small 7 seater wanted

maireadH

Hi,
I'm not sure if this is the right place for this query or not.

I currently have a Peugot 307 SW and have, for various reasons, decided to get rid of it. Now I just need to decide on a replacement.
I'm looking for some information on how to compare the different options available. Is there an impartial web site I could access?

I want a 7 seater again but I'm not looking for a full blown people carrier like the trajet etc. I want a smaller one e.g. opel zafira type. I'm not interested in going for the same again but I don't really know whats out there in this class or how to decide on the best option.

Thanks.

Mairead

jayok

Honda Steam - small MPV 7 seater. Super reliable and relatively economical. Will serve you well.

the_manchine

Toyota Corolla verso will take 7 and is quite small - there's not much of a boot when seats 6 and 7 are up though. I think the Luna model supposed to be the best.

The VW Touran isn't massive either but you'll pay a bit extra for the badge. Also it's pretty bland.

bazz26

Toyota Corolla Verso:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Toyota/Corolla-Verso/Luna/1194838/

Renault Grande Scenic:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Renault/Grand-Scenic/Dynamique-Luxe/1071729/

Citroen Grande C4 Picasso:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Citroen/C4-Picasso/1.6HDI-Dynamique/1179135/

Seat Altea XL:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Altea-XL/1.9-TDI/1008535/

Mazda 5:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Citroen/C4-Picasso/1.6HDI-Dynamique/1179135/

Just remember with these "small" 7 seater MPVs you gain 2 extra seats but at the expense of the boot.

maireadH

Thanks for that. I'll check them out.

green-blood

You want an S-Max...simple as

R.O.R

green-blood wrote: »

You want an S-Max...simple as

Not sure I'd class one of those as a "Small" 7-Seater though......

I've driven the Grand Picasso and Altea XL recently and I wouldn't class either of those as small or easy to manouvre. Zafira and Touran would be easier to handle, never driven a Mazda 5 so not sure about that.

It's been a few years since I've driven the Corolla Verso or Grande Scenic so wouldn't be 100% sure on them, but I seem to remember the Corolla Verso being a manouvreable.

Zube

green-blood wrote: »

You want an S-Max...simple as

Test drove a number of these yokes last year, and got an S-Max in January.

ecodub

You should look at the Fiat Doblo 1.3 Multijet, a great car to drive, plenty of space for seven and very economical.

Second hand sample - http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Fiat/Doblo/1.3-Diesel/982718/

New model - http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Fiat/Doblo/1.3-multijet/1192377/

I highly recommend a test drive at any Fiat dealer. You will be pleasantly surprised

Ferris

There is a Nissan Qashqai+2 now with 7 seats. The 5 seater seems to be very popular. I don't know if they are selling the 7 seater here yet but they are in the UK.

loyatemu

I have a Grande Scenic - it's a good car and very safe - should be plenty of them about.
S-Max has excellent reviews but will cost you a few bob more.

Main thing about all these compact 7-seaters is that the rearmost seats are only really for small children, and if you're using all 7 seats you will have very little bootspace. If you're planning to carry adults or teenagers in the back seats you really need a proper MPV like a Galaxy or an Espace.

green-blood

for a reason... god help you come flogging that renault, ditto the citroen.... and as for a mazda 5...yikes

Zube

ecodub wrote: »

You should look at the Fiat Doblo 1.3 Multijet, a great car to drive, plenty of space for seven and very economical.

I am not fussy about cars, my other car is a Kangoo and we had a Multipla for 7 years, but damn, that Doblo is a hideous thing.

WHITE_P

I've a Touran, and find it great. It is the face lift model, which looks good IMO, had looked at the S-Max, but given that the base model S-Max cost the same as the Highline Touran new, and the Touran is fairly compact, I went with the Touran.

Zube

WHITE_P wrote: »

given that the base model S-Max cost the same as the Highline Touran new, and the Touran is fairly compact, I went with the Touran.

The S-Max is not cheap, and it's hard to pay €40K for a Ford.

In fairness, the salesdude talked herself out of buying the Titanium spec, which cost him a few bob short term. It p!sses me off, though, that you can't buy a new car in a colour you like. Most of the colours are dull as ditchwater, and green will cost you €1500 off the trade in price after 3 years, apparently.

So, metallic grey it is, then.

bazz26

S-Max is an unfair comparision here as it is based on the Mondeo platform which is larger than the likes of the Zafira and Scenic that the OP is looking at.

C-Max is in the above class but it has only a 5 seater design, a mistake Ford not offering a 7 seater C-Max.

WHITE_P

Zube wrote: »

The S-Max is not cheap, and it's hard to pay €40K for a Ford.

In fairness, the salesdude talked herself out of buying the Titanium spec, which cost him a few bob short term. It p!sses me off, though, that you can't buy a new car in a colour you like. Most of the colours are dull as ditchwater, and green will cost you €1500 off the trade in price after 3 years, apparently.

So, metallic grey it is, then.

Have to agree with all of the above, I was really keen on the S-Max Titanium spec., would have gone for Metalic blue, but the cost was just too high. Same thing in 06 when I bought a Passat Highline TDI, €36,000 odd, and an old shape Mondeo in similar spec., was well over €40,000.

kuro_man

Honda Stream or Mazda 5 is a good bet. Alternatives you might not have thought have are:

Mercedes E-class estate (2 rear-facing seats in boot)
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mercedes-Benz/E-Class/ELEGANCE-7/1197409/
this is the 2.4 petrol (2.0L is a bit sluggish). Diesels are highly rated. Quality slipped a bit in recent years, but pre-2000 should be ok. I have a diesel W124 (square headlights, up to 1996 for the estate) which are considered even better but dated and very rare. If money no object, you can get V8 AMG versions, to splat the dog against the back windows!

