Last updated August 22, 2025 by
Mario Christou
Best 7-seaters of 2025 in the UK
The best seven-seater cars aren’t the barren MPVs or agricultural, unrefined, van-based items that they used to be; most of the options on sale these days are actually rather posh SUVs, such as the Carwow Award-winning Hyundai Santa Fe.
Not all manufacturers have defaulted to SUV-based seven-seaters. Volkswagen is a firm believer in function over form, which is why it offers the van-shaped, boxy Multivan. The ID Buzz is one of the most stylish seven-seaters on sale, and though it’s van-based, it’s achingly cool - and one of the few electric-powered options available.
They’re getting more popular, though, as brands are finding clever ways to package electric batteries and maximise cabin space in their cars; the Kia EV9 is a prime example of an excellent EV seven-seater.
Though it’s far from cheap, and while a lot seven-seaters are big, expensive cars, the Dacia Jogger and Skoda Kodiaq show that you don’t have to take out a mortgage to be able to afford a seven-seater car that’s good to drive and easy to live with.
While a lot of options have a pair of fairly tight rear seats for occasional use, some really do prioritise comfort in the third row; road trips with six passengers are an enticing proposition in an SUV such as the BMW X7 or Hyundai Ioniq 9, which can comfortably fill each seat with a tall adult.
Our expert reviews team has extensively tested every seven-seater car on sale, with as much consideration for seats six and seven as for the driver’s seat. We’ve used our experience to put together this list of the ten best examples on sale, but if you don’t need the extra row then have a look at the best SUVs on sale, or the best estate cars for sale instead.
2025
Car of the Year Award
1. Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai Santa Fe review
Best for: an overall package
The Hyundai Santa Fe was the Carwow Car of the Year for 2025, so it’s no surprise that it tops this list. All versions have seven seats as standard, and the Santa Fe’s blocky, square silhouette means a surprising amount of space in the rear even for larger occupants.
While there’s definitely not as much room in seats six and seven as there is in the middle row, a six-foot adult can still get comfortable back there for a reasonably long drive. Accessing them is good too, with the middle seats tumbling forwards out of the way - and rearmost occupants get plenty of storage spaces and charging ports, too.
Of course the best rear seats in the world would be no good if the rest of the Santa Fe was a rubbish car - but it’s the opposite. The Santa Fe is superbly practical, with a big boot in five-seater mode and even enough space for a (modest) weekly shop when all seven seats are in place.
And storage for smaller items in the interior is unparalleled. Not only do you get twin gloveboxes, plenty of larger storage areas in the front and big door bins - but there are a total of 17 cupholders scattered around the interior. That really takes some beating.
The Santa Fe is available as either a self-charging hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. Neither are particularly quick, but they’re both efficient and comfortable and have plenty of power to ferry around a fully-laden Santa Fe.
Another highlight is the interior quality and the tech on offer. The Santa Fe doesn’t quite feel like a luxury car, but design and build quality are easily up to the standard of a much more expensive Land Rover Defender, and the widescreen infotainment display in particular looks great and works really well.
There are better options for people who want to regularly carry seven adults, but the Hyundai Santa Fe is a true jack of all trades and a fantastic seven-seater.
The Hyundai Santa Fe was the Carwow Car of the Year for 2025, so it’s no surprise that it tops this list. All versions have seven seats as standard, and the Santa Fe’s blocky, square silhouette means a surprising amount of space in the rear even for larger occupants.
While there’s definitely not as much room in seats six and seven as there is in the middle row, a six-foot adult can still get comfortable back there for a reasonably long drive. Accessing them is good too, with the middle seats tumbling forwards out of the way - and rearmost occupants get plenty of storage spaces and charging ports, too.
Of course the best rear seats in the world would be no good if the rest of the Santa Fe was a rubbish car - but it’s the opposite. The Santa Fe is superbly practical, with a big boot in five-seater mode and even enough space for a (modest) weekly shop when all seven seats are in place.
