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Do you have a 7 seater? Come tell me about it!

105 replies

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 02/09/2020 20:19

We have 3 children aged 5.5 and under so all in car seats / boosters. We are managing, just, with a Corolla, but I'm not happy with the safety. We want a car that can fit them all properly plus room for a friend or gear if we go on holiday.

Top priorities are a super reliable workhorse of a car. Currently booked in to view
Tiguan Allspace
Touran
Tourneo Connect
SMax
Galaxy
Anything else we should consider??

OP posts:
Sparkesy · 02/09/2020 23:03

Skoda Kodiaq, SEL model or above

Pommes · 02/09/2020 23:08

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso has since been renamed Citroen C4 Grand SpaceTourer, after a dispute with the Picasso's family. Lots of space and lots of thoughtful extras for families - like tables at the back of the front seats for a cup/colouring book, lots of hidden storage, huge boot (or 7 seats), etc.

20Vision20 · 02/09/2020 23:15

Another vote for the Skoda Kodiaq, we love ours

HappyintheHills · 02/09/2020 23:17

I love my Kia Sorrento - a great improvement on DH’s previous Smax

Pipandmum · 02/09/2020 23:23

I had a Sharan. Four kids ranging from 0 to 17. Fit them all. It had built in booster seats in two of the second row seats too.

Tootletum · 02/09/2020 23:26

Caddy maxi life. Often used for disabled people but come with 7 full size seats as standard and So much space. I'm never getting a different car until they stop making them.

imissthesouth · 02/09/2020 23:29

I have a 7 seater range rover, i LOVE it, it makes driving so much more enjoyable than a smaller car too. A lot of my friends have the volvo XC90, and one has a mercedes SUV. I like the smaller mercs, but wouldn't get the bigger ones as the handling as no where near as good as the RR. My next car might be a XC90 though.

Settleandcalm · 02/09/2020 23:31

Kia Sorento, was hesitant at first but I love it! Voice activation, loads of space and really easy to put seats up and down, which my previous Ford SMax wasn’t.

High booted which is good for when you need to sit the kids up and change various shoes/nappies. Lots of boot space even when all seats being used.

Voice controls, including reading and writing texts and Apple car play, parking cameras.

Drives nicely, I do miles for work and it’s comfortable for several hours driving, kids don’t get car sick like they do in other peoples.

Jupiter15 · 03/09/2020 06:55

I have a Seat Alhambra and love it so far.
I’ve previously had a Nissan x-trail but only 2 kids then so rear seats rarely used. I would not recommend it as a permanent 7 seater.

Halfwreckedbykids · 03/09/2020 07:39

The car you need now isnt the car you ll need in 5 years...
I d 3 under 3 and started with a trajet.
Thst was fantastic because it had the BEST seats and loads of boot space. But they re discontinued now. I would like the space it had to a galaxy, i was able to fit the buggys in and all the car seats i needed.
Then i got a c4, great but seats were not as strong as trajet and not as big. Loved that i could fold down the boot seats so it was v handy and had great boot space. V easy to drive and park and found i had LOADS of space.
Now i ve an x trail and love it.
It would take car seats and buggys but i dont have them anymore. Back seats fold down but when i m used all 7 seats theyre no boot and leg room is tight.
The reason i keep going for 7 seaters is yo accommodate playdates and lifts etc. The fold down seats mean the optgion is always available. (The trajet -i physically took out seats...would recommend that in a car)
When the virus is over and kids get older you ll use all the seats.
The c 4 was economical to run and v light to drive...the x trail is hungry even on eco mode...but i m so in love with it

Halfwreckedbykids · 03/09/2020 07:40

Sorry for typos...fat fingers and not enough coffee

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 03/09/2020 07:41

Kia Sorrento-doesn’t look like a mum car. Loads of space and gadgets. Full size full safety impact seats in the back. Workhorse.

PlateTectonics · 03/09/2020 07:42

I have three DC close in age and I'm a fan of the SMax.