Vovo V70/XC70
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Volvo/V70/2.4-SE/1217718/
Similar rear-facing seats in boot, a bit smaller than E-Class

Honda FR-V
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Honda/FR-V/1.7-VTEC/1201348/
Six seater, 3x2 means boot fully available with 6 people. Middle front seat for children only

Volvo XC90
Big and expensive 4x4, but well designed for families.

Fiat Multipla (original "pug" face) excellent 3x2 layout, cheap to buy and run, but will be slow and drive like a brick. May fall apart, but so cheap (<6k a piece) you can get 2 or 3. 1.9 diesel probably the safest bet.

Personally I would avoid anything by Opel/Vauxhall, Chrysler or Hyundai. Stick to above or get a Ford.

kuro_man

I Forgot to mention this:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mitsubishi/Grandis/2.4-COMFORT/1206506/

Stevie Dakota

Zube wrote: »

The S-Max is not cheap, and it's hard to pay €40K for a Ford.

It sure is, why are people even considering these new?

€25K would get you a 1.8TDCi Titanium SMAX in the UK, 2008, sub 10K miles, a small bit more would get you the sweeter 2.0TDCi.

Cormic

I test drove a Mazda 5 a couple of months ago and liked the car. The middle seat in the back put me off. There is a big gap between the back and the seat itself. I imagined my kids putting all kinds of things into the gap.

In the end I went for something bigger.

WHITE_P

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

It sure is, why are people even considering these new?

€25K would get you a 1.8TDCi Titanium SMAX in the UK, 2008, sub 10K miles, a small bit more would get you the sweeter 2.0TDCi.

I looked at second hand ones in the North and UK on the net last year, and they weren't much cheaper than new ones, and there wasn't that many available. Maybe things have changed a bit since.

If I could have sold the car I had at the time privately, I would have gone to look at some of the one's I saw on the net, but ended up trading in my old car off a new Touran here.

BostonB

Did people read the small 7 seater bit in the title?

My choice would be the touran. Its based on the golf so very compact.

Wander around a car park looking at the size of different MPV's.

Zube

BostonB wrote: »

Did people read the small 7 seater bit in the title?

The S-Max is Ford's small 7 seater. The Galaxy is the full-size 7 seat bus.

R.O.R

Zube wrote: »

The S-Max is Ford's small 7 seater. The Galaxy is the full-size 7 seat bus.

Which only really differ in roof height I believe, leaving the S-Max as an outstanding MPV, but far from "Compact".

BostonB

Zube wrote: »

The S-Max is Ford's small 7 seater. The Galaxy is the full-size 7 seat bus.

I wouldn't have called it small.

WHITE_P

BostonB wrote: »

I wouldn't have called it small.

It's not, but it isn't that tall either, which does make it better looking than most MPV's, small or otherwise.

I would have bought one, if the price was right, but Ford overpriced it and that's why I bought the Touran, which I find great. It is shorter than most saloon or estate car's, offers better particality, is economical enough (mine is a 1.4 TSI 140 BHP), and can be fun to drive, handles very well too.

BostonB

I think when people talk about the size of a vehicle most of the time they are looking at the footprint for parking, maneuvering. I like the Touran. A new one is expensive though.

maireadH

Hi. Thanks for all the suggestions. I haven't had a chance to check in over the last week or so, so have only seen the replies now.

Small means (to me) reasonably cheap and also reasonably small foot print. The back two seats won't be used all the time - I've 3 kids but do a lot of shared runs / have other kids over after school etc.

I find with the current Peugeot 307 that there's not much room in the middle row when the back seats are stored in the boot - it's ok when the back seats are in use but not when they're folded and upright. Ideally then I'd like something that has seats that slide into the car like the zafira. I think the back seats in those are a bit roomier too.

I also am looking for something reasonably new.

salamander27

For car reviews website with resonable impatial views i would recommend http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/. From my experience I would agree with most of what he has to say.

The smallest 7 seater i know of is the 91-99 mitsubishi spacewagon. Not the best looking car but the drive is really solid. Drives like a car not like a van! Plenty of imports with air con and such. Definatly cheap if you look out for them. I must admit the rear most seats are a little childish in size but not as bad as the peugeot and they dissapear into the floor when folded up leaving lots of space. Maybe the next gen of spacewagon is the same.(I,ve just read the end of your post regarding the want of something kinda new )
There's me 2pence.

WHITE_P

I'd have a look here, plenty of choice, and with things the way there are at present you should be well able to bargain these guy's down a bit. Are you looking to trade in, you should get a better deal if not.

http://www.volkswagen.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=modelyearDealer&modelID=761

Lumen

maireadH wrote: »

Small means (to me) reasonably cheap and also reasonably small foot print. The back two seats won't be used all the time - I've 3 kids but do a lot of shared runs / have other kids over after school etc.

I know you said you wanted 7 seats, but....

I have a 6-seater Honda FRV (2.2 diesel). It's small outside, massive inside, and great for 3 kids. Boot is a bit limited, but that's down to it's small footprint (only a bit bigger than a Golf).

I've found that 6 seats is usually plenty, but sometimes not enough. This is always going to be an issue, unless you buy a minibus.

If I had to buy now I'd get a used S-Max (wasn't available when I got my FRV). I know you don't want a big car, but it is incredibly practical and I reckon used examples are available for reasonable money from the UK.