And storage for smaller items in the interior is unparalleled. Not only do you get twin gloveboxes, plenty of larger storage areas in the front and big door bins - but there are a total of 17 cupholders scattered around the interior. That really takes some beating.
The Santa Fe is available as either a self-charging hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. Neither are particularly quick, but they’re both efficient and comfortable and have plenty of power to ferry around a fully-laden Santa Fe.
Another highlight is the interior quality and the tech on offer. The Santa Fe doesn’t quite feel like a luxury car, but design and build quality are easily up to the standard of a much more expensive Land Rover Defender, and the widescreen infotainment display in particular looks great and works really well.
There are better options for people who want to regularly carry seven adults, but the Hyundai Santa Fe is a true jack of all trades and a fantastic seven-seater.
2. Land Rover Defender
Land Rover Defender 110 review
Best for: going anywhere
The Land Rover Defender comes in three distinct bodystyles. The smaller 90 variant is cool, but hideously impractical, while the massive 130 seats up to eight people but is a bit overkill for most. The Goldilocks model is the 110, which has all the capability of the other variants but comes in at a really sensible size - and with seven seats.
The third row in the Defender 110 is more for occasional passengers than regular use - adults can fit, but it’ll be a tight squeeze. A Land Rover Discovery is a better full-sized seven-seater, but it’s nothing like as charming as the Defender - and not as capable off-road either.
The Defender 110 is one of those cars that you can just point where you want to go and it’ll go - whether that’s over tarmac, sand, mud, or a medium-sized mountain range. Scores of off-road tech including the ingenious All-Terrain Progress Control (which is basically cruise control for the rough stuff) makes it effortless for even inexperienced drivers to tackle the most challenging terrain.
It’s nice to drive on the road, too. There’s a 5.0-litre V8 engine (thirsty, and a bit excessive) and a plug-in hybrid (not available with seven seats) but the best engines are the 3.0-litre diesels. They’re punchy, refined on the motorway and even reasonably efficient, touching 40mpg if driven carefully.
The Defender certainly isn’t a sports car but it doesn’t fall apart on the tarmac either. It’s smooth, quiet and superbly comfortable in a way that most SUVs that pretend to be sportier than they are can’t manage.
The other brilliant thing about the Defender is how it looks - inside and out. Though it’s not quite as tidy a design as the classic Land Rovers of old, it still looks fantastic with its chunky silhouette and rugged interior with exposed bolts. It looks equally at home in Kensington or at the races as it does slumming it on the school run or in a farmer’s field - and you can’t say that about many cars.
The Land Rover Defender comes in three distinct bodystyles. The smaller 90 variant is cool, but hideously impractical, while the massive 130 seats up to eight people but is a bit overkill for most. The Goldilocks model is the 110, which has all the capability of the other variants but comes in at a really sensible size - and with seven seats.
The third row in the Defender 110 is more for occasional passengers than regular use - adults can fit, but it’ll be a tight squeeze. A Land Rover Discovery is a better full-sized seven-seater, but it’s nothing like as charming as the Defender - and not as capable off-road either.
The Defender 110 is one of those cars that you can just point where you want to go and it’ll go - whether that’s over tarmac, sand, mud, or a medium-sized mountain range. Scores of off-road tech including the ingenious All-Terrain Progress Control (which is basically cruise control for the rough stuff) makes it effortless for even inexperienced drivers to tackle the most challenging terrain.
It’s nice to drive on the road, too. There’s a 5.0-litre V8 engine (thirsty, and a bit excessive) and a plug-in hybrid (not available with seven seats) but the best engines are the 3.0-litre diesels. They’re punchy, refined on the motorway and even reasonably efficient, touching 40mpg if driven carefully.
The Defender certainly isn’t a sports car but it doesn’t fall apart on the tarmac either. It’s smooth, quiet and superbly comfortable in a way that most SUVs that pretend to be sportier than they are can’t manage.
The other brilliant thing about the Defender is how it looks - inside and out. Though it’s not quite as tidy a design as the classic Land Rovers of old, it still looks fantastic with its chunky silhouette and rugged interior with exposed bolts. It looks equally at home in Kensington or at the races as it does slumming it on the school run or in a farmer’s field - and you can’t say that about many cars.
