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Best used 7-seaters

Whether you're planning to carry seven people on a regular basis or just need an occasional third row of seats, there’s plenty of choice on the used car market...

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by
Mark Pearson
Published31 October 2024

These days, if you need to buy a used car with seven seats, you have plenty of choices. There are practical MPVs that will easily accommodate a driver and six passengers, and a plethora of more rugged-looking family SUVs that will do the job as well.

Best used 7-seaters

Before deciding which model is best for you, though, it's important to consider whether you'll need a large boot on occasions when all seven seats are in use, whether you'd prefer the raised driving position of an SUV and whether you want something that's not only practical but also good fun to drive.

There's an awful lot to factor in, so here we count down our top 10 used seven-seaters. We think there's something here to cater for all tastes.

Read more: Best new seven-seat cars and SUVs

Our pick: 1.2 Hybrid 136 Allure 5dr e-DSC6

0-62mph: 11.3 sec
MPG/range: 48.7mpg
CO2 emissions: 130g/km
Seats: 7
Boot: 348 litres
Insurance group: 23E

Strengths

  • Plush and practical inside
  • Decent ride and handling
  • Flexible seating
  • Encouraging reliability

Weaknesses

  • Not as well equipped as some rivals
  • Head room limited by panoramic roof
  • Slow-witted infotainment

The seven-seat Peugeot 5008 steals victory here over all the MPVs and even its premium-badged SUV rivals. Why? Well, for starters, it's stylish, practical and good to drive. Those rugged good looks cover an interior that's impressively flexible and will seat seven in comfort. Plus, there's a range of strong engines to choose from, it's well-equipped in all trims and it rides and handles surprisingly well. All in all, it's a great car and good value too.

"Whenever I've driven a 5008 I'm always most impressed by the interior. It's wonderfully plush for a car of this price as well as being impressively stylish and more than spacious for a family of four or more." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 Peugeot 5008 1.2 PureTech Allure, 42,000 miles, £16,995

Read our full used Peugeot 5008 review

Search for a used Peugeot 5008 for sale

Strengths

  • Smooth and powerful engines
  • Great ride on air suspension
  • Wonderful build quality

Weaknesses

  • Not as sharp to drive as some rivals
  • Plug-in hybrid loses seven-seat option
  • Expensive to run

The Audi Q7 has won multiple What Car? awards for the very reason that it is an impeccable family car, an excellent long-distance tourer and an outstanding luxury vehicle. Few cars this side of £100,000 have a plusher and quieter interior. Plus, if you buy a car made before 2019 you’ll get a much easier-to-operate infotainment system than the one found in later models.

"What can you say about the swish Q7? I know the earlier cars have that more intuitive infotainment but later ones are more refined and efficient." - Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2018 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI S line, 68,000 miles, £24,500

Read our full used Audi Q7 review

Search for a used Audi Q7 for sale

Strengths

  • Huge interior
  • Excellent visibility
  • Well equipped

Weaknesses

  • Ride could be more composed
  • Touchscreen not as good as some

Fancy an MPV with a little panache? The Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer is well-equipped, stylish and one of the most comfortable MPVs around. It's blessed with versatile seating for seven, and you get a huge boot when the third row is folded into the floor. The engine range is strong and fuel-efficient, plus it rides and handles well for a car of this size. Refinement is good, too, making long trips with the family just that bit more bearable. 

"I know that the idea of a seven-seat MPV might not appeal in this day and age, but the Spacetourer is a really good-looking thing and highly competent." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer 1.6 BlueHDi 120 Flair, 45,000 miles, £16,000

Read our full used Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer review

Search for a used Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer for sale

Our pick: 2.0 B5P [250] Core 5dr AWD Geartronic

0-62mph: 7.7 sec
MPG/range: 33.6mpg
CO2 emissions: 190g/km
Seats: 7
Boot: 302 litres
Insurance group: 36E

Strengths

  • Classy interior
  • Seven-seat versatility
  • Well equipped

Weaknesses

  • Ride slightly unsettled
  • Road and suspension noise
  • Audi Q7 is more refined

The Volvo XC90 is a luxury SUV that’s practical, comes with loads of safety technology and has an interior that looks and feels wonderfully opulent. It's comfortable, too, and spacious, with plenty of room for seven. It doesn’t matter all that much which version you go for, because all of the trim levels are very well equipped. And you can pick up an early 2015 or 2016 car for less than half the price of a new one. 

