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Original poster

7 seater car advice

33 replies

user1485762869 · 30/01/2017 17:14

Hi. We're looking into getting our first 7 seater as we plan on having a third child. Any tips on whats good and what to avoid? Tia

OP posts:
SlowSwimmingMom · 21/02/2017 20:29

I would like some help with this too....anyone ???

MoreThanUs · 21/02/2017 20:30

VW Sharan or Seat Alhambra. Both essentially the same body and engine. Difference is in the finish.

SweepTheHalls · 21/02/2017 20:31

Love our Ford Galaxy. Had a Citroen, it blew up disastrously! Never buy one of those again!

GlassSeahorse · 21/02/2017 20:38

I have a Grand C-Max which I love, I have also hired a Citreon one in the past (possibly Xsara?). I much prefer the C-Max, really easy to fold the seats. I also really like the sliding rear doors.

The only drawback of both types is the lack of boot space when all 7 seats are up. It's tiny. The lack of a spare wheel is another drawback.

ProphetOfDoom · 21/02/2017 20:46

I've had a couple of 7 seaters. My main requirements were a decent engine size and seats that folded flush into the boot space. Boot space is also important once you've got all three rows of seats in use.

My favourite was the Grand Scenic 1.9 as it really could shift, handled surprisingly well & had lots of gadgets and lots of space. Once Scenics gets to 70k they needs a major service doing which involves removing most of the engine to get to whatever part they're replacing - expect a near 1k bill.

Also had a Touran or as I affectionately termed it brick on wheels. It was robust - a real workhorse - but it had an inherrant fault with the auxiliary heater which kicked in once the temperature dropped and blew exhaust fumes into the car/did a good impression of looking like the engine was on fire. Volkswagen customer service and servicing was shit and was why in fact I got rid of the car.

Wishiwasmoiradingle2017 · 21/02/2017 20:49

Chevrolet Captiva. . Fab 4x4 7 seater. .

ProphetOfDoom · 21/02/2017 20:49

I alsohad a SMax on a temp basis and I loved it. Didn't have it long enough to consider £ of servicing.

flagnogbagnog · 21/02/2017 20:49

We've had a vw touran and now have a sharan. Loved both cars and could recommend them both. Sharan is a bit bigger so suited us as our children grow bigger. My sister has a Renault grand scenic which is also very good.

Blinkingblimey · 21/02/2017 20:51

Smax - had it 8 years and it's brilliant (& internally bigger than most 4x4s!). You can also get 3 full size child seats across the main back row which if you have young dcs helps a lot!

Swifey · 21/02/2017 20:53

I've got a Volvo XC90 and I love it! Loads of space with the seats folded, it's the size of a van really! Good space behind when all seats are up too, and proper leg room in the back row. Would heartily recommend.

Westfox · 21/02/2017 20:54

Ford Expedition. Love it, decent engine and lots of space

zzzzz · 21/02/2017 21:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Largemelons · 21/02/2017 21:09

I've had 2 Renault grand scenic 7 seaters and have had no problems at all.

thisgirlrides · 21/02/2017 21:13

I've got a Touran which is great - enough space for a single umbrella type buggy with all seats up or I can fit my big double (out & about) with 6 seats but not quite as big as some of the other 7?seaters. It's been very reliable so far, 12 years old & done 110k miles

buckeejit · 21/02/2017 21:17

We have a citroen grand C4 picasso. I mostly bought it for the glass roof & big windscreen.

I love it but the bad points are:

the windscreen wash goes on for about 3 seconds even if you only touch it a tiny bit - its really annoying and wasteful

The interior doesn't light up much in the dark so hard to see

the A/C, heating buttons are tiny & fiddly

wing mirrors are slow to go back to normal when they've changed position to assist reversing.

mathsy · 21/02/2017 21:19

I'm so glad we got the Ford C-Max. The sliding doors have been invaluable getting the kids/ car seat in and out of the car. Love it!

LastGirlOnTheLeft · 21/02/2017 21:23

We have a Toyota Verso - a fab car and very swift....definitely wee kids only in the rear, though!!

leccybill · 21/02/2017 21:29

I've got a Citroën Grand Picasso too. It's coming upto 10 years old and been great. Hasn't cost me a penny other than brakes and tyres.

Agree about the wasteful wiper setting and the fiddly heating controls. Everything else is great- many cubby holes!

m0therofdragons · 21/02/2017 21:30

Liked my touran as it was practical but love my smax. I can climb into the middle row easily to do seat belts up without having to stretch over which is very handy when raining but it's not quite the bus of the galaxy so feels like a car. With 7 seats up I still have boot space too. Plus it's a ford which tend to be fairly cheap to fix as the parts are standard, unlike my Renault which had unique parts for everything and cost a bomb to fix - even the battery was held in with non standard shape bolts. Just why?!

CountFosco · 21/02/2017 21:31

We have an S-Max. DH went out with all our carseats and tried them in every 7 seater. The S-Max was the only one that was possible to do up the carseats on the HBBs, lots of 7 seaters have a smaller seat in the middle and so it's really hard for the kids to do up their seatbelts. An alternative option is to go for a luxury car because they usually have 3 full seats across the back as well, although you don't get the 6&7th seats then.

There's a decent amount of bootspace when all 3 rows are up (we could still fit our Phil and Ted buggy in the boot) but the 3rd row doesn't have masses of legroom, we are a short family so it's not a problem for us. But a relative has a Galaxy so his lanky kids have more legroom.

jerryfudd · 21/02/2017 21:39

Another fan of the smax here - there is boot space even when the rear seats are up. The space in them is amazing. Would not however recommended the discovery sport (land rover) as lucky to fit even a picnic bag in boot when rear seats are up

endoflevelbaddy · 21/02/2017 21:41

I've had a Nissan Qashqai +2 tekna which was amazing, really easy and comfortable to drive even as a manual and loads of extras on this spec and never had any problems with it in the 3 years I had it.
We've now got a BMW 2 series gran tourer and it's also lovely and comfy, really roomy and easy to manoeuvre, but I'm out of practice driving a manual and find the clutch hard work - dh drives it daily though and doesn't. Can't comment on reliability as it's only 8 months old but so far no problems.

I've got a Q3 now and love it so much I'd definitely go for the Q7 next time we upgrade the 7 seater - Audi have been great to deal with and despite getting this one 2nd hand with quite high mileage it's not got any problems at all.

Broccolirevolution · 21/02/2017 21:42

Volvo xc90. I adore it and normally I don't give a damn about cars. I can fit my three kids without them poking each other in the eye, I can pick up a friend or family member, and I can fit the kids bikes too. It's great.

FlouncingInAWinterWonderland · 21/02/2017 21:49

At the more basic end of the price scale we are on our second Vauxhall Zafirra. I like that the rear seats can be used indepedantly. We tend to keep one up so have two DC on the back and one in the boot. We still then have a reasonable amount of boot space. Theres a slight recess for the resr seat footwell which we felt made the rear seats just a little more comfortable for a taller child.

We paid £9,999 for our current one as a brand new car with lifetime warranty 3.5 years ago and hope to keep it for another 6.5 years.

It is a basic car. We paid extra for rear parking sensors but it doesn't really have any bells and whistles. Its great for taking the dog to the woods, doing the school run, picking up friends and the odd ladden car journey a little futher afield. It isn't prestige, luxurious or exciting to drive but it is a comfortable and practical drive with a decent driver position, good round vehicle visibility and running costs aren't excessive.

HiDBandSIL · 21/02/2017 21:52

+1 Volvo XC90.