3. Volkswagen Multivan
Volkswagen Multivan review
Best for: carrying seven adults
Despite its name, the Volkswagen Multivan isn’t actually a van. Yes, it’s right there in the nomenclature, and it certainly shares a van’s blocky proportions and practicality - but under the skin it’s more closely-related to the Volkswagen Golf hatchback, a similarity that brings several benefits.
Firstly, there’s the availability of nice, modern engines. Where many van-based people carriers use agricultural units meant for commercial vehicles, the Multivan gets an array of smooth petrol and diesel options as well as a plug-in hybrid variant that’s particularly useful if you do lots of short journeys in town.
It also means the Multivan is really comfortable to drive, with a car-like driving position, suspension that doesn’t feel like it needs half a ton of cement in the rear to settle down, and motorway refinement up there with the best premium saloon cars. All Multivans have an automatic gearbox so they’re really easy to drive, too.
But being van-shaped and van-sized comes with all the practicality benefits you could ask for. The Multivan comes with seven seats as standard in a 2-2-3 layout, so middle passengers get a pair of comfy captain’s chairs with bags of legroom. As an option you can have a businesslike six-seater layout, which allows you to swivel the centre seats round for a proper conference. But all versions come with a clever sliding table/storage arrangement which can go right from the rear of the van up to the very front.
Practicality for luggage isn’t the best in the smaller of the two available variants - you will need to slide the rearmost seats forward a little to squeeze seven people’s luggage in. But go for the long-wheelbase model and there’s loads of space, and all occupants will be pleased to find USB-C charging ports in each row.
Most true van-based people carriers can be specified with up to eight seats, whereas the Multivan tops out at seven. It’s also quite expensive with no real entry-level model in the range, though equip an alternative with the same level of luxury kit and it’s quite comparable. For the added refinement, it’s definitely worth it.
Despite its name, the Volkswagen Multivan isn’t actually a van. Yes, it’s right there in the nomenclature, and it certainly shares a van’s blocky proportions and practicality - but under the skin it’s more closely-related to the Volkswagen Golf hatchback, a similarity that brings several benefits.
Firstly, there’s the availability of nice, modern engines. Where many van-based people carriers use agricultural units meant for commercial vehicles, the Multivan gets an array of smooth petrol and diesel options as well as a plug-in hybrid variant that’s particularly useful if you do lots of short journeys in town.
It also means the Multivan is really comfortable to drive, with a car-like driving position, suspension that doesn’t feel like it needs half a ton of cement in the rear to settle down, and motorway refinement up there with the best premium saloon cars. All Multivans have an automatic gearbox so they’re really easy to drive, too.
But being van-shaped and van-sized comes with all the practicality benefits you could ask for. The Multivan comes with seven seats as standard in a 2-2-3 layout, so middle passengers get a pair of comfy captain’s chairs with bags of legroom. As an option you can have a businesslike six-seater layout, which allows you to swivel the centre seats round for a proper conference. But all versions come with a clever sliding table/storage arrangement which can go right from the rear of the van up to the very front.
Practicality for luggage isn’t the best in the smaller of the two available variants - you will need to slide the rearmost seats forward a little to squeeze seven people’s luggage in. But go for the long-wheelbase model and there’s loads of space, and all occupants will be pleased to find USB-C charging ports in each row.
Most true van-based people carriers can be specified with up to eight seats, whereas the Multivan tops out at seven. It’s also quite expensive with no real entry-level model in the range, though equip an alternative with the same level of luxury kit and it’s quite comparable. For the added refinement, it’s definitely worth it.
Sell your car for what it's really worth
The free, easy way to get 5,500+ dealers all over the UK bidding on your car
Learn how to
sell your car
with Carwow
2025
Family Values Award
Highly Commended
4. Peugeot 5008
Peugeot 5008 review
Best for: motorway comfort
The Peugeot 5008 isn’t just a good seven-seater car, it’s one of the most comfortable cars on sale - period. It looks fantastic and features an excellent interior with lots of space, but it’s not very fun to drive.
