Best festival cars

Heading to a summer festival this year? We’ve picked out some of the best cars to get you there.

With festivals an ever-popular destination in the UK - and further afield - thousands of drivers will be packing up their cars to head to one of hundreds of events taking place.

Cars have always been a popular option for festival transportation, allowing you to get to your destination under your own steam while ensuring that you can bring all of your must-have festival equipment with you. If you’re travelling a long way you’ll want your car to be comfortable and with the rising cost of festival tickets, it would be nice if it wasn’t too bad on fuel, either.

Unless you want to pack lightly then some extra boot space will always come in handy. Taking these requirements into mind, we’ve picked out some of the best used cars to take to a festival this summer.

Seat Ibiza ST

While the compact Ibiza ST may not be one of the most commonly found estate cars out there, it’s a great idea for drivers who want a relatively spacious used car that doesn’t break the bank. It’s available in a range of bright, zesty colours too which will ensure that it sticks out in the festival parking area.

Open the rear tailgate and you’re able to access a 430-litre boot which can be expanded up to 1,164 litres when you fold down the rear seats. That means there’s more than enough space for a tent, sleeping bags and all of the usual paraphernalia that a trip to a festival brings with it. Plus, Seat claims up to 70mpg from the 1.6-litre diesel model so it shouldn’t cost much to do your journey.

Volkswagen Up! Beats

Obviously, a car as compact as the Volkswagen Up! isn’t going to offer up the most amount of space, but thanks to its boxy design it’s far more practical than you might expect. Plus, because of the shape of the Up!, it’s got a decent amount of headroom to offer, so even taller passengers should be able to get comfortable.

We’ve picked out the special ‘Beats’ model as it comes with a superb 300-watt, six-speaker sound system which is ideal for practising your sing-alongs before you head out to see the real thing.

Dacia Duster

Dacia’s rugged Duster feels like the ideal companion to a festival. Plus, with many versions of the Duster coming equipped with 4-wheel-drive, it could be the ideal solution to a boggy festival car park. A high riding position means that you get a commanding view from behind the wheel, too.

The Duster comes equipped with a no-nonsense interior which may not major on premium materials, but really delivers when it comes to ease-of-use and practicality. Just bear in mind that not all Duster models are 4x4s - you’ll need to make sure to search them out.

Skoda Superb Estate

If outright practicality is what you want, then you can’t go wrong with the Skoda Superb Estate. Not only is it impressively refined and comfortable over long distances, but thanks to an enormous boot - measuring an incredible 690 litres before you’ve folded down the rear seats - it’s got more than enough for every possible eventuality.

Like the Duster, you can get the Superb with a 4x4 system to help make a swift exit from the festival even if it’s been raining solidly for days. Not all Superb models get this function, however, so you’ll need to look closely.

Citroen Berlingo

Though it may not be the coolest car out there, the Citroen Berlingo is a model you’ll want if you’re after all-around practicality. It’s a van-based MPV, after all, which means that its boxy dimensions hide an incredibly spacious interior with plenty of room for all of your festival equipment. A boxy shape means that it’s not bad for taller passengers to get comfy in, too.

Higher-spec Berlingo models come equipped with loads of equipment as standard, too, while the diesel-powered cars are remarkably good on fuel overall.

Land Rover Discovery

Festivals are in more far-flung places than ever and a car like the Land Rover Discovery can help to make travel to these areas into less of a hassle. Formidable off-road, the Discovery has seating for up to seven people so everyone can come along for the ride. Don’t need all seven seats? Fold the rear two down and you’ll be treated to an enormous amount of boot space.

We’d be leaning towards the Discovery 3 and 4 - sold between 2004 and 2016 - which still look and feel fresh but also get a decent amount of equipment inside. Just bear in mind that older Land Rovers aren’t known for their reliability - you might want to get consider having one inspected as a result - while fuel bills will be higher than for other cars on this list.

Volvo V70

There’s nothing quite like a Volvo V70 when it comes to outright space and the V70 is a prime example of this. It’s also got a fine reputation when it comes to reliability, so it shouldn’t let you down - no matter how long you fancy staying at the festival. It’s got a massive boot - larger than the one on the V90 which replaced this model - and be fitted with all types of roof racks and top boxes easily.

The diesel engines that you’ll find accompanying the V70 are smooth and economical, too, while a comfortable ride could help make that trip back home a little bit easier.

Skoda Octavia

We’ve already taken a look at the larger Skoda Superb, but if you want something a little smaller - but still with loads of interior space - then you may want to consider the Octavia. It’s still just as user-friendly as its larger stablemate, but is a little easier to park and live with overall.

But it’s still incredibly comfortable - making it ideal for those long-distance festival trips - while all versions get plenty of equipment from the off. A range of great colours ensure that the Octavia will make a statement wherever it goes, too.

Mini Countryman

While most people think of the regular hatch when they imagine the modern-day Mini, it’s the Countryman which would be our festival-friendly pick. Why? Well with improved ground clearance it’ll be a little better at navigating the festival car park, while a decent boot means you’ve got more room for your tent and other camping equipment.

The Countryman is available in a range of funky colours, too, and despite being bigger than the standard hatch remains good fun to drive. Plus, you can get it as a 4x4 with the ‘All4’ models for extra traction in slippery conditions.

Range Rover Evoque Convertible

We finish off with a somewhat quirky option - the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. One of the few convertible SUVs ever created, the Evoque Convertible is just as good off-road as the standard model, but has all the benefits of the folding fabric roof which gives all occupants that wind-in-your-hair feeling.

It’s got a decent amount of space inside while its 251-litre boot is larger than those you’ll find on other convertible models. The finish inside is decent, too, with lots of good materials combining with a variety of chunky controls to make a cabin which feels typically ‘Range Rover’.

Prices correct at time of publication [06/2024].