7 seater advice

Comic Book Guy

hi all,

Question for the parents out there!

New addition to the family means we have to change my wife's Avensis for a 7 seater. Have very little knowledge of them so just wondering what people would recommend.
Looking for the full 3 seats in middle row which throws out options like the Zafira which has a cabin type seat in the middle.
Looking between the Verso (expensive), c4 Picasso and Kia carens.

Many thanks

golfball37

Sister in law has a Mazda five, had a scenic before that. It's a lovely job

Clearlier

golfball37 wrote: »

Sister in law has a Mazda five, had a scenic before that. It's a lovely job

I have a Mazda 5 and it's very practical but even Mazda describe it as a 6+1 rather than a 7 seater.

OP. I'm not very knowledgeable but it might help others if you gave us an idea of your budget and what you expect to use the car for.

greenshoes

Comic Book Guy wrote: »

hi all,

Question for the parents out there!

New addition to the family means we have to change my wife's Avensis for a 7 seater. Have very little knowledge of them so just wondering what people would recommend.
Looking for the full 3 seats in middle row which throws out options like the Zafira which has a cabin type seat in the middle.
Looking between the Verso (expensive), c4 Picasso and Kia carens.

Many thanks

Hi Ford SMAX. Full 3 seats in middle row. Two seats in rear are good size but legroom limited so these 2 really for kids. Massive boot, good space for buggy/few shopping bags when all 7 seats up.

Comic Book Guy

Clearlier wrote: »

I have a Mazda 5 and it's very practical but even Mazda describe it as a 6+1 rather than a 7 seater.

OP. I'm not very knowledgeable but it might help others if you gave us an idea of your budget and what you expect to use the car for.

Sorry, my bad.

Getting offers between 13k and 15k as a trade in from different places for the Avensis. Could probably put in up to 10k with it but would hope to stay under that.
3 kids are under 4 so we won't be at booster seat stage for a while hence the need for the 3 full seats in the middle row. I know we could stick the eldest in the back row in a full seat but I can see that leading to more hassle than it's worth!
The car will be for packing everyone up whenever we have to head shopping , visiting relations etc.
My wife will also be using it for work once her maternity leave is up, we wouldn't be doing massive mileage probably around 10000 miles annually.

bazz26

Just remember that while cars like the Verso and Zafira have 7 seats, with young kids you will also need boot space for buggies and bags that accompany the kids. Cars like the Verso and Zafira tend to be 7 seats with a tiny boot or more boot space if you are not using the 3rd row of seats. The C4 Grand Picasso would probably accommodate both. Bigger than that again and your into full size 7 seats like the Ford Galaxy or Seat Alhambra.

golfball37

Clearlier wrote: »

I have a Mazda 5 and it's very practical but even Mazda describe it as a 6+1 rather than a 7 seater.

OP. I'm not very knowledgeable but it might help others if you gave us an idea of your budget and what you expect to use the car for.

This Mazda five has two seats in the rear, there is no six plus one!

colm_mcm

the middle seat in the middle row is tiny.

NIMAN

Has anyone heard anything lately of soe insurance companies not being happy injuring 7 seaters any more?

R.O.R

Something with individual sliding seats in the 2nd row is what you want OP. Have tested the VW Touran with 3 full size child seats, and that works. Slide the middle seat forwards and the 2 outer seats back, and that gives the space to fit all 3 seats across the middle row. Also leaves a pretty huge boot for all the stuff that goes with the kids.

Not sure which other 7 seaters have the sliding middle row.

greenshoes

R.O.R wrote: »

Something with individual sliding seats in the 2nd row is what you want OP. Have tested the VW Touran with 3 full size child seats, and that works. Slide the middle seat forwards and the 2 outer seats back, and that gives the space to fit all 3 seats across the middle row. Also leaves a pretty huge boot for all the stuff that goes with the kids.

Not sure which other 7 seaters have the sliding middle row.

The SMax has 3 sliding seats in middle row. I've had a maxi-cosi infant seat, 1 stage 2 seat and 1 stage 3 (with full back-very wide) in the middle row at one time and all fit perfectly. No isofix in middle seat in my 2009 car but might have changed that since. Very easy to get in and out. Of all the 7 seaters when I looked in 2010 it also had the biggest boot when all 7 seats up.

colm_mcm

R.O.R wrote: »

Something with individual sliding seats in the 2nd row is what you want OP. Have tested the VW Touran with 3 full size child seats, and that works. Slide the middle seat forwards and the 2 outer seats back, and that gives the space to fit all 3 seats across the middle row. Also leaves a pretty huge boot for all the stuff that goes with the kids.

Not sure which other 7 seaters have the sliding middle row.

I think most of them bar the older Zafira (not tourer) and old touran do this.

privateBeavis

I was able to postpone the people carrier purchase with this booster seat:
http://bubblebum.ie/
fits in the middle!

GerardKeating

golfball37 wrote: »

This Mazda five has two seats in the rear, there is no six plus one!

The middle seat in the second row is not suitable for an large adult. The wife is under five foot and finds it a tight squeeze..