Please help me choose the right 7 seater!

[LazyDoll]

I have a Honda FRV which I love. 6 seater. 3 full adult seats front and back. Massive cabin. Good size boot. Need to replace it as it’s getting old. Need 3 full seats as we travel to France in the summer and to Devon regularly and need plenty of room or my 3 sons will drive me insane bickering. We can’t downsize to a 5 seater as we always need room for friends so guessing I need a 7 seater. Need massive boot as we do a lot of active camping holidays. Don’t like typical mpvs like CMax as feel I’m driving a ‘mum bus’ . Have thought about Volvo and also VW caravelles/shuttles. Can anyone help. Budget does not stretch to a Disco or a Lexus and I don’t like Mercedes or BMWs . Also I hear bad things about parking the XC90s ....

Camping boot space is an issue. Ca5s with 7 seats means due to the seats folded down the boot is smallish. I'm having the same issues - extra seats nice to have - but thinking about going to 5 seater to get a bigger boot.

Another vote for Smax!

I thought the new c-max's look quite close to F-RV's. I was tempted to go for an F-RV last time but went for a Mazda5, which would be too mumbus for you. If I had enough money I'd go for a Kia Caren's or c-max. But don't think you're after that kind of thing.

@LazyDoll Nissan X-Trail is a great 7 seater. Maybe a 2018 Vauxhall Zafira?

Yes I think you’re right about the CRVs, not lots of them about second hand yet and I think they are overpriced brand new. Same money as a disco, which is ultimately what we ended up buying.

I've got a Prius+ too. I like the inside space for passengers. I like that it's a hybrid. However, it's not as economical I thought it would be. And there is no boot when the back two seats are up.....well there is a boot but I can just about fit wellies and bags in it - it wouldn't take a weeks food shopping! When the back seats are down then there is a good boot.

BMW 2 series active tourer if you've got the £££.

Discovery Sport? The new model has just come out so the later ones of the old model are good value, quite spacious, 7 seats.

@iamNOTmagic

Nothing wrong with Zafiras. I'm also on my second and love it. Currently have a turbo diesel that suits me perfectly.

VW Touran. I'm on my second one now, had them for about 15 years.
Permanent 5 seats and 2 additional full size seats which pull up from the boot.
About 65mpg and 800 miles to a tank of diesel so massively economical too on the 2.0ltr TDI sport model.

With one seat up in the very back (so DSS has a bit of space from his sisters in long journeys), there's enough space for luggage for 5 in the boot of our XC90. And I've had two adult men sitting back there too - it's a little awkward for them to climb in but once they're in they said it was perfectly comfortable for our journey from London - Wales.

Thank you so much all.

Christma5 yes I am with you. I test drive a Nissan Xtrail Friday that I thought I was literally going to drive away but when I saw the cabin space it’s just so cramped. We spent 23 hours in the car in August. My sons each need a full seat minimum and we need all the boot space we can get...even with a top box and bike rack.

Yoollyball I may have to forgo taxi abilities and go for a 5 seater for boot space. Boot space is more important than ability to cart other peoples kids around I guess (though nice when they reciprocate!). In the week it’s just me and the kids so I guess even a 5 seater would allow 1 extra

LBOCS2 I may be swaying back to the Volvo XC90. Any votes for the VW Shuttle or Caravelle? My issue there is I’m driving a van day to day but for holidays - oh my 😍

I love my volvo XC90- I think it parks brilliantly!!

Much easier than the Sharan I had previously.

I would also suggest roof rack for the camping holidays etc

oh sorry-took so long to post I see you have roof rack

We have a Peugeot 5008 and absolutely love it. Ours is a 2019 plate though, not sure this version was available pre 2018.

The 5008 has three full size seats in the middle plus 2 extra seats at the back.

Ok putting a random one out there.... but..... have a think about the hyandai i800 which is an 8 seater.
You will honestly get over the fact you feel like you’re doing an airport transfer very quickly because the interior AND boot space is huge.
I am a car snob and hate the car so much I don’t give a flying fu&k about it which means I therefore love it, if that makes sense.... it’s liberating.

Avoid French like the plague.

There’s a few Japanese cars that are not available through UK dealers but come in as grey imports that might work for you. There’s the Toyota Alphard and Nissan Elgrand.

A previous poster mentioned the Peugeot Rifter: the exact same vehicle is also available as the Citroen Berlingo and the Vauxhall Combo Life. For the Peugeot and Citroen versions you have to get the long wheelbase version for seven seats, but they have huge boots even with all seats in use. You can buy them with a Grip Control system for fairly decent offroad use too.

Skoda kodiaq

Hire one for weekend before you buy one

I think I’ve narrowed it down a little. Want to look further at the Discovery, Tiguan, VW caravelle, Hyundai Santa Fe, Audi Q7, Volvo XC90. Has to have room for 3 adults in back. Maybe even prepared to go for a 5 seater to get this. If anyone has any burning thoughts on these they’d be appreciated.