misdee, don't get me wrong, Almera Tino is not a bad car, and if neither of you are driving enthusiats, it is a very good car (nice size, well built, and quite economical). However, I have found 7 seat invaluable with my 2 kids, simply because there is always a couple of extra people for the odd trip, friends, grandparents etc. and cars like the Zafira are not THAT long, at about the same length as an Astra Estate. The thing is that they are quite tall as well, which adds to the feeling of space. On the downside, and this is with a great deal of cars at the moment, is the angle and width of the 'A-Pillar' (the pillar that is between the windscreen and the door), these days they block out a huge amount of critical vision, the area where pedestrians stand as they are ready to cross the street. When you about to turn right at a junction, you cannot see the people crossing the street as you turn until you are literally about to run them over... take particular note if the manufacturer has decided to put in a small triangular window within the pillar (they don't work - and the manufacturer knows there is a problem). In this respect the Tino is very good, great visibility.... etc.
In fact in one of our lengthy discussions on the topic of which car to get, I suggested a Tino to hub2dee, although I said it should be a second hand diesel, simply because kids ruin cars. I would rather have a car that I don't mind getting dirty inside rather than worry about something flash. Before the Zafira I had a BMW and an ML Mercedes... On the day I got my BMW, brand new, my 6 month old daughter threw up on the Black leather as we were putting her in her seat. The smell was there for months, and the black stitching was stained white for as long as I had the car. And I was always worried the kids were going to destroy the (light coloured) interior of the ML. So, for day to day Kiddie transport, get a spacious second hand runabout, preferably with wipe clean leather seats.