Is there such a thing as a "nice" 7 seater...?

BnA

Myself and my wife have given in to the inevitable and are going to buy some kind of a 7 seater. With 2 kids and number 3 on the way, it's time we gave in.

We're looking at spending 20 to 25k on a 06 or 07 model. I'll probably go to the UK for it in July so I'm looking at roughly 10 to 13k sterling. Must be diesel, must be a manual transmission, must be a 7 seater.

Neither of us are particular fans of people carriers and would much rather a nice saloon.

I have spent a lot of time looking at 7 seaters and have failed to find anything we actually like.

Cars I have considered are...

Ford S-Max
Probably the best of the bad lot. Took one for a test drive and it was a nice enough drive.

Corolla Verso
Probably Second Best. It's a Toyota so should be rock solid. Also, it's a tidy enough size. Although I hate those awful Lexus looking lights at the back. Also, someone said on here a week or two ago that they couldn't get three baby\booster seats in the back which really put me off them.

Renault Grand Scenic
Good Value and fairly pratical inside, but awful looking yokes.

Mitsubishi Outlander
These look fairly nice are have got good reviews. But as they only came out last year they are a bit out of our budget yet.

I think the Hondra CRV is niceish enough, but it only has 5 seats.

Anybody have anything else to throw into the mix. As I said above, Must be 7 seats, must be diesel, must be manual transmission... For 10 to 13k Sterling (ish)

Should we throw in the towel and accept we won't actually find a car that we like, but get something practical and reliable.

For what it's worth.... what we would consider to be nice.... If we were getting a saloon, She'd like a 3 series (because she's a badge snob), I'd like an accord and the best compromise between us would be an Alfa 159.

prospect

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso.

Looks great (for a 7 seater) and drives really nicely (for a 7 seater).
Also it is loaded with fantastic little quirky things like programmable buttons, massive windscreen, removable boot light etc. etc.
Folding seats work really well.

Also, the PSA 1.6HDi engine is very good. You avail of cheap tax and good economy, with as much power as you'll need.
And, if you can find a ex-demo 08 model, you'll get super cheap tax based on its C02 emissions

Balfa

I know this is the inevitable argument but...

you + your wife + 2 kids + 1 future kid = 5

Unless you're expecting triplets, what's wrong with a five-seater?
That way you can get your 159

I grew up in a family of five and we got on fine with a five-seater. I'm sure you were similar growing up.

Churchy

Dont think you'll find a decent S-Max at 10-13k stg.

E92

Audi A6, Merc E-class or Volvo V70 were all available in 7 seater formats(in the case of the Merc and the Audi the estate version only of course), and one of those would be a much smarter choice, though the Volvo would be the best of the lot. They do a D5 diesel with a manual gearbox, and because they sell very well in the UK, it shouldn't be too difficult finding one.

Any of those gives you all the benefits of a normal car with the added bonus of 7 seats.

cjt156

Following from E92 +1 on the Volvo - although the last row of seats are rear-facing.
And from Balfa's comment - why not 5? We've 3 kids in car seats & the V70 suits us fine; at a squeeze we can even fit in the 156 if we need to.

So how about a 159 SW 1.9JTDm?

VH

You'd fit 3 seats across in a 159 quicker than in a Corolla Verso.

Zafira is a nice safe bet, or maybe Honda FRV. Always thought they looked agressive.

I too don't understand how 3 kids means a 7 seater is needed.

prospect

Sorry guys, but there is no way in hell you would fit 3x baby seats in a 159. My dad has a 159 and when my daughters seat is in his car, the seat covers over 40% of the rear.

Also, if the OP is using iso-fix, alot of saloon cars only have iso-fix points for two seats.

Ferris

New 7 seater VW Caddy:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=323

granturismo

VH wrote: »

I too don't understand how 3 kids means a 7 seater is needed.

1. Children have friends. We all travelled as kids in foot wells, on laps etc, etc but some parents prefer the safer option.

2. Some 5 seaters will not fit baby seat & 2 boosters with backs, 3 boosters or 3 isofixes.

3. A seven seater is a good compromise if you need a real 5 seater, not a 4.5 seater, with a decent boot and occasional 6 or 7 seats. Most family size or mid exec/salesrep saloons/Hbs are really 4.5 seater - try 1 adult & 2 child seats on a long journey in the back of an avensis, mondeo.

BnA wrote: »

Mitsubishi Outlander
These look fairly nice are have got good reviews. But as they only came out last year they are a bit out of our budget yet..

We looked at the Outlander but thought that the Grandis was a much better drive and had better space and seating options. The only other soft 4x4 we looked at was the Chevrolet Captiva and preferred the drive and space in this again to the Outlander.

*Tripper*

What about this not seven seater though.

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mercedes-Benz/B-150/1.5-Classic/911822/

ninty9er

Why not something like a Mondeo/Avensis/9-5 estate

BnA

Thanks for the replies.

First to answer... Why 7 Seater ?

1) Because as Grad Turismo said... Eventhough we will be 5.... we often have a granny or grandad or auntie or cousin or two in tow.

2) Not to let this turn into a discussion on Family planning or anything.... but we plan to have 4 kids altogether. We want whatever we buy now to last a good few years. We'll probably change our second car (my car) in the next year or two and get a nice saloon that either of us can use if we don't have the crew in tow.

Prospect : C4 Picasso. I'd class it the same as the grand scenic. I'm sure it's a great family car and everything folds away lovely, but It just doesn't float my boat.

Churchy : There are a good few S-Max's in the Autotrader for around 13 - 14k. They would be at the top end of our budget, but would be affordable. As far as I remember, with VRT they were coming in at around €24k

E92 : I did not know that the V70 came as a 7 seater and that is just the kind of suggestion I am looking for. Thanks for that I'll have a look at a few of them tonight.

