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Original poster

WHICH 7 SEATER? Please help!

29 replies

Binkyanne · 29/09/2007 20:52

Hi! We're looking to buy a 7 seater quite soon but we are not sure which one to get yet! I'd love to hear from anyone who owns a 7 seater please with their comments. The main one my other half is oggling at the moment is the Audi Q7. Help! xx

OP posts:
littleducks · 29/09/2007 20:55

We have a vw sharan, love it as seats come out and fold when not in use prefer it to zafira bil has as all seats fit an adult.

Peachy · 29/09/2007 20:57

We ahve an Esapce which we adore, ours is a few years old but we like that it has a bit extra space to the Zafira, and should we get boxed in whilst aprking we can all climb in through the boot LOL

We would buy another, certainly. Its supposed to be the safest in the class as well, which helps.

Your choice depends on what you need it for- eg we'll have 4 kids (2 with sn so needing mroe space), plyus we camp a lot and need to carry lots of lugage. our Cm has a Zafira as sometimes she has two kids, sometimes she has 5 and she loves that car.

fryalot · 29/09/2007 20:58

there's some good advice here

lou33 · 29/09/2007 21:00

i have a renault grand scenic 7 seater, which i love

NotAnOtter · 29/09/2007 21:01

Audi Q7 is a nono if you have a few kids
my mate who has it described it as an inverted tardis
HUGE on outside TINY on inside

I would get a CARAVELLE

Have driven the rest - no comparison but then i have a few dozen offspring

Tiggerish · 29/09/2007 21:03

We have a zafira and are generally pleased with it. You have to be careful with car seats though - most won't fit safely because of buckle-crunch. The seat-belt "stalks" are too long.

I certainly won't be buying another, but don't dislike it so much as to get rid of it yet!

pinkbubble · 29/09/2007 21:10

We have a zafira and love it. Like the seats that go into the boot, before this we had a Renault Espace - lovely to drive, but hated the hard work when we needed a boot and not the extra seats, having to take them out and finding somewhere to store them.

When we were on holiday we hired a 7 seater(it was fab!!!!!!!!!!) A Dodge Grand Caravan, think the equivilant over here is a Chrysler voyager. If you need 7 seats and a decent size boot(and it has slidey back doors!!!!} then go and have a look!

So at the mo, we are with our Zafira probably next time we will go for the Chrysler!

showbiz · 29/09/2007 21:10

we have a grand espace love it, loads of room which is needed with 4 kids. highly recommend it.

WestCountryLass · 29/09/2007 21:11

We.ve got the C8 and my only complaint is that it does not have intermittant windscreen wipers, it is otherwise pretty good!

Shoshable · 29/09/2007 21:18

Have a Zafira which has been great, but it is difficult if you have fixed car seats in the middle seats to get into the back

I am looking at a Delica, which is 8 seats and looks like a tank, but I am a CM, so really need it

WendyWeber · 29/09/2007 22:06

One of the best is the Toyota Previa (or Estima or Lucida, which are jap imports) because a) it is a Toyota (always 100x better than French or American) and b) it still has reasonable luggage space even with back seats in place.

But they don't make it any more (bastards)

If you don't need seven seats, the Zafira/Ford S-Max are good because you can fold one seat flat into the floor and still have 6 seats and reasonable luggage space.

Loshad · 29/09/2007 22:21

i have a C8, and this one does have intermittent wipe - I like it, and it's better than it's predecessor a Vw sharan. The zafira and it's mates are not true 7 seaters, you'll be fine with them if you only occasionally need 7 seats, or if your children are very young and you don't intend to keep it for long as there is zero leg space in the back row.

NAB3 · 29/09/2007 22:22

Renault Grand Scenic. We have had ours for just over 2 years now and it is fab,

fihi · 29/09/2007 22:27

I have just sold an 03 2-litre petrol zafira because it was a very thirsty beast on petrol, cost upwards of £200 in road tax and ate engine oil like mad. the inside is an ideal family car, fit in three kids, me and DH and a couple of grannies no probs, but weigh up all those 'unseen' extras that make it costly to run. Check out insurance too!!

WendyWeber · 29/09/2007 22:28

Sharan is different car from C8, Loshad.

Sharan=Galaxy=Alhambra (VW/Ford/Seat)

C8=807=Ulysse (Citroen/Peugeot/Fiat)

WendyWeber · 29/09/2007 22:29

diesel Zafiras v good on fuel, fihi (agree petrol ones are terrible)

fihi · 29/09/2007 22:35

you'll be pleased to know WW that i've gone back to Toyota - oh how i've missed them.

Gobbledigook · 29/09/2007 22:39

I love, love, love my Chrysler Grand Voyager. I cannot fault it.

DVD player, heated seats, tinted windows, sliding automatic doors, automatic boot door, great big boot space and loads of leg room in all 7 seats.

Is a 3.3L petrol automatic and it moves like sh*t off a stick (to the surprise of everyone).

Lots of people dislike them but plenty of others love em - there are a fair few around here anyway!

WendyWeber · 29/09/2007 22:41

And what mpg does it get, GDG?

(I bet my 2.0 dti Zafira would beat yours away from the lights and use less fuel )

LadyOfWaffle · 29/09/2007 22:43

not not not a grand voyager, they are so so unsafe.

alycat · 29/09/2007 22:43

Notanotter is right about the Q7, I had one on order 3 yrs ago(without ever sitting in one/just from prototype pics)and the delivery to UK was delayed for up to a year so I got a XC90 instead.

Tested one recently struggled to get even my 'town' buggy in with the back seats up. In the Volvo I can get my 4 wheel offroader, 3 adults 4 children and a picnic and change of clothes for all children in!

The Volvo isn't as sexy as the Q7 admittedly. I normally change my (company) car every 3 yrs, but am going to buy it off co. and keep it as it is fabulous - I would only trade up for the newer version anyway.

It is considerably less otr price than the Audi. My last car was an Audi, by 2.5 yrs it had had to have new multitronic gearbox, new steering column etc but so far hav not encountered the same issues with the Volvo (apart from the eject button on CD player breaking - I blame the DCs)

Sidge · 29/09/2007 22:49

We've got the Ford S-Max and I love love love it.

Fab to drive (more like a sporty car than an MPV) and great seat configuration.

Wouldn't have a lot of boot space though if you needed all 7 seats up all the time, but fab with 5 or 6 with luggage, or 7 with not much luggage.

Ecmo · 29/09/2007 22:52

We have a peugeot 806 (got it off ebay!) it came with 7 seats but we bought a bench seat for the back so we now have 8.
I love the sliding doors and wouldnt go for a big car without them now. It is SO much easier in narrower spaces. However the towing limit is quite low, this isnt a problem to most people but it is if you're looking to tow a 6 berth caravan! the newer 807 is better for this.

If we could have afforded it I would have liked a caravelle but they are quite a bit more

Ours is a diesel and does about 40mpg which is about the same as our other car which is a fiesta!

We had an Espace before which was ok only I wasnt keen on it being automatic and it was a bit unreliable. Seats were more comfortable but VERY heavy to rearrange or take in and out.

runawayquickly · 29/09/2007 22:56

I've got a VW TOuran 2 litre now - I love it. I do a lot of travelling back and forward to Suffolk from London and it has been known to get 70 - YES, 70!!! - mpg when I don't tank it too much. Can't say fairer than that.

twospecialgirls · 29/09/2007 23:03

ive got a zafira and love it it sooooo good with loads of room can even get pram in with 7 seats up x