Peugeot’s styling is very out-there, and the 5008 wears its broad grille, sharp creases and funky angles very well. You won’t mistake it for anything else on the road, aside from its smaller 3008 sibling, maybe.
The interior is just as wild to look at, with a wraparound dashboard that’s joined up by a fighter jet-esque centre console housing the car’s controls. Almost everything is trimmed in a rather fetching light grey fabric, and the widescreen display is easy on the eye. It’s a shame that the touchscreen control panel is a pain to use.
You get lots of space inside, with decent storage up front, lots of legroom and headroom in the second row of seats and a pair of usable seats in the boot - though they’re not quite as throne-like as in a Kia EV9. The 916-litre boot, with the third row folded, blows other SUVs away, though.
On the road the 5008 is one of the most comfortable long-distance cars you can buy, as its soft suspension and well-insulated cabin cocoon you from harsh roads and intrusive noise. Take country lanes at a gentle pace, as the 5008 has a habit of leaning around tight bends, which can unsettle passengers.
The Peugeot 5008 isn’t just a good seven-seater car, it’s one of the most comfortable cars on sale - period. It looks fantastic and features an excellent interior with lots of space, but it’s not very fun to drive.
Peugeot’s styling is very out-there, and the 5008 wears its broad grille, sharp creases and funky angles very well. You won’t mistake it for anything else on the road, aside from its smaller 3008 sibling, maybe.
The interior is just as wild to look at, with a wraparound dashboard that’s joined up by a fighter jet-esque centre console housing the car’s controls. Almost everything is trimmed in a rather fetching light grey fabric, and the widescreen display is easy on the eye. It’s a shame that the touchscreen control panel is a pain to use.
You get lots of space inside, with decent storage up front, lots of legroom and headroom in the second row of seats and a pair of usable seats in the boot - though they’re not quite as throne-like as in a Kia EV9. The 916-litre boot, with the third row folded, blows other SUVs away, though.
On the road the 5008 is one of the most comfortable long-distance cars you can buy, as its soft suspension and well-insulated cabin cocoon you from harsh roads and intrusive noise. Take country lanes at a gentle pace, as the 5008 has a habit of leaning around tight bends, which can unsettle passengers.
5. Dacia Jogger
Dacia Jogger review
Best for: seven-seat value
The Dacia Jogger is a real enigma - it’s a seven-seat car that blends elements of a small hatchback, an estate car, an SUV and an MPV - and all at a price that undercuts most budget city cars. If you’re looking for a seven-seater car for less than £20,000, you can stop the hunt here - anything else even remotely as affordable will have to be a used purchase.
The Jogger looks as though Dacia’s grafted the front end of a Sandero hatchback onto an estate car body, but jacked the whole affair up and given it some ruffty-tuffty body cladding. Inside, you’ll find five conventional seats and two folding jump seats in the rear, which despite looking like a bit of an afterthought actually have ample room for a six-foot adult to get comfy even on a long trip.
It’s not quite as flexible as the best seven-seaters, because those rear seats don’t fold flat into the floor - if you want the maximum load space, you’ll have to remove them entirely. That’s not the worst thing in the world as they only weigh 10kg each and aren’t too bulky to store, but a VW Touran has a much tidier setup for those times when you want maximum load capacity.
The Jogger’s engine line-up is very limited, too, and each option comes with a bit of compromise. The base version is a 1.0-litre petrol engine with a manual gearbox, which while it’s just about powerful enough in regular driving does feel as though it’s struggling when the car’s fully laden. If you want more power, or an automatic gearbox, you need to go for the 140hp hybrid model, which is much beefier and very economical but can feel quite clunky in operation.
The Dacia Jogger is a real enigma - it’s a seven-seat car that blends elements of a small hatchback, an estate car, an SUV and an MPV - and all at a price that undercuts most budget city cars. If you’re looking for a seven-seater car for less than £20,000, you can stop the hunt here - anything else even remotely as affordable will have to be a used purchase.