Trip : That's a horriffic looking yoke. And it doesn't even have 7 seats.

The Real B-man

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Renault/Grand-Scenic/1.9-DCI/997981/
Renault Grand Scenic well Speced & Safe.

ninty9er

A little unorthodox but it ticks the boxes on seating and I'm sure you *could* be converted to auto for life!

More conventional don't know of a bigger MPV.

King Kelly

prospect wrote: »

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso.

Looks great (for a 7 seater) and drives really nicely (for a 7 seater).
Also it is loaded with fantastic little quirky things like programmable buttons, massive windscreen, removable boot light etc. etc.
Folding seats work really well.

Also, the PSA 1.6HDi engine is very good. You avail of cheap tax and good economy, with as much power as you'll need.
And, if you can find a ex-demo 08 model, you'll get super cheap tax based on its C02 emissions

+1

Even Top Gear liked it http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/2006/12/stories/03/1.html

Balfa

granturismo wrote: »

1.
2.
3.

BnA wrote:

1.
2.

All fair points. It's just my responsibility to ask

L-M

What about thay 307 Sw:o... Some of them CAN, look nice.
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Peugeot/307/SW-1.6/969891/

Triangle

Hmm we were looking at the Mazda 5 - drives really nice and has a good interior. Seeminlgy the seat positions can be changed to suit your needs.
There are a few vids/reviews on the subject

ENCAP Ratings

American Review

Top Gear

It's another option.

stratos

My friend sleeps in his alfa romeo in that he had a third child and the money was used for an attic bedroom conversion. :eek: I know this doesn't help...... sory:o

cjt156

prospect wrote: »

Sorry guys, but there is no way in hell you would fit 3x baby seats in a 159. My dad has a 159 and when my daughters seat is in his car, the seat covers over 40% of the rear.

Also, if the OP is using iso-fix, alot of saloon cars only have iso-fix points for two seats.

Depends on the seats more so than the car. We had three kids under 5 in car seats in a 156 for years.

OP: what about one of these beauties.

Or if that's too pretty, there's always the ugly older sister.

They're actually great cars, if you can handle the looks - herself couldn't:mad:

MrPudding

Triangle wrote: »

Hmm we were looking at the Mazda 5 - drives really nice and has a good interior. Seeminlgy the seat positions can be changed to suit your needs.
There are a few vids/reviews on the subject

ENCAP Ratings

American Review

Top Gear

It's another option.

I have a Mazda 5, about 11 months old. Very happy with it. Nice and comfy and a decent drive. That said it is more like a 6.5 seater, like a lot of ordinary cars are 4.5 seaters rather than 5.

We looked at the C4 Picasso but found that the Mazda 5 has a slightly larger boot when the 3rd row of seats are in use.

MrP

prospect

cjt156, there is a difference between baby, child and booster seats. However, you do have a point, about the different seats.

RE: the 307, it is a good option except access to the rear seats is very akward if you have baby/child seats installed in the middle row. Also with all the seats in place, there is little or no boot.

RE: the multipla, great car. 6 seats though.

E92

Here is the car I would be recommending the most, admittedly it's not a diesel but it is a 2.0 petrol at least, and of course it's miles away from where the OP lives, so I know it's not really what the OP wants, but I said I'd post it anyway for the benefit of the OP so he can see what the 7 seater version of this car looks like.

Ferris

I know I said it already but these have had some good reviews, they have 7 permenant seats and they're cheap. The maxi even has a large boot.

Caddy Life 1.9tdi ~25k



Caddy Maxi life 1.9tdi ~ 27k

WHITE_P

Recently changed my 06 Passat TDI highline for a new Touran 1.4 TSI, for the same reason. Three child seats across the back of the Passat took forever to fit and was a real pain in the ass.

Three child seats fit very nicely across the Touran and the boot is as big and more practical, with the added bonus of the occassional extra two seats in the back, which I've already used. Would have happily gone for a second hand S-Max from NI or England, but their still too dear for anything other than poverty spec.

WHITE_P

E92 wrote: »

Here is the car I would be recommending the most, admittedly it's not a diesel but it is a 2.0 petrol at least, and of course it's miles away from where the OP lives, so I know it's not really what the OP wants, but I said I'd post it anyway for the benefit of the OP so he can see what the 7 seater version of this car looks like.

Nice car but mad money, given its five years old, has had three owners, would cost a fortune to run, and correct me if I'm wrong but its since been replaced by a new model.

BostonB

I'm looking for something similar, and I think I'll be going for a Touran. You can get them starting around 15k. A bit plain looking. But theres 3 good sized seats in the middle, and the boot is decent. But still quite a neat sized vehicle. A lot of smaller MPV's aren't any bigger than your average saloon, tiny middle seat, and have a tiny boot when all the seats are filled. So whats the point of that. Touran seems like a good compromise.

WHITE_P

BostonB wrote: »

I'm looking for something similar, and I think I'll be going for a Touran. You can get them starting around 15k. A bit plain looking. But theres 3 good sized seats in the middle, and the boot is decent. But still quite a neat sized vehicle. A lot of smaller MPV's aren't any bigger than your average saloon, tiny middle seat, and have a tiny boot when all the seats are filled. So whats the point of that. Touran seems like a good compromise.

I got a Highline in metalic black with the 17 inch alloys, it also has the privacy glass from the B pillar back and it looks fairly tasty (for what it is), particularly when its polished.

BostonB

What sort of price though? Polishing I won't be doing. So Silver for me.

WHITE_P

BostonB wrote: »

What sort of price though? Polishing I won't be doing. So Silver for me.

I bought new here, €11,500 with the 06 Passat, which I was being allowed €25,000 for, checked this with several VW dealers and they all came in around €25,000 for the Passat.