merx3mer]

OCTAVIA!? This competition is for Skoda Scala, not giant Octavia.

[@brianhume4743]

Scala

[@jamesecroucher]

Why’s that then? Scala is from £20,800 and Octavia starts from £23,665 whilst the winning Civic starts at £31,040

[@warrenarmstrong8565]

Not true, the Octavia is a competitor to the Golf and is based on its underpinnings

[@x3merx3mer]

@@warrenarmstrong8565 4.7m vs 4.3m. Nobody sane would choose between these two sizes. Either they don't care for size and look for a big car (Octavia) or they want a small to medium city car (golf class).

[@warrenarmstrong8565]

@@x3merx3mer What are you on about? It has a bigger boot, so what, it's still based on a Golf platform imbecile

[@Lando-kx6so]

Suvs are the worst thing to happen to the auto industry

[@GK-qc5ry]

Agree, big heavy, and damage roads more. Goes against everything the auto industry was doing from 2000-2015. Lighter was always better from a driving perspective.

[@nicks4934]

Awful music. Nice list.

[@mgmarrison]

Very lazy film making from Auto Express in my opinion.

[@brianhume4743]

Total crap 💩

[@rrtind]

Music is awful and super cheesy! If the only choice is to have cheesy music, better to have no music! Replace said awful music with car sounds - would be much better! The AI sounding voice also needs to go! Apart from that, all fine 👍

[@x3merx3mer]

308 easily no1

[@davidcurtis6186]

Ok if you are keeping it until it dies, not so good if you are looking to sell it in 3-4 years