The seven best 7 seater cars in 2017

The Seven Best 7-Seater Cars in 2017

With a growing family, you need a growing car. Many Mums and Dads dread talk of the 7-seater because they think it means driving a tank-like vehicle and choosing practicality over style but not anymore, because 7-seaters can be sexy!

Car buyers have never had such a good choice of 7-seater vehicles. There’s some great MPV vehicles on the market but over recent years many SUVs have come to the market with room for the magnificent seven, so you can now get good looks as well as great room.

If you’re looking for a 7-seater you must weigh up what is important to you against each model. We know this is easier said than done when you’ve got family life to put first so here at Zuto, we’ve made a couple of changes to our 2016 list and present here what we think are the seven best 7-seater cars in 2017. And don’t worry, we think there’s an option to suit all tastes and budgets.

1. Citroen Grand C4 Picasso
2. Land Rover Discovery Sport
3. Kia Sorrento
4. The Volvo XC90
5. The Audi Q7
6. Seat Alhambra
7. Ford S-Max

1. Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

So, we’re still in love with the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso and our reasons haven’t changed…

The flexible seat folding system means that this car can be adapted quickly. It can easily cater for a busy school run, a family day out and the weekly supermarket shop and when all seven seats are in use, there is still room in the boot for a folded buggy.

The two rear seats can be folded away to reveal a boot space larger than a Volkswagen Golf’s and if you need to transport larger items, the second row of seating can also be easily folded down to reveal a huge loading bay that rivals a van’s. However, the two rearmost seats aren’t suitable for adults.

This MPV is also one of the few 7-seaters that provides three same-sized seats across the middle row, which means that three child car seats can be comfortably fit next to each other.

When in transit, this vehicle provides comfort from outside noise and smooth suspension. Standard models come fairly well equipped but, if you can afford to spend a bit more, exclusive models are worth considering. They come with lots of really useful equipment, including Sat Nav, a reversing camera and keyless entry and start.

2. Land Rover Discovery Sport

The Land Rover Discovery is an upmarket, good looking and a compact SUV.

It has truly comfortable seats, top-notch interior materials and well suppressed road and wind noise that spoils passengers with a calm and luxurious cabin experience.

It’s also a safe ride; scoring five stars in Euro NCAP crash testing and is fitted with Land Rover’s Terrain Response System that adjusts the car's traction to help with driving in different conditions including snow, sand and rocky landscapes.

However, at the same length and width as a Volkswagen Golf, this SUV is more suitable as a regular 5 seater with 2 occasional passengers rather than a well-used 7-seater. While the rear two seats are easy to access, with rear doors opening almost 90 degrees, the lack of space means these seats are only really suitable for adult passengers on short journeys.

While the Land Rover might come with a nice price tag, the prestige means it’ll hold its value so should be a solid investment.

3. Kia Sorrento

Last year we put the Kia Carens on our list but this year we’ve switched from an MPV to an SUV and chosen the Sorrento.

This car offers great value and nearly all models offer the seven seats as standard, which can fit adults in even the rearmost seats. The driver’s seat offers great comfort in all models and offers a great vantage for the road.

What’s great about the Sorrento is it’s quiet at speed so great for motorway driving. What’s not so great is its size. It’s a big boy for sure but with parking sensors and a reversing camera on all models except the KX-1,this might not be a problem for most. Meanwhile, it also means lots of boot room, up to 605 litre capacity when the rear two seats are not being used.

We all know infotainment is essential for a family car these days and the Sorento does not disappoint. It comes with Bluetooth, including audio streaming, a DAB radio, USB socket and six speakers. And better still is the voice control and screen on which to view everything.

The Sorrento offers great value for money and if you’re looking for a car of little age, you can be reassured by Kia’s seven year or 100,000 miles warranty.

4. The Volvo XC90

It’s Swedish, it’s sexy, it’s safe – what more could you want? It was certainly enough for the Volvo XC90 to win Auto Express Car of the Year Award 2015.

Not only this but it’s spacious; it can easily accommodate three child seats in the middle row of seating while the rearmost seats also offer enough room to accommodate teens and adults. And, even with all seven seats erected, the latest XC90 can now hold up to 451 litres of luggage.

And, as always, Volvo make things safe! The airbags protect passengers in all three rows of seating, by deploying the full length of the cabin, in the event of an accident and this SUV received an incredible 97% adult protection rating and 87% child protection rating during Euro NCAP crash testing that earned it a well-deserved overall 5 star rating.

It’s pricey but worth it.

5. The Audi Q7

New to our list for 2017, is the Audi Q7 – that’s right, you can still aspire to an Audi with a big family!

The Q7 is big on safety, especially the latest models. There’s adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist that can take over steering and brake at 30+mph. Higher spec models offer cameras and sensors that warn you of approaching vehicles; handy when you’re pulling out on a busy road or reversing into a parking space. You can even get a space monitor system - perfect for the chaos at school pick-up - that will warn you of nearby cyclists or pedestrians before you open your door. And, if that’s not enough, it also comes with 8 air bags and ISOFIX points in six seats.

It’s big on style and practical with 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless go, cruise control, all round parking sensors, auto lights and wipers, adaptive dampers. It’s also spacious with great boot space (295 litres with all seats in place and 770 when the third row is folded away. The seven seats can all carry adults.

A7 drivers talk about it being a light car for its size which you really notice on steep inclines or when handling corners.

6. Seat Alhambra

The Seat Alhambra is a winner of both CarBuyer.co.uk’s Best MPV for 3 years running and was WhatCar’s MPV of the Year 2015.

Why do the experts give it the thumbs up? Well, it’s smooth to drive, practical, comfortable and incredibly spacious, which makes it great value for money!

The Alhambra can comfortably carry seven adults and still has a usable boot. It also has sliding doors on both sides of the car that makes getting the kids in and out easier, especially in cramped car parks.

It scored the maximum 5 stars when put through its paces in the Euro NCAP crash test.

7. Ford S-Max

The Ford S-Max was named the ‘Best Seven-Seater in the 2016 Telegraph Cars Awards’. It has gained a reputation as “the most fun MPV to drive”, with some owners reporting that it feels like being behind the seat of a smaller estate car rather than an MPV.

The S-Max has tons of storage, including large door pockets, for family clutter and a versatile seating system that makes negotiating passengers and luggage easy. The second row of seating can accommodate three child car seats and includes ISOFIX technology.

The easy-to-use toggles that fold away the rearmost seats make it simple to switch the vehicle between a 5 seater and a 7 seater to free up boot space as needed. However, the third row of seats they aren’t really suitable for adults.

Still can’t decide what 7-seater car is best for you?

Why not ask for a trial day with the vehicle of choice? Test it properly and see how it works practically when you get all the kids in (and out), park at Tesco, park in your garage etc.

Want to know more about ISOFIX car seat solutions?

Have a read of our blog, What should you consider when buying a car if you’re expecting a baby?