Best used family cars under $50,000, according to Drive

Choosing the next set of wheels to ferry the family can be a tough choice, but Drive has driven all the fresh metal available in Australia to make that selection a little easier.

Some of us have children, some of us have cats, and some of us just need space for a partner and the things we buy online.

Here are the Drive team's choices found on Drive Marketplace for less than $50,000.

I was going to say Tesla Model 3, BUT then I saw my dream used car...this 2023 Kia EV6 GT-Line.

My next family car will undoubtedly be electric, and this has long been on my wishlist, but buying new is just too damn expensive. Remember when the EV6 was early $60K and not $70K?!

It drives beautifully, has lots of space, premium features, Kia 7-year warranty, five-star ANCAP...all the stuff I need really. The driving range, even in pre-facelift spec, is enough for me since we'd be using it as our daily and not road trip car most of the time, and fast charging is always a plus. It would be great if it had V2G, but it doesn't; you can't have it all.

I quite like it in Aurora Black Pearl too.

For something to ferry the family around in comfort and style, not a whole lot matches the Lexus NX.

No, it's not the hybrid version, but the 2.5-litre still serves up a decent 152kW/243Nm that feels plenty peppy around town for the school run and back.

As a family car, safety is a must, and with a strong five-star ANCAP rating with exceptional performance in adult and child occupant protections tests.

I'm cheating a bit, but given that my family only consists of two people, I think I can interpret these rules creatively. 

So I'm having this GR86 GTS manual. It'd be about perfect for a couple without children who want something fun for the weekend.

So we all have different ideas of what represents a great family vehicle for $50K. This is mine!

Bigger families will appreciate the SUVs chosen by my colleagues, but if a sedan fits your lifestyle, you can just snag a current-shape Tesla Model 3 under the price cap.

It's decently roomy inside, the boot is deceptively big, the technology suite is great, and as this is the updated model launched at the end of 2023, it will ride as well as it handles.

Ultra Red on 19-inch wheels is the spec to have, too, and this one has modest kilometres on the clock – though there's not a huge amount of warranty left, as it wasn't very long to begin with.

I’ll hold my hand up and admit that I went down this rabbit hole three years ago, and I had a very specific, slightly old-school checklist. 

First up I wanted a diesel and all-wheel-drive, because I did long kilometres on the daily, and we also have a small camper that we haul on soft-road adventures. 

I also wanted a proper torque converter automatic, and enough space for two growing kids and gear but compact enough to park without needing its own postcode.

I chose the Kia Sportage, and stepped up to the sweet GT line for extras like the mega moon-roof and luxo interior. I would choose it again today; I even prefer the pre-facelifted NQ5 design.

PS. I still have it. His name is Kia-nu.

I'm a middle-aged executive, so why not choose a middle-aged executive car as family transport?

This white 2023 BMW 530d (LCI) has nearly two-years left on warranty, is well featured and still a very stylish machine, plus that 3.0-litre six is a sweet, sweet engine.

With close to 92k km on the clock, there are no points for guessing who its previous owner was.

It has no doubt been driven, but has very likely been well serviced (at taxpayer expense). Plus, you never know what you'll find stuck down the back of the seats...

Family Cars Guide

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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