For many car buyers one of the main considerations is having a vehicle that delivers a comfortable ride day in, day out.
Instead of sharp handling or sporty performance, some drivers will prioritise a car that can smooth over bad road surfaces and allow drivers to relax on long journeys.
And being comfortable behind the wheel or as a passenger shouldn't cost the earth.
This is Money can exclusively reveal the most comfortable cars for every budget – and some of them are very affordable.
Auto Express' roundup of the best new cars for a comfortable ride shows that, whatever your budget, whether you want an affordable family car or a high-end luxury vehicle, there are options out there.
Here are the most comfortable small, medium and large cars on sale in the UK, as picked by motoring experts.
Most comfortable small cars
The Citroen C3 costs less than £20k but is very efficient and very comfortable
1. Citroen C3
Price: £19,870 – £24,695
The Citroen C3 is available in petrol, hybrid and electric versions.
The funky little crossover is compact for urban driving but can still manage daily small-family life and delivers great fuel efficiency thanks to its hybrid engine – a range of up to 528 miles.
Steve Walker, of Auto Express, says: 'Although Citroëns share parts with other Stellantis brands such as Peugeot and Vauxhall, they're generally more comfortable, thanks partly to hydraulic bump stops that other brands in the group aren't allowed to use.
'These act like cushions, and even the budget C3 gets them, alongside Citroën's Advanced Comfort seats with their special high-density foam.'
The Cupra Raval shows that sporty urban EVs can be comfortable when they're as well tuned as the Raval is
2. Cupra Raval
Price: £26,995 – £36,310
Cupra is the racing-inspired sister brand to SEAT, and the Spanish brand combines electrification with sportiness.
The Raval is its all-electric five-door supermini which goes up against the very popular Renault 5, and is a more fun VW ID.Polo.
There are four trims to choose from (with a fifth on its way next year) so you can prioritise power (up to 222bhp) or range (up to 273 miles).
Steve says: 'What we like about the Raval is that it's fun to drive without compromising comfort, particularly if you fit the optional adaptive dampers.
'With 15 levels of firmness, you can stiffen the suspension for a sportier drive or soften it for a more relaxing ride.'
The Renault 4 is more practical than the R5 but mixes retro looks with a comfortable ride
3. Renault 4
Price: £23,445 to £29,445
Like the Renault 5, the Renault 4 brings a retro nameplate back and turns it into an EV for the modern, eco-friendly driver.
Aimed at a broader audience than the Renault 5, the more practical R4 has a range of up to 248 miles and a 420-litre boot with underfloor storage.
Steve says: 'Although the Renault 4 lacks the outright cool factor of the slightly cheaper Renault 5, it's the clear winner for comfort.
'Softer suspension and fatter tyre sidewalls improve the ride, particularly at low speeds on poor roads.
'Different front seat padding also helps prevent a numb bum, although rear passengers get less thigh support and limited space for their feet under the front seats.'
The Volvo EX30 small electric SUV has impressive range and performance but delivers a comfortable drive thans to its suspension and noise cancellation
4. Volvo EX30
Price: £33,060 to £45,860
Volvo's smallest electric SUV offers good range and fast charging capabilities, along with the comfort and style you'd expect from the Scandi brand.
The small family car can get you 304 miles on a single charge and recharge in 26 minutes.
It's fast too: The P8 AWD has 434bhp and can do 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds.
Steve says: 'The ride can feel slightly firm, particularly on versions with 20-inch wheels, so stick with the 18s if comfort is a priority.
'Otherwise, the suspension strikes a good balance between ride comfort and body control, especially at higher speeds.
'It's impressively quiet on the motorway, with little wind or road noise, while the seats are superb and the electric powertrain smooth and silent.'
Most comfortable family cars
The Audi A6 e-tron is a premium long-range family car which has been designed to be as refined as possible
1. Audi A6 e-tron
Price: £62,590 – £82,815
The Audi A6 e-tron comes in two versions: the standard rear-wheel-drive A6 e-tron and the sporty Audi S6 e-tron.
Not only is this family car powerful (either 456bhp for the entry level or 559bhp for the Sportback) but the range is very impressive – 468 miles on a single charge for the entry level or 411 miles for the Sportback.
Steve says: 'While air suspension is only available on the S6 e-tron in the UK, the standard steel-sprung A6 e-tron delivers an impressively well-judged ride, balancing comfort and composure even on models with 21-inch wheels.
'The wide tyres generate more road noise than we'd like, but refinement is excellent overall, with little wind noise and no engine noise thanks to the fully electric powertrain.'
Citroen is again demonstrating that you don't have to break the bank to buy a new, comfortable car with its C5 Aircross family SUV
2. Citroen C5 Aircross
Price: £31,030 – £44,965
Proving again that you don't need to spend the earth to have a comfortable car, the new Citroen C5 Aircross is a family car that offers a relaxing drive.
The SUV is available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric model, and is available in four trims.
The plug-in hybrid offers 50 miles of electric range while the EV has a range of up to 421 miles.
Steve says: 'Like the smaller C3, the C5 Aircross gets Citroën's trick hydraulic bump stops and Advanced Comfort seats, but adds greater suspension sophistication and refinement.
