7 seat MPV recommendations

[Andrew-in6pm]

Hi.

We have an ageing Discovery 4 which we will need to replace at some point, probably next year.

It’s been a good car, although expensive to run (£1000+ bill each year as something has broken that needs fixing). The car has served us well as a family. It has done nearly 150k miles and we are thinking we’d rather spend spare cash on holidays than give it to the local indie so he can fund his wife’s horse habit, so we’re looking for something more modest and hopefully cheaper to run.

I thought I’d ask on here as there’s no better place for car enthusiasts. So here’s the wife’s wish list.

Comfortable seats
Heated seats
Heated windscreen
raised seating position - high up car
5 yrs old or newer.

Will be buying the car next year, budget around £20k

What should we be looking at?

Thanks

[James6112]

Dacia Jogger?
New cost around that..

[5lab]

Does it need 7 adults plus luggage or 2 occasional back seats for kids leaving no space for bags?

Either way, most mpvs stopped being made a few years back, I think you're limited to the galaxy, Alhambra and sharan. Sharan is nicest inside, galaxy is more modern and better to drive. No slidey doors on the galaxy

[Andrew-in6pm]

I’ll check them out. Drive a duster in Turkey, it wasn’t a bad car. Bit of a step down from a Land Rover, but a new car for 20k? Pretty good!

[blue_haddock]

I've currently got a 69 plate VW caddy maxi life and it ticks most of your boxes except the heated seats, but it was an option and I've also seen it be retro fitted through a VW specialist.

I've had it for just under 4 years and has only had one issue which was needed an engine bay wiring loom to be changed which was under warranty.

Other than it's on 71k and not put a foot wrong, it's taken us to France, Spain, Italy and Croatia amongst other countries.

Mine is the 102bhp diesel engine with dsg gearbox but they also did a 150bhp version. If your ok with modifications, the 102 bhp version can be remapped easily to 180bhp as it's deliberately downtuned from the factory.

In my normal day to day driving it does about 45mpg but can get over 50+ when on a steady run.

It's seven full size seats and the eldest daughters boyfriend who is 6'4 can even sit in the rear seats. Behind the rear row you still have a decent boot.

I had a seat Alhambra as a hire car when my caddy was off the road and the caddy was slightly longer and slightly taller than the Alhambra.

Whilst the Alhambra had rear seats that folded flat to the floor this did take up some boot space, the caddy rear seats can be removed but it's not as simple as folding them into the floor, with them removed the boot is massive.

Oh and mine is bright green, once I saw that this colour was available it was my only choice!

Here it is at the very top of the Pyrenees in Andorra!



There are no pictures but this one could possibly be exactly what your looking for.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312124...

Edited by blue_haddock on Tuesday 12th December 20:08

[Spare tyre]

Berlingo/rifter/combo life / pro ace

In LWB with 7 seats

All the same badge engineered car

Probably avoid diesel, 1.2 petrol

[swamp]

MPVs are almost extinct here. But they still make them in Japan:

https://www.japanesempvmotors.co.uk/toyota-noah-vo...

[blue_haddock]

Spare tyre said:

Berlingo/rifter/combo life / pro ace

In LWB with 7 seats

All the same badge engineered car

Probably avoid diesel, 1.2 petrol

I tried the Berlingo before I ordered my caddy, they felt a lot lower quality and didn't drive anywhere near as well.

I also tried the ford tourneo connect which again did not drive as well and definitely felt it's basic van beginnings.

[Vsix and Vtec]

What about one of the "old guard" of MPVs? The Ford Galaxy. Apparently they still make it!

[riskyj]

Volkswagen Caravelle although you may struggle if 5 years and £20k are non negotiable.

If you regularly need 7 seats anything with ‘jump seats’ in the boot quickly becomes a pain. I got rid of a Disco Sport for this exact reason.

Edited by riskyj on Tuesday 12th December 20:58

[ArmaghMan]

BMW 220d grand tourer.
Fine but dull

[Lo-Fi]

James6112 said:

Dacia Jogger?
New cost around that..

Do they actually have heated windscreens?

[Dapster]

I'm on my second S-Max. First one was the gen 1 facelift, 200bhp Ecoboost petrol with the powershift gearbox and the second (current family wagon) is a new shape with the 240 bhp petrol Powershift - Titanium X Sport with all the toys including heated everything. If you don't need adult sized 3 rd row seats it's a fantastic family car - young teens will fit in the 3rd row fine, or adults for short journeys but as a 5 seater it is absolutely massive with a huge boot. Build quality on the second get is pretty good and the cabin is pretty decent. No problems yet (touch wood) but the Powershift dsg box on the earlier cars were made of chocolate.

Best bit about it is that it's really quite good to drive. Superb ride, decent handling and doesn't feel like your driving a van with seats.

[rallycross]

Dapster said:

I'm on my second S-Max. First one was the gen 1 facelift, 200bhp Ecoboost petrol with the powershift gearbox and the second (current family wagon) is a new shape with the 240 bhp petrol Powershift - Titanium X Sport with all the toys including heated everything. If you don't need adult sized 3 rd row seats it's a fantastic family car - young teens will fit in the 3rd row fine, or adults for short journeys but as a 5 seater it is absolutely massive with a huge boot. Build quality on the second get is pretty good and the cabin is pretty decent. No problems yet (touch wood) but the Powershift dsg box on the earlier cars were made of chocolate.

Best bit about it is that it's really quite good to drive. Superb ride, decent handling and doesn't feel like your driving a van with seats.

For this budget for a 7 seater the only one thats really good to drive is the smax and plenty of models and specs to chose what suits your needs, there is even a 4wd model.

[dcb]

swamp said:

MPVs are almost extinct here. But they still make them in Japan:

https://www.japanesempvmotors.co.uk/toyota-noah-vo...

+1 for the Toyota Voxy.

7 full size adult seats and it's a Toyota, so it very rarely fails to proceed.

Not many about though.

[macron]

ArmaghMan said:

BMW 220d grand tourer.
Fine but dull

BMW 220i grand tourer.
Fine but dull, and petrol.

[Yodafone]

Ford Galaxy with intelligent/adaptive headlights (not exactly sure what they are called or if different versions), had one as a hire car a few weeks back it was fantastic as people mover with lots of family friendly features.

The headlights was amazing on it just leave it on auto and it sorts the rest out for you
It blanks out parts to stop dazzling other cars and tracks them the response on them was amazing.

[ZX10R NIN]

S Max Vignale:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312124...

Titanium Sport:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307209...

Kia Sorento GT Line S:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311073...

KX-3:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311143...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Tuesday 12th December 22:23

[Evanivitch]

Over budget and not ticking all the options, but...

E-Berlingo
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311284...

E-Vivaro
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311164...

[vexed]

macron said:

ArmaghMan said:

BMW 220d grand tourer.
Fine but dull

BMW 220i grand tourer.
Fine but dull, and petrol.

This is what I went my for as the last miserable option to have 7 seats and I like it.
If you have 4 in car seats like I had at one stage it is a bit of a faff- need to move a car seat to get into the third row. Wife has an Alhambra for the 6 of us together!