It’s enough to fill anyone with dread. The day-to-day grind of getting your children awake, dressed and then safely to school on time. There are enough challenges in the day with searching for school uniforms, filling lunch boxes or wondering why your beloved child is telling you just as you leave that they’ve forgotten their homework, that the car you drive should not be another one.

Keeping your kids comfy and happy is something we can all strive for in our choice of cars. But the school run adds another dimension. So which cars are best for the daily battle to the school gates? Let’s take a look.

Seat Leon

The school run requires a few things: comfort and safety for your kids, enough size to fit them all in without rubbing elbows, and agility to nip in and out of the traffic. The Seat Leon is a smart hatchback that is an almost ideal small family car.

The best part is the room you have in the back seats. You’ll fit two kids in the back easily, with space for a third if you can’t afford to upgrade to something bigger. It’s also a fun drive, so you won’t feel yourself disengaging on this early morning dashes to the school. (And it will feel even better when you dart away after dropping the kids off!)

Skoda Scala

Skoda make some of the best family cars on the market and the Scala is their latest success. One of the best things about it is the smooth ride. As you’re cruising along you won’t be feeling every bump in the road. It turns smoothly too, allowing you to keep kids content in the back.

It has a lot of space for the rear seats, but that’s not at the expense of boot space which will fit a buggy and some shopping with relatively little hassle. It’s also one of the more affordable models on the market, so won’t break the family holiday budget either.

Audi A3

We all know that this sort of car is marketed at the modern professional. But, and you may want to say it quietly, the Audi A3 is one of the best family cars on the market. That’s because you get the best of both worlds.

It has a spacious enough interior to fit your family in without friction and has a level of interior comfort to match. But it’s how it drives that really makes it a great car. You’ll be attacking corners with relish, and on the school run you’ll take immense pleasure in how you can dart between vehicles. The driving position makes you feel like the boss, even if the kids in the back convince you otherwise.

Ford Focus

We love a great all-rounder here at Creditplus and the Ford Focus might be the best on the market. It has a superb safety rating from Euro NCAP, but that’s not at the expense of the drive quality, which is fun enough for a family hatchback.

Spot the trend here, but the spacious rear seating is ideal for a family. It also comes with a lot of great gear as standard, with the built-in satnav, climate control and DAB radio all welcome additions. Just make sure you play something other than Baby Shark on the Bluetooth every now and then.

Nissan Qashqai

The perennial best family car champion, the Nissan Qashqai changed the very face of family driving with its success. Now you’re more likely to see a crossover SUV than and MPV in the school car park. But does the Qashqai still have what it takes?

The key feature of the Qashqai was the high seating position. You get an excellent view of the road, something you’ll appreciate when you’re manoeuvring a car this size. It also makes it more likely you’ll spot hazards on the road ahead. From cars pulling out to children darting from in between parked cars. Comfort is also a factor here, with the Qashqai’s spacious interior another blessing for settling squabbling kids.