'Its deliberately soft setup means more body roll through corners than many rivals, but the payoff is an excellent ability to soak up bumps and rough road surfaces.'
Merceds new all-electric GLC is a huge improvement on the German marque's EQ models and if balanced and comfortable as well as luxurious inside
3. Mercedes GLC Electric
Price: £55,495 – £73,350
The all-electric GLC is Mercedes' take two at electric SUVs – and is a vast improvement on its EQ SUVs.
It comes in five trims, with an all-new exterior in the shape of a coupe-style silhouette, and a state-of-the-art interior with a 39.1-inch MBUX seamless Hyperscreen across the whole dashboard and a sky control star-lit panoramic roof.
Steve says: 'Standard steel springs deliver a good balance of comfort and body control, while models with Airmatic air suspension are especially impressive.
'The system uses Mercedes' Car-to-X technology to share information from vehicles ahead about road imperfections, including speed bumps and uneven surfaces, allowing the suspension to prepare for what's coming.
'Strong refinement and a smooth, quiet electric powertrain add to the relaxed feel, although the dashboard's abundance of screens might prove distracting for some.'
The Skoda Superb is another family car which can be quite affordable and combined practicality with a cossetted ride
4. Skoda Superb
Price: £37,080 – £50,625
The Skoda Superb family car is well proportioned and comes with a lot of room for five passengers as well as cargo space.
You get 645 litres of luggage space – enough for multiple big suitcases – and useful storage and comfort features like an umbrella compartment in the door or a sleep package with rear-seat head restraints.
There's a plug-in hybrid iV version if you want to maximise your mpg.
Steve says: 'Optional adaptive dampers let you adjust the suspension firmness, but even the standard setup delivers a wonderfully cossetting ride. Refinement is excellent, too, with wind and road noise kept to a minimum.
'The four-cylinder petrol engines are reasonably smooth, while the plug-in hybrid offers up to 84 miles of quiet, electric-only driving.'
Most comfortable luxury cars
Luxury doesn't get much better than Rolls-Royce, with the hand-made and entirely bespoke Phantom gifting owners a drive that's almost gliding
1. Rolls-Royce Phantom
Price: ~£500,000+ with options
The 'pinnacle' of Rolls-Royce, the Phantom is a luxury chauffeur car that is hard to surpass as a symbol of ultimate automotive comfort.
Hand-made to order exclusively for each affluent client, each Phantom is bespoke to the nth degree – you can even have your family crest embroidered on the seats.
Steve says: 'Extra sound-deadening materials and foam-filled bespoke tyres keep noise to a minimum, while the silky smooth V12 barely makes itself heard.
'Air suspension is complemented by the Flagbearer system, which scans the road ahead at speeds of up to 60mph and prepares the suspension for bumps, while mass dampers help smooth out smaller imperfections.
'Of course, such comfort comes at a price. With bespoke touches, a Phantom will typically cost more than £500,000 - but if money is no object, it doesn't get more comfortable than this.'
The Range Rover is a high desirable luxury SUV that looks as good in the city as a chauffeur car as it does in the countryside. But most importantly it's incredibly refined
2. Range Rover
Price: £107,530 – £149,710
The Range Rover is perhaps the most famous luxury car in the world.
The desirable SUV combines high-end exterior design, extremely smooth on-road driving and impressive off-road capabilities when needed.
With up to seven seats and 1,061 litres of loadspace, you can get the Range Rover with a petrol or diesel mild hybrid engine, a plug-in hybrid engine or, as of 2027, in pure electric form.
Steve says: 'Each generation of the Range Rover has got more luxurious – and comfortable. Spec matters, though; for the ultimate experience, avoid the larger wheels and opt for laminated side glass to keep the cabin quieter.
'A comfort pack adds luxuries such as electric window blinds and an on-board fridge, while sophisticated air suspension smooths out bumps and can raise the body for off-road driving, making the Range Rover an exceptionally versatile comfort-focused car.
'The plug-in hybrid is particularly relaxing in electric-only mode, while the long-awaited Range Rover Electric promises to take refinement even further.'
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is one of the most popular luxury chauffeur cars can buy because it is understated to look at but amazingly smooth to ride in
3. Mercedes S-Class
Price: £103,450 – £226,795
Mercedes' luxury saloon car is most frequently spotted chauffeuring well-heeled owners between business meetings and black tie events.
It's one of the most popular chauffeur cars for customers with deep pockets because of its elegant exterior design, its sumptuous upholstered interior and huge MBUX Superscreen.
It's available as a diesel model, a petrol model or hybrid. It's also pretty powerful with the hybrid model covering 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds.
Steve says: 'The Mercedes S-Class comes close to the Rolls-Royce Phantom's luxury for a fraction of the price, and with a more understated look.
'Standard air suspension uses data from other Mercedes vehicles to prepare for potholes and speed bumps, helping keep the ride smooth.
'For the ultimate experience, the pricey Rear Comfort Package Plus adds electrically reclining rear seats. Sit behind the front passenger and the seat can slide forward and fold down, giving you room to stretch out with your head resting on a plush pillow.'