The Jogger looks as though Dacia’s grafted the front end of a Sandero hatchback onto an estate car body, but jacked the whole affair up and given it some ruffty-tuffty body cladding. Inside, you’ll find five conventional seats and two folding jump seats in the rear, which despite looking like a bit of an afterthought actually have ample room for a six-foot adult to get comfy even on a long trip.
It’s not quite as flexible as the best seven-seaters, because those rear seats don’t fold flat into the floor - if you want the maximum load space, you’ll have to remove them entirely. That’s not the worst thing in the world as they only weigh 10kg each and aren’t too bulky to store, but a VW Touran has a much tidier setup for those times when you want maximum load capacity.
The Jogger’s engine line-up is very limited, too, and each option comes with a bit of compromise. The base version is a 1.0-litre petrol engine with a manual gearbox, which while it’s just about powerful enough in regular driving does feel as though it’s struggling when the car’s fully laden. If you want more power, or an automatic gearbox, you need to go for the 140hp hybrid model, which is much beefier and very economical but can feel quite clunky in operation.
6. Volkswagen ID Buzz
Volkswagen ID. Buzz review
Battery range up to 293 miles
Best for: electric practicality
When Volkswagen launched the retro-styled ID Buzz, it did so with just five seats, meaning that while it had a massive boot and handy sliding doors, it wasn’t really much more practical than the ID3 hatchback. That changed with the long-wheelbase model, though, which now gets either six or seven seats and a bigger, more nicely-proportioned body. It feels like the ID Buzz we should have had from the start.
The longer Buzz also gets a bigger battery for a maximum driving range of up to 291 miles - even if its sheer bulk means that number is more like 200 miles in motorway driving, it’s still a useful figure. And as any parent will attest, no full seven-seater can make it more than 200 miles without needing a loo break anyway…
The Buzz remains charming to look at, and the interior feels great too, although its minimal switchgear does mean everything’s routed through the at-times awkward touchscreen. There’s loads of space to store odds and ends, though, thanks to numerous cubbies on the dash and a sliding centre console. The long-wheelbase model even gets opening rear windows, which is a nice extra compared to the smaller Buzz.
It’s great to drive, feeling much more like an ID3 than it does an electric van. It’s a fantastic way to get style and substance together, though you definitely pay the price.
When Volkswagen launched the retro-styled ID Buzz, it did so with just five seats, meaning that while it had a massive boot and handy sliding doors, it wasn’t really much more practical than the ID3 hatchback. That changed with the long-wheelbase model, though, which now gets either six or seven seats and a bigger, more nicely-proportioned body. It feels like the ID Buzz we should have had from the start.
The longer Buzz also gets a bigger battery for a maximum driving range of up to 291 miles - even if its sheer bulk means that number is more like 200 miles in motorway driving, it’s still a useful figure. And as any parent will attest, no full seven-seater can make it more than 200 miles without needing a loo break anyway…
The Buzz remains charming to look at, and the interior feels great too, although its minimal switchgear does mean everything’s routed through the at-times awkward touchscreen. There’s loads of space to store odds and ends, though, thanks to numerous cubbies on the dash and a sliding centre console. The long-wheelbase model even gets opening rear windows, which is a nice extra compared to the smaller Buzz.
It’s great to drive, feeling much more like an ID3 than it does an electric van. It’s a fantastic way to get style and substance together, though you definitely pay the price.
Best for: electric luxury
The Kia EV9 might start at more than £65,000, but it feels better and more premium than some cars that cost £100,000. It’s a fully-electric seven-seat SUV that looks like a spaceship, drives like a luxury car and has enough range to be a really practical everyday driver.
With its sheer size, it’d be disappointing if the EV9 was cramped inside. Thankfully even tall passengers have room inside to stretch out in all three rows. Those in the front can enjoy a really high-tech, triple-screen dashboard - even if the small central one is blocked by the steering wheel most of the time - and fantastic build quality. Base models do feel a little dowdy with their black colour palette, but opt for a lighter trim and it looks and feels great.