AlwaysLatte · 03/09/2020 07:43

Volvo XC90! We've had Volvos for years. Super reliable cars and aimed at families so lots of useful little touches.

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 03/09/2020 17:32

So we had looked at Volvo but Which? just named them as the most unreliable car of 2020.... what's going on there I wonder?

OP posts:
Empra123 · 03/09/2020 17:53

Zafira fan here. On no 3. Never had any problems with them

NetballHoop · 03/09/2020 17:59

We just got rif of our Sharan as we are down to just one DC at home and we don't need anything that big any more. It was a great car though. Make sure you get one with roof rails though as you can't add temporary ones due to the sliding doors.

AuntyMabelandPippin · 03/09/2020 18:04

I've had a Sharan and a Galaxy. Loved the Sharan, but it was the old type. The Galaxy is good as you can put the seats down into the floor and there's tons of space if you don't always need 7 seats. Just got rid of mine after 12 years, as we don't need all those seats anymore because the DC are all grown up.

ChimneyPot · 03/09/2020 18:04

Volvo XC90 plug in hybrid.
Room for 2 adults, 4 teenagers and luggage.
Easy drive

lazeonthesofa · 03/09/2020 18:17

We have a Hyundai Santa Fe 7 seater and it has been very reliable and a good size. Wanted a Volvo XC90 but budget wouldn't stretch!

FishyMcFishyfingersFace · 03/09/2020 21:02

We had a Fiat Multipla for a few years, only 6 seats rather than 7, but it served us well as had three full seats in the back and plenty of leg space.

Had a Zafira which was very cramped.

Had a Chrysler Voyager for a while, heavy on the fuel but a great workhorse. Boot similar to size of the Galaxy and had sliding doors but parts harder to get and more expensive than a lot of other cars, there is the option of the longer Grand Voyager also.

Had an older Toyota Previa for a year while looking for our next car, only advantage to that was the 8th seat! Very thirsty etc but I don't know what a newer one in good condition would be like.

Currently on our second Ford Galaxy. Reasonable boot but it has masses of space inside, especially as seats fold down well when needed. We were looking for a car to accommodate four children, three are now teenagers so needed plenty of leg and head space and the Galaxy delivers. For luggage you might want a roof box or you can put one seat down and still have enough seats for the family. Only thing I miss is not having the sliding door the Voyager had and our Galaxy doesn't have a sunroof 😪

Have hired an Hyundai i800 a couple of times. Great 8-seater, but it is not good on fuel economy and is essentially a van with seats in, has a very nice inside, shame about the outside van look though.

We have tried a LOT of cars out for space over the last 20 years and you have to consider the head space in the back of smaller 7 seaters (essentially 5+2s), it does not take long for children to grow out of the tiny back seats, they are basically designed for children, not adults. We have tried some out and didn't even test drive them as they were so small the boys couldn't even get in the back!

nevergoingoutagain · 03/09/2020 21:19

Agree with @stovetopespresso Volvo XC90. I have a 2011 model and still going strong! So comfy, great rear seats and still boot space when the rear seats are in use. Ours has a built in booster which our 6 year old uses but they don't all have that.

Also with the seats down I can fit a full single divan and mattress in the car lol

It's a great tow car too, we have an 8m caravan!

saddoiam · 03/09/2020 21:21

I have a Zafira, done me well! I have 4 kids, soon will be 4, and fits us all in comfortably, boot space isn't bad either. I love it.

flametrees · 03/09/2020 21:22

Audi Q7. Love it.

Jackparlabane · 03/09/2020 21:26

Had an ancient Galaxy, replaced.it with a newer one. Apparently a Sharan is virtually identical only with sliding doors, but more Galaxy's are available thanks to minicab firms using them.

The newer one has the seats fold down into the floor which is great when using it as a van (they took up lots of space in the house). It turns better than you'd think and we liked it much more than the S-Max we drove for a bit.

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