Best sub-$45K used family car recommendations from the Drive team

Even with a recent interest rate cut, financial pressures are still present – especially for families that have to juggle groceries, nappies, school fees, and more.

So, what happens when a new family addition comes along, or your existing set of wheels just becomes old and too expensive to keep on the road?

Well, you could shop new, but with car prices on the rise – especially with the proliferation of hybrid and electric technologies – a smarter option might be to look into the second-hand market.

With Drive's Nused marketplace – or near-new used cars still under warranty – it somewhat takes the guesswork out of reliability, and frees up brain space for more important things for families, like what's for dinner or when was the last nappy change.

Here are the Drive team's picks for the best Nused family cars for less than $45,000.

I've gone for the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, which launched in Australia in mid-2024 as a very good alternative to the buyer-favourite Toyota RAV4.

While the most affordable new 2025 model starts from $46,990 drive-away – just above the $45,000 limit – there were several near-new 2024 examples listed on Drive Marketplace at the time of writing for less than $45,000 with no more than 5000km on their odometers.  

The Tucson Hybrid was my 'hit' of 2024 with its fuel-sipping powertrain, big boot, and up-to-date technology. 

For those looking for something with a little more fun, albeit with a compromise on practicality and fuel efficiency over the Tucson Hybrid, Nused examples of the 2.5-litre turbo Mazda CX-5 GT SP and Akera from 2022 and 2023 are also worthy contenders for the 'under $45,000 family car' list.

It's the driver's car pick over the Tucson – or, if an SUV isn't your style, the related Mazda 6 GT SP and Atenza wagon.

If the metric for 'best family car' is how much space it has on the inside, the Kia Carnival is easily the clear choice here.

I know my colleagues will suggest SUVs and wagons, but come on, the Carnival is essentially a van with seats in it, what could be better for family living?

What separates the Carnival from other choices is the rear sliding doors, which makes it a breeze for your kids to clamber in and out of – even in a tight car space.

The pre-facelift version of the current Carnival can be had for less than $45K, with choices for petrol or diesel powertrains, styling that still looks damn good, and there should still be plenty of life left in Kia's long seven-year factory warranty.

A Toyota RAV4 Hybrid was my first choice here for a 'low-risk' Nused family car buy, but examples a few years old with low kilometres are still close to new ones on price – so I've gone with a Subaru Forester.

It's not the best family SUV money can buy in terms of fuel use, technology or performance, but it's a solid all-rounder backed by the confidence of Subaru's generally-good reputation for reliability.

That $45,000 budget will cover a 2023-plate, top-of-the-range 2.5i-S variant with less than 10,000km on the clock, plenty of equipment, a spacious cabin, and a comfortable, easy-going drive.

Mine would be the pre-update Hyundai Sonata in the current generation.

Having owned one previously, it is an excellent family car with plenty of space in the back, even though it's not a wagon or an SUV.

The boot is actually massive enough to take on board any of the stuff that you or your family is going to want to bring along.

It might be annoying to fit car seats in a sedan, but as a family car, once they are in, they will stay in.

Having been the owner of four different SUVs, I wish I had considered a wagon.

I don't have kids, but having three dogs, I can foresee it being easier to load a wagon when going away. If the car is full and you need to load the roof (which I often do) a wagon HAS to be easier, right?

Take note, I am also a short person so the height of a wagon sounds easier for me. It may not be the same for you, so don't tag me in the comments.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the current-generation Tucson when it first came out, but after a few years on the market, the design has really grown on me.

It looks sporty, especially with the N Line pack equipped, and really stands out from the sea of 'samey' mid-size SUVs like the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail.

The appointments are also top-notch, and there is plenty of space for families of four.

The Mitsubishi Outlander, I think, is the best-looking family car on the market right now.

It's the right shape and size to do everything you would want to do as a family, with enough space inside to not only fit kids, but also pack in gear for a weekend camping trip.

Although you can't get into a plug-in hybrid version of the current-generation Outlander at this price point, the 2.5-litre petrol engine is still peppy and surprisingly frugal.

You can also get the Outlander with all-wheel drive, meaning sure-footedness for adventurous families.

I would get a 2022 Volkswagen Passat wagon, solely based on the fact it's available with a large panoramic sunroof – it's a beautiful feature.

It's very spacious inside, and it's a wagon, so it has plenty of space for prams, portacots, nappy bags, and more.

The Passat has an elegant, upmarket design, too, so you don't feel like you're settling for a boring grocery getter.

Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.

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