I would recommend a Volvo XC90 on your £50,000 budget. It's one of the safest cars on sale, has plenty of room for three tall kids in the back and a boot that will have your dog thinking it's died and gone to puppy heaven. You can have it as a petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid. Your budget is enough to get you a 2020 model with around 10,000 miles on the clock.

On a £20,000 budget, I would go for a Toyota RAV4 hybrid. You'll get a 2018 car with 70,000 miles on the clock – Toyota's legendary reliability means you shouldn't be put off by the mileage and it's interior should have worn the miles well. It's not quite as roomy as the Volvo, but it's not far off. Like the Volvo, it has a five-star rating for safety from NCAP, although the Toyota was tested under 2013's less rigorous conditions. Plus, the hybrid is excellent on fuel and should make the car an attractive purchase when you sell it on in a couple of years.