Having a baby can completely change what you need from your car. In fact, more than two-thirds of UK parents say they sold or changed their car after welcoming their first child
From finding room for a car seat and a pram to thinking more carefully about safety, reliability and running costs, becoming a parent can quickly uncover whether the car you already own works for your new family
To find out how much having a baby really changes our relationship with our cars, we surveyed 1,539 UK parents with children under five. We asked them what changed when they became parents, whether they sold or changed their existing car as a result, and what they wish they’d considered before making the switch
We found that 85% of parents said having a baby changed what they needed from their car, with half (50%) saying their needs changed significantly and a further 35% saying they changed somewhat.
And for many, those changing needs ultimately led to a change of car.
68% of parents sold or changed their car after having a baby
Our survey uncovered that having a baby can have a surprisingly big impact on the car sitting on your driveway. More than two-thirds (68%) of parents said they sold or changed their car after having their first child.
And perhaps that’s not surprising when only 15% said the car they already owned suited their new needs. Suddenly needing space for a car seat, pushchair and all the extra gear that comes with a baby can quickly expose where your current car falls short.
Many parents realise this before the baby even arrives. Of those who changed their car, almost a third (30%) made the switch before the birth.
If you’re starting to question whether your current car will still work for your growing family, our free Sell My Car service can help you value your existing vehicle before you start looking for its replacement.
Space, safety and reliability matter most to new parents
A bigger boot might be one of the first things that comes to mind when looking for a family car, but our research shows parents start thinking differently about much more than just space after having a baby.
We asked parents which features became more important to them after welcoming their first child.
Ranked by the percentage of respondents who said each feature became more important after having a baby, here’s what to look for in a family car:
| Rank | Feature | % of survey respondents who felt this became more important after having a child |
| 1 | More space for car seat, pram and gear | 51% |
| 2 | Better safety features | 46% |
| 3 | Reliability | 44% |
| 4 | A car that grows with the family, not just the first baby | 38% |
| 5 | Built-in ISOFIX points | 29% |
| 6/7 | Lower running costs | 23% |
| 6/7 | Parking sensors | 23% |
| 8 | Reversing camera | 22% |
| 9 | More modern/up-to-date features | 19% |
| 10 | Higher driving position | 18% |
| 11 | Hands-free automatic boot | 16% |
While extra space is the biggest consideration for new parents, the results suggest that simply choosing the biggest car you can afford isn’t necessarily the answer. Safety (46%) and reliability (44%) follow closely behind space (51%), while more than a third (38%) want a car that still works as their family grows.
Some of the features commonly associated with family cars are much less important than you might expect. A higher driving position became more important to just 18% of parents, while only 16% prioritised a hands-free boot.
So, if you’re an expectant parent, start to think about how the whole car will work for your family, rather than focusing on boot space alone. A car needs to fit everything you carry now, but also remain practical as car seats get bigger, children need more passenger space, and your family’s needs change.
What parents wish they'd thought about sooner
As part of our survey, we asked parents what they would do differently if they were choosing their first family car again.
The most common answer was thinking more carefully about how much space they would need, with over a third (35%) saying this.
Not far behind was checking whether the pushchair actually fit (31%). Make sure to test this in advance, as you don’t want to get into a situation where the baby has arrived, and you’re stuck trying to shove a pram into a space where it simply doesn’t fit.
Other things parents said they would reconsider as part of their family car checklist included:
- Paid more attention to safety features – 30%
- Thought further ahead about the family’s future needs – 30%
- Tested the car seat and remaining passenger space – 27%
- Paid more attention to fuel and running costs – 23%
- Changed their car sooner – 21%
- Checked what their existing car was worth – 16%
Only 9% said they wouldn’t change anything in hindsight.
Interestingly, almost one in six parents (16%) also wish they’d checked what their current car was worth before making a change. Valuing your existing car early on can give you a much clearer idea of what you have to put towards your next car and what budget you realistically have to work with.
Taken together, our findings show why it’s worth doing a real-life test before deciding whether a car will work for your family. Try out the children’s car seat. Check the boot. Sit in the back. Do a test run with bags of shopping alongside the new gear. Also, think ahead for when your child grows up and/or your family includes further new additions.
All of these checks can help determine whether a car is right for your family or not. It’s not as simple as just reading a specifications sheet.
One in four parents add another car after having a baby
Having children can change more than just the type of car that sits in your driveway. It can also change how many cars your family owns.
More than a quarter (26%) of parents went from having one car to two or more after having children, compared with 14% who reduced the number of cars in their household.
That means parents were almost twice as likely to buy an additional car than make do with fewer vehicles, highlighting how having children can change the practical demands placed on the family car, particularly when parents are balancing different commutes, childcare drop-offs and day-to-day routines.
Whether you’re changing your current car or considering adding another one, the biggest lesson from parents who’ve already been through it is to think beyond what works right now. Test how your everyday essentials actually fit, consider how your needs might change as your child grows, and understand what your current car is worth before deciding what comes next.
If you’ve decided your current car no longer works for your growing family, we have a helpful guide on the best family cars to find options designed with space, safety and reliability, which parents told us matter most.
Methodology
Survey by SurveyGoo on behalf of Motorpoint, asking 1,539 UK parents with children under five, whether having a baby changed what they looked for in a car, whether they went on to sell or change their car as a result, when they made that decision, and which features suddenly became more important. We also asked parents what, with hindsight, they wish they’d considered before choosing their family car. Data collected in September 2026.