7 seater car recommendations

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Currently pregnant with number 3 and having tried all options/combinations, we definitely can't fit 3 car seats in our current car. So, we're after a 7 seater car with 3 full seats in the middle row (not the 2.5 we currently have). We have a narrow drive so ideally I'd love one with sliding doors but this isn't an essential. We currently have a kia sportage which we love so I like the Kia carens but it doesn't have the sliding doors

Any recommendations and suggestions from other parents of 3+ children would be great

We had three in a Sportage and like you have found it was just a pain. We then got an smax which I love. Brilliant family car. I don’t know why I put off changing it for so long. It doesn’t have sliding doors thou. Big boot, easy to drive, three separate middle seats. Spacious.

However, if you think there is a possibility of baby number 4 in the future I perhaps would look at something else. We now have baby number 4 and whilst we can make the smax work with 4 I thinking there are probably better alternatives.

Seat Alhambra / vw sharan. They don't make them any more but the last ones were made around 18months ago. 7 seats, plenty of boot space and sliding doors.

We've had an S Max and currently have a VW Sharan. S Max more fun to drive but Sharan slightly bigger and sliding doors are so useful. Space for passengers 6 and 7 also better. Found it hard to find one second hand.

We have a VW Sharan. It's a bit like driving a dining room table while wrapped in a duvet. But I've not driven others to compare to. The back doors are nice.

S MAX. Brilliant car

Thanks all, some great suggestions! We have a second hand ford dealership nearby so will go and look at an s-max and will also check out the Alhambra and touran

Definitely won't be baby number 4 so this car will hopefully last us a while

Had an s max and loved it.

Nissan elgrand!

@satelliteheart we've just had baby number 3 and bought a peugeot 5008. Has 3 isofix point across the back so all the kids are sat in car seats across the back. Its also a 7 seater with 2 in the boot, which means the boot is huge!
I love it. I didn't want to feel like I was driving a people carrier and definitely don't. I think it's nice looking as well and lots of room. Might be another one to look at :)
When we went to look for them we went to a big used car centre and looked at loads of 7 seaters all at the same time, made it easier to figure out what we actually wanted as I was a bit clueless :)

Recently bought a VW Sharan (4DC, aged 6 to fifteen), having been a very happy ford galaxy owner. Absolutely love it, not least due to the sliding doors! It's bigger than the galaxy, which was great for 4, including the pushchair stage. S Max wouldn't have suited us, there isn't enough room in the back row if used regularly (we have all 7 seats up unless one is down for longer journeys).

Second what a PP said, though, re current market, it took us 4 months to find the spec we wanted.

Toyota verso. Ours is 12 years old, absolutely no problems ever, no garage bills ever, passed mot every time. Seven seats, decent boot, not too buslike. Safe, boring, the perfect family car :-)

I’ve got the Peugeot 5008 and love it and as someone said earlier 3 proper middle seats. Use to have an s-max but the Peugeot so much better to drive. Had an older VW Sharon before s-Max & it felt very heavy to drive. I have a narrow drive & not having sliding doors has been fine

Thanks all, going to a big second hand dealership with all our car seats today and have asked them to have all their current 7 seaters available to try out. Leaning towards the seat Alhambra and the Peugeot 5008 for the 3 isofix points in the middle row but will check them all out

We’ve got a Kia Sorento, it’s huge, loads of room everywhere including the back 2 seats and more aesthetically pleasing than some 7 seaters. Also remember as you know having a Kia already, very reliable and have the 7 year warranty on them x

We have an Alhambra now, having had a Galaxy in the past. Have also had an S-Max as a long term (2.5 months) courtesy car. We' often get a VW Caddy as a hire car, which is van based but surprisingly good to drive. All 7 seaters. We have 3 children. We had an old Citroën Xsara Picasso (newer model is C4 Picasso) as our 2nd car for a while - they have 3 proper sized individual seats across the back. I think there is a Grand C4 version that has 7 seats.

I love the sliding doors on our Alhambra (and the Caddy). With older children who open the doors independently, but still don't necessarily look properly first, they are fab. Both the Galaxy and the Alhambra have proper seats in the third row and my adult size eldest will still sit there when necessary. We found the final row in the S-Max was no good for adults and the boot wasn't so good with all 3 rows up. In the Caddy/Alhambra/Galaxy you still have a decent amount of space.

If you think you'll ever need to lift share on the school run/clubs, or go places with other people, I'd say a 7 seater is better with 3 children. It also means you put the final row down for great luggage space. Or you can split the children up so they don't antagonise each other so much (or maybe thats just my delightful trio)

I got a multi Mac and kept my car but admittedly it was a brand new Audi A6

Life changing and I missed it SO much when we were away

It's a car seat that fits in ALL cars birth to say 12 years old and can also be fitted have seatbelt extenders so adults can still sit in the back
I've also got the mini Mac which is the new born baby seat that clicks in to it

It is by far the most secure seat we ever had and we bought really really really expensive and safe car seats before this

www.multimac.com/home

Amazing invention

@acuteanxiety sorry, would never buy a multimac as can't rear face past the infant carrier. I rear face my children until at least age 4. The multimac simply isn't safer than a rear facing car seat

We have a Ford C-Max Grand which has the sliding doors but not 3 full seats. #3 arrives in October and we'll be doing 3 across as there's not enough room to move the middle row forward with ERF car seats on them, to make a boot seat more usable.

When we need a new car I'm interested in the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect, which I think is pretty similar to the VW Caddy. From what I've read the 2nd row seats have adult-size legroom, apparently there's still some boot room with all 7 seats up and sliding doors. The middle seat doesn't have isofix though which makes me think it might not be full width.

@satelliteheart

I hear you, I respect you

@satelliteheart what did you end up going with? Mine are ages 10, 7 and 23 months and I'm in search for a new seven seater car.

We have a Peugeot 5008. We had an older one that we traded in last year for a brand new one. It's brilliant. Kids are now 13, 10 and 7 and it has plenty of space. We used to easily fit 2 toddler seats and a baby seat on the middle row. Boot seats are easy to use and comfy to sit on.

@amyboo thanks for your reply. I'm trying to decide between an SUV and an MPV. How're you finding the 5008? I had a 208 years ago and had a few problems so haven't had another Peugeot. Also people tend to say stay away from French cars 🤦‍♀️

Absolute nonsense if you ask me. I'm a year into my new 5008 and have had zero problems. Had my last 5008 for 7 years also with zero problems. It's a great car to drive - really nice driving position, roomy inside (my 13 year old is very tall and has no probs sitting in the back), and it has some decent features with the touch screen. Highly recommend it.

@amyboo that's great to hear, thank you 🙏
I have started a post titled MPV vs SUV 🤣
I have always loved the new 5008!