The best version for range can go up to 349 miles on a charge, but even the poshest GT-Line S version with more power and four-wheel drive claims up to 313 miles. And because it’s a Kia, you can be sure that it’ll get pretty close to that.
The Kia EV9 might start at more than £65,000, but it feels better and more premium than some cars that cost £100,000. It’s a fully-electric seven-seat SUV that looks like a spaceship, drives like a luxury car and has enough range to be a really practical everyday driver.
With its sheer size, it’d be disappointing if the EV9 was cramped inside. Thankfully even tall passengers have room inside to stretch out in all three rows. Those in the front can enjoy a really high-tech, triple-screen dashboard - even if the small central one is blocked by the steering wheel most of the time - and fantastic build quality. Base models do feel a little dowdy with their black colour palette, but opt for a lighter trim and it looks and feels great.
The best version for range can go up to 349 miles on a charge, but even the poshest GT-Line S version with more power and four-wheel drive claims up to 313 miles. And because it’s a Kia, you can be sure that it’ll get pretty close to that.
8. BMW X7
BMW X7 review
Best for: a seven-seater that's great to drive
The X7 is the bigger brother to the X5, and comes with third-row seats that are roomy for adults. It’s almost as spacious as a Land Rover Discovery, making it great if you regularly have to ferry seven occupants and want something that’s really luxurious.
Like its smaller sibling, the X7 is equal parts fantastic in the corners and comfortable at a cruise. It’s far more engaging to drive than an SUV of this size should be, with satisfyingly weighty steering, surprisingly little body lean in the corners and powerful six-cylinder engines that even sound great when revved hard.
On the flip side, get onto a long motorway drive and the X7 is incredibly relaxing with great refinement and fabulous ride comfort thanks to its air suspension.
It’s expensive, but you can see where the money’s gone in its high-tech and beautifully-crafted interior. If you want the ultimate seven-seat SUV and Land Rover isn’t for you, then the X7 is a great option - that’s assuming you can stomach the somewhat challenging looks. If you don’t need those full-sized rear seats, the smaller X5 is just as good and comes with a more occasional third row.
The X7 is the bigger brother to the X5, and comes with third-row seats that are roomy for adults. It’s almost as spacious as a Land Rover Discovery, making it great if you regularly have to ferry seven occupants and want something that’s really luxurious.
Like its smaller sibling, the X7 is equal parts fantastic in the corners and comfortable at a cruise. It’s far more engaging to drive than an SUV of this size should be, with satisfyingly weighty steering, surprisingly little body lean in the corners and powerful six-cylinder engines that even sound great when revved hard.
On the flip side, get onto a long motorway drive and the X7 is incredibly relaxing with great refinement and fabulous ride comfort thanks to its air suspension.
It’s expensive, but you can see where the money’s gone in its high-tech and beautifully-crafted interior. If you want the ultimate seven-seat SUV and Land Rover isn’t for you, then the X7 is a great option - that’s assuming you can stomach the somewhat challenging looks. If you don’t need those full-sized rear seats, the smaller X5 is just as good and comes with a more occasional third row.
9. Hyundai Ioniq 9
Hyundai Ioniq 9 review
Battery range up to 385 miles
Best for: an electric towing car
Not content with having the hugely practical, hugely impressive petrol-and-hybrid Santa Fe on its roster, Hyundai decided to add a seven-seater EV to its lineup in the form of the new Ioniq 9. It’s gargantuan inside and very comfortable on the road, but you’ll have to get over its odd looks - and it’s not very efficient.
While it’s not outright ugly, there’s quite a lot going on when you glance at the Ioniq 9, from its enormous black panels on the front end to the fussy wheel arches and odd creases on the rear doors. The wraparound taillights are super cool, though.
Step inside and you’re greeted by an interior that’s more restrained, with a dashboard that swoops away from you and a lot of very rounded design features. A super-widescreen twin-display setup sits on top, but there are a lot of menus to navigate, which gets annoying.
