Family car champs

Surprised by the winner of the family car class? Don’t be. The Nissan Qashqai is not only a superbly versatile five-door, it also represents excellent value for money – and this hasn’t escaped the attention of bargain-hunting second-hand car buyers.

For the purposes of finding the ultimate depreciation champions, we have merged our usual compact and full-sized family car classes into one. And this niche model – which serves up the styling of an off-roader in a package similar in size to most hatchbacks – has taken the overall crown.

Buyers of any family car need to be more aware than most about the hidden cost of depreciation. A combination of oversupply from manufacturers and slow demand on second-hand forecourts has left many conventional models in this class with amazingly low price stickers – and that means anyone who bought new is likely to have suffered some big losses.

While the Qashqai’s residual value has dropped below 50 per cent, a figure of 49.1 per cent is unbeatable in the family car sector. The 1.6-litre petrol-powered Visia model is keenly priced at £14,495, and buyers can expect it to be worth around half that figure after three years and 30,000 miles.

Do the maths and the practical Nissan works out at £2,440 per year or 24 pence per mile. As it makes do with only 113bhp, the smooth 1.6-litre powerplant is no match for Nissan’s larger 2.0-litre petrol and diesel units, but this model is
still exceptional value for money. Fuel economy of 42.2mpg is excellent considering the model’s raised ride height, while a 0-62mph sprint time of exactly 12 seconds is sufficient for the model to keep pace with everyday traffic. But the Qashqai’s biggest attraction is its amazing resistance to depreciation – no other family car is a safer place for your money.

TOP 5 FAMILY CAR CHAMPS
1. Nissan Qashqai - 1.6 Visia - 49.5 per cent
2. Volkswagen Golf - 1.6 TDI S 5dr - 48.4 per cent
3. Honda Civic - SE 1.4 i-VTEC 5dr - 45.5 per cent
4. Mazda 3 - TS 1.6D - 43.5 per cent
5. SEAT Leon - SE 2.0 TDI 140 - 41.7 per cent

TOP BUY: Nissan Qashqai 1.6 Visia

Sector: Family car

Price: £14,495

Residual after 3yrs/30,000 miles: £7,175/49.5 per cent

Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 113bhp

Economy/CO2: 42.2mpg/159g/km