2011 (11) Hyundai ix35

The iX35, like the entire Hyundai range, has been steadily growing in popularity since its introduction to the Irish market. It is a good-looking car with its curvaceous styling turning heads away from many of its European rivals. It is packed full of premium features and is a comfortable place to be thanks to the acres of space it offers passengers. Importantly for a family car, it is packed full of safety features such as six airbags, ESP stability control and active head restraints. The boot is veritably cavernous at over 580 litres, despite holding a full-size spare wheel underneath. Like all Hyundais, the dash layout is ergonomically excellent and feels of a higher quality than you would expect. If offers a comfortable, relaxing drive with the 1.7 litre diesel being the most popular engine variant thanks to its fine mix of performance and economy.