As the year 2023 rolls around, many families will be looking for a car that can accommodate their growing needs. With more people to transport, a seven-seater car is an excellent option to consider. Seven-seater cars provide the perfect blend of comfort, space, and functionality, making them a popular choice for larger families or those who need to transport groups of people.
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The 5 BEST Seven seater cars to buy in 2023
In this blog, we will explore the top five seven-seater cars to buy in 2023. Whether you need a spacious vehicle for everyday use or something for long road trips, this list has something for everyone. From sleek and modern to practical and affordable, we’ll cover the best options available to help you find the perfect seven-seater car for your family’s needs.
Number 1. Volvo XC90
Despite being almost a decade old and with an all-electric replacement on the horizon, the Volvo XC90 remains a popular choice for those seeking a seven-seater SUV. While there are certainly rivals with more up-to-date technology or more engaging driving dynamics, few can match the XC90’s winning combination of space, practicality, comfort, and class.
One of the XC90‘s biggest strengths is its interior, which boasts high-quality materials, ample space, and a wealth of features. In particular, the XC90’s third-row seats offer impressive head and legroom for adults, and even with all seats in use, the car provides a decent amount of storage space. The second row is also adjustable, with the option of a built-in child booster seat and plenty of storage options for small items.
Despite its age, the XC90 still looks and feels modern on the road, with a refined and understated presence that sets it apart from more aggressive SUVs. Under the hood, the XC90 features four-cylinder turbocharged engines, with the B5 diesel mild-hybrid variant providing a good balance of performance and efficiency. The T8 plug-in hybrid model is especially noteworthy, offering up to 400bhp and 40 miles of electric-only range, while also qualifying for the 8% Benefit in Kind tax band for company car users.
Overall, the XC90 delivers a smooth and comfortable driving experience, with a focus on refinement rather than sportiness. Whether you’re in the market for a family vehicle or a business commuter, the XC90 is a compelling option that offers a winning combination of practicality, luxury, and efficiency.
Number 2. Dacia Jogger
The seven-seater market has recently been shaken up by Dacia, surprising many with their latest release, the Jogger. The Romanian brand has managed to create a people mover that is fully equipped and nearly fully scaled, all for less than the price of a mainstream supermini. While it may not be the most stylish or sophisticated vehicle on the market, the Jogger exudes confidence and lacks pretension, which can be quite charming.
The Jogger straddles the line between an estate, MPV, and SUV, making it a car that almost appeals to everyone. Its cabin is thoughtfully designed and packs in 23-litres of useful storage space, and its simple yet effective design makes it feel more cheerful than cheap, despite the use of low-grade plastics in some areas. There is just enough room for seven adults, although the third row is best suited to children for longer journeys. Removing all the rear seats provides van-like carrying capacity of 2094-litres. However, the third row seats don’t fold flat when not in use, meaning they have to be removed completely if you want to utilize the luggage space.
On the road, the Jogger offers a supple, languid ride with a smooth and willing 1.0-litre triple turbocharged engine. While it can lose some of its pep when fully loaded, the light and accurate steering makes it easy to place on the road, and the subtly raised seating position adds to its appeal. The Jogger can roll a bit when cornering hard, but the handling always remains faithful, and the grip is strong. Although not a sharp street fighter, the Dacia has enough character in the way it goes about its business that it’s genuinely satisfying to drive. The introduction of the mild hybrid 1.6-litre petrol engine from parent company Renault has broadened its appeal, adding weight and complexity but also allowing for up to 80% of urban driving to be done in pure EV mode.
Number 3. Volkswagen Multivan
If you believed that the conventional MPV was a thing of the past, Volkswagen would like to prove you wrong. Their Multivan has breathed new life into the idea of a spacious and practical box on wheels that offers unparalleled versatility. With a mix of a highly flexible interior, sophisticated driving dynamics, and a touch of premium allure, this people carrier from the people’s car brand is an excellent choice for families seeking sensible and rational transportation.
Volkswagen has always offered large people carriers, but they’ve often been based on their commercial vehicles, lacking the final polish of refinement. However, the Multivan is built on the MQB platform that underpins the Golf and the Skoda Kodiaq SUV, providing a level of precision in steering and ride refinement that was unthinkable in earlier models. The use of this platform also allows for the tried-and-tested plug-in hybrid that combines a 1.4-liter petrol engine with an electric motor for 215 horsepower and a claimed 31 miles of electric-only driving. There are also traditional petrol and diesel options available.
But it’s the interior that’s the real standout feature. Its space and flexibility mean that it can be effortlessly adapted to suit your needs. With room for seven adults to sit in comfort, all the rear seats slide, recline, fold, and swivel. There are also neat additions, such as the multi-use storage compartment that can be moved throughout the cabin and features a fold-out table perfect for on-the-go snacks and drinks. Plus, the sliding rear doors make it easy to load kids and their belongings even in the tightest parking spots.
However, this level of practicality comes with a hefty price tag. Prices start at just under $58,000 and climb to over $82,000.
Number 4. Land Rover Defender
Land Rover’s latest flagship model offers impressive versatility with its cleverly configurable interior and the option of up to eight passenger seats. The longer-wheelbase Land Rover Defender 110 offers a choice of five, six or seven passenger seats, while the elongated 130 seats eight in a two, three, three formation. However, due to legislative reasons, the jump seat in between the driver and front seat passenger is not an official option, preventing it from being registered as a minibus in the UK. Nonetheless, some individuals may retrofit jump seats to secondhand examples in the future.
Despite not having the jump seat option, the seven-seat Defender’s third-row chairs are smaller than those of the related Discovery’s but still practical for children, teenagers, and smaller adults. The 130 offers all eight seats and a usable 400-litre boot, although its considerable 5358mm length makes parking a challenge.
This car’s luxury comes at a price, with even the cheapest five-door passenger-car models costing over £50,000. However, it drives almost as well as any luxury SUV of its size and type and boasts a range of modern electrified powertrains, as well as exceptional off-road capability. As a premium family workhorse, the Land Rover Defender is an excellent choice.
Number 5. Skoda Kodiaq
Skoda entered the seven-seat SUV market in 2016 with the Kodiaq, a car that cleverly combines features of both full-sized and mid-sized options. Despite its reasonable price and size, the Kodiaq offers a spacious cabin and a generous boot, and all but the base variant come standard with seven seats, including the warm vRS performance version.
However, the Kodiaq falls short in cabin width, making it difficult to install three child seats side by side because the middle second-row seat cannot be adjusted to an offset position relative to the outer seats. In addition, the rearmost seats are not approved for belted safety seats, as confirmed by Euro NCAP crash testing, although this caveat applies to other seven-seaters as well. Access to the third row can also be a bit tight when navigating behind the tilted second-row chairs.
The Kodiaq offers a broad range of petrol and diesel engine options, with Skoda being the only volume brand to offer a performance derivative in the form of the 242bhp vRS. However, the vRS is not as quick as expected and consumes a considerable amount of fuel. Despite this, all Kodiaq models are pleasant and easy to drive, although some trim editions may feel firm-riding.