The Ioniq 9 has acres of room inside, across all three rows, and easily enough storage for you to put odds and ends and water bottles across all three rows. The seats are very comfortable and highly adjustable, and with the rear pair stowed away there’s an enormous 900-litre boot, too.
The big Hyundai is a consummate cruiser, with active noise cancelling and lots of insulation drowning out wind and tyre roar at speed. Around town its suspension is adept at dispatching of potholes and speed bumps, but its size makes it awkward to thread through tight cities and narrow country lanes.
Not content with having the hugely practical, hugely impressive petrol-and-hybrid Santa Fe on its roster, Hyundai decided to add a seven-seater EV to its lineup in the form of the new Ioniq 9. It’s gargantuan inside and very comfortable on the road, but you’ll have to get over its odd looks - and it’s not very efficient.
While it’s not outright ugly, there’s quite a lot going on when you glance at the Ioniq 9, from its enormous black panels on the front end to the fussy wheel arches and odd creases on the rear doors. The wraparound taillights are super cool, though.
Step inside and you’re greeted by an interior that’s more restrained, with a dashboard that swoops away from you and a lot of very rounded design features. A super-widescreen twin-display setup sits on top, but there are a lot of menus to navigate, which gets annoying.
The Ioniq 9 has acres of room inside, across all three rows, and easily enough storage for you to put odds and ends and water bottles across all three rows. The seats are very comfortable and highly adjustable, and with the rear pair stowed away there’s an enormous 900-litre boot, too.
The big Hyundai is a consummate cruiser, with active noise cancelling and lots of insulation drowning out wind and tyre roar at speed. Around town its suspension is adept at dispatching of potholes and speed bumps, but its size makes it awkward to thread through tight cities and narrow country lanes.
10. Range Rover
Range Rover review
Best for: ultimate luxury
The full-sized Range Rover is the high-end SUV of choice for royalty and heads of state - but in its long-wheelbase form with seven seats, it’s a shockingly practical choice as a family car. It’s certainly the most luxurious option around, with spectacular comfort levels and an interior that’s trimmed more nicely than most palaces.
It’s also staggeringly capable both on road and off it. The overflow car park at Ascot won’t present any trouble - nor would Kilimanjaro, so you can be confident that you won’t find yourself stranded on the school run.
The reliability record of Range Rovers isn’t the greatest, and you will have to part with more than £100,000 for the privilege. But there really is no other vehicle quite like it. You can’t have one of the excellent plug-in hybrid engines in a seven-seater model, but the diesel and petrol engines are so good you won’t miss them.
The full-sized Range Rover is the high-end SUV of choice for royalty and heads of state - but in its long-wheelbase form with seven seats, it’s a shockingly practical choice as a family car. It’s certainly the most luxurious option around, with spectacular comfort levels and an interior that’s trimmed more nicely than most palaces.
It’s also staggeringly capable both on road and off it. The overflow car park at Ascot won’t present any trouble - nor would Kilimanjaro, so you can be confident that you won’t find yourself stranded on the school run.
The reliability record of Range Rovers isn’t the greatest, and you will have to part with more than £100,000 for the privilege. But there really is no other vehicle quite like it. You can’t have one of the excellent plug-in hybrid engines in a seven-seater model, but the diesel and petrol engines are so good you won’t miss them.
Factors to consider
There’s no getting around the fact that you need a large car to comfortably fit seven adults, and that might be an issue if you don’t have a particularly wide road or a driveway to park on. The Dacia Jogger is the most practical choice if you’re limited in size, but it’s nowhere near as luxurious as the rest of the list.
The Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 are almost identical under the skin, and as a result they’re both massive, but if you have easy access to a charger at home or at work, they’ll offer the best blend of affordable running costs and practicality over the long run - without sacrificing on luxury.
But if you really want to turn heads on the school run, the BMW X7 and Range Rover are simply untouchable for road presence and poshness. The Range Rover is arguably the more desirable of the two, with a classier interior, but the X7 is unbeatable for long-distance comfort - the perfect car for a road trip up to a ski chalet in the Alps.
Advertisement
