6 and 7 seater car options ....

[Mick Mac]

We have a normal 4 door saloon and with family visiting etc we realise that it just about copes with our family of 5 but is difficult with 2 carseats and also a booster seat in back, but certainly can't cope with more, eg people visiting or mum sharing a journey with another mum etc.

Any recommendations? I'm trying my best to avoid a people mover and the 4x4 "style" is preferred so any comments welcome.

(also Audi used to do a 7 seater estate car with 2 back facing seats, but I'm not sure these are stil being made - this would be perfect as we don't always need the extra seats)

[daizie]

zafira

[Narnia]

I've always found that a horse with caravan will cater for medium to large families.

[pablogrande]

I looked into this a while ago, then a friend pointed out the safety aspect. Most of the seven seaters are five seaters with additional temporary seats in the bootspace, these temopary seats tend to have thinner construction and back straight onto the rear of the car in order to fit them in, this means there is no crumple zone should you have a car or worse rear end you, the thought of this made me shudder. There are some videos online showing tests done on these type of cars.

[Ladymuck]

Mick Mac, try and get hold of Which's Best Car Guide for 2010. If it's no longer in stock in the shops then your local library should have a copy in its reference section (Dulwich Library used to stock it). Failing that and you have no other joy, PM me - I might still have back copies up in the loft.

PS: you think a four door saloon car is normal? You iz well posh innit.

[hibbs]

The Mercedes Estate car used to have 2 fold up seats in the back...not sure if they still do.

[Townleygreen]

The Ford S-Max has 7 seats, and the rear 5 all fold flat into the floor. It seems to drive well, and is well liked by owners according to Which. It avoids the large size of the Galaxy/Espace type vehicles, and allegedly drives like a car.

[????]

pablogrande Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I looked into this a while ago, then a friend

> pointed out the safety aspect. Most of the seven

> seaters are five seaters with additional temporary

> seats in the bootspace, these temopary seats tend

> to have thinner construction and back straight

> onto the rear of the car in order to fit them in,

> this means there is no crumple zone should you

> have a car or worse rear end you, the thought of

> this made me shudder. There are some videos online

> showing tests done on these type of cars.

Don't worry, only the grannies go in the back

[KalamityKel]

The Peugeot 7 seater is a decent runner... you'd be amazed how much space you have left after the 7 seats are filled with bodies, toys, blankets, food etc (tu)

Can get a fair bit out of it too (ignore reviews saying otherwise) so another thumbs up if you're watching the pennies

[ImpetuousVrouw]

Streetcar do a VW Touran that you could use when family are down. There is one near the police station:

http://www.streetcar.co.uk/location.aspx?location=1629

Here are the cars they have: http://www.streetcar.co.uk/cars.aspx and the Touran is a 7 seater

[Tarot]

Old Taxi.

[ClareC]

Volvo XC 90 two extra seats in boot as an extra and they fold when not in use.

[legalbeagle]

I have similar issues and got a renault magan scenic from Cargiant. Not too expensive, does the biz and was surprisingly easy to drive in the snow.

[waynetta]

DRIVERS spot traffic build ups from miles away by mounting a telescope on your dashboard, thus giving you time to take an alternative route.

[Mick Mac]

pablogrande Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I looked into this a while ago, then a friend

> pointed out the safety aspect. Most of the seven

> seaters are five seaters with additional temporary

> seats in the bootspace, these temopary seats tend

> to have thinner construction and back straight

> onto the rear of the car in order to fit them in,

> this means there is no crumple zone should you

> have a car or worse rear end you, the thought of

> this made me shudder. There are some videos online

> showing tests done on these type of cars.

Ok thanks that is worth knowing especially since it is safety that is driving this due to lack of space for three car seats

currently. Combination of booster seats and baby seat fitted into the current car may be ok option. Especially given prices of the 4*4 seven seat options .

[Mick Mac]

hibbs Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The Mercedes Estate car used to have 2 fold up

> seats in the back...not sure if they still do.

Yes I was looking at this option hibbs but think they are a thing of the past for safety reasons. Think all the major manufacturers have moved to front facing seats making the vehicles enormous and probably too big for our off street parking too !

[Huguenot]

I think the Ford C-Max Mark II 7 seater has got to be an option - only the MkII mind!

Ticks all the boxes, it's got great fuel consumption figures (there's even a hybrid coming out if you wait a bit), and doesn't come with the dull family bore look of an MPV.

I think you'd need the Grand version for 7 seats. From 19k list price on the road.

[ClareC]

We hired a 7 seater car for a couple of weeks to take to the Alps, can't remember the exact model but it was a Vauxhall and was surprisingly comfortable with bags of space. I know it was not an expensive car as I remember being surprised at how expensive the hire was....