"If you love that Volvo feel, and I do, you'll love the XC90. It's like spending the afternoon driving round in the World of Leather showroom." - Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2018 Volvo XC90 D5 Momentum Pro, 63,000 miles, £25,000

Read our full used Volvo XC90 review

Search for a used Volvo XC90 for sale

Strengths

  • Classy and spacious interior
  • Smooth 2.0 diesel engine
  • Good value for money

Weaknesses

  • Unsettled low-speed ride
  • Kia Sorento is more practical

A consummate all-rounder like this seven-seat Kodiaq may not stand out from the crowd, especially when compared with the distinctive Peugeot 5008, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't put one on your driveway. It's a classy and highly capable car that's good to drive and comfortable to ride in. Buy one used and you can make big savings, which only adds to the appeal of this likeable and practical Skoda. 

"This is one big bear of a car, highly practical and one that has enough character that your kids will probably give it a name." - Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2021 Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TSI SE L DSG (7 Seat), 38,000 miles, £17,999

Read our full used Skoda Kodiaq review

Search for a used Skoda Kodiaq for sale

Our pick: 1.6 TGDi Hybrid Premium 5dr Auto

0-62mph: 9.6 sec
MPG/range: 41.5mpg
CO2 emissions: 155g/km
Seats: 7
Boot: 628 litres
Insurance group: 33P

Strengths

  • Huge boot
  • Seven-seat practicality
  • Well equipped

Weaknesses

  • Jiggly ride
  • Heavy-ish steering
  • Interior quality iffy in places

The Hyundai Santa Fe is large, practical and excellent value, and it's a really decent alternative to its premium-badged rivals. Its interior space is the show's real star, with plenty of space up front and a positively huge amount in the middle and third-row seats, as well as the potential for a mammoth boot if you fold all of those rear seats down. A facelift in 2021 brought a new grille and minor improvements, including hybrid engine options. Reliability is strong, too.

"I think this is one of the most competent seven-seat cars here because it can cope with people and clutter and luggage and not get too fazed." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi Premium SE, 45,000 miles, £25,450

Read our full used Hyundai Santa Fe review

Search for a used Hyundai Santa Fe for sale

Strengths

  • Incredibly spacious
  • Well-rounded engine range
  • Plenty of kit present

Weaknesses

  • Currently still quite pricey
  • A similar Hyundai Santa Fe offers better value
  • Larger wheels make for a worse ride

Unlike previous Sorentos, this fourth-generation model is especially eye-catching inside and out – yet, despite that, it doesn’t compromise on its more sensible attributes.  It exceeds in so many areas, including practicality, economy and equipment. The interior space is incredible, and there’s lots of space for passengers in the front and middle row. When it comes to boot space, 10 carry-on-sized suitcases can fit below its tonneau covers in five-seat mode. All in, it’s a compelling package and a desirable used buy.

"For my money the equal of the Santa Fe in many ways, the Sorento comes from new with a transferable seven-year warranty.' - Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2021 Kia Sorento 1.6h T-GDi 3, 25,000 miles, £26,000 

Read our full used Kia Sorento review

Search for a used Kia Sorento for sale

Strengths

  • Practical interior
  • Good to drive
  • Plenty of neat options

Weaknesses

  • Automatic emergency braking isn't standard
  • Infotainment system poor

The Ford Galaxy is, quite simply, enormous. Inside, you'll find seating for seven adults and even a bit of space left over for your luggage. On top of all that, it's good to drive and comfortable, too. Powershift automatics can be troublesome and need frequent fluid changes, so check the history for evidence of this, and avoid ex-taxis, which will have huge mileages. On the whole, though, find a good one and this is one great all-rounder and a deeply impressive seven-seater.

"My dad had one of these when he first started chauffeuring and it ran reliably for years. Took us on family holidays too." - Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2021 Ford Galaxy 2.0TDCi 150 Zetec, 70,000 miles, £16,000

Read our full used Ford Galaxy review

Search for a used Ford Galaxy for sale

Our pick: 1.5 TSI EVO SE Family 5dr

0-62mph: 8.9 sec
MPG/range: 44.1mpg
CO2 emissions: 146g/km
Seats: 7
Boot: 633 litres
Insurance group: 19E

Strengths

  • Spacious interior
  • Versatile seating
  • Satisfying to drive

Weaknesses

  • Some rivals are cheaper
  • Mixed reliability record
  • Others beat it for economy

There isn’t much to dislike about the versatile seven-seat VW Touran dynamically. It's really good to drive, for starters. It's a spacious, refined and classy all-rounder, with an elegant and practical interior. For a start, the second row is made up of three individual seats, making it possible to carry three child seats side by side, and these chairs all slide and fold independently of one another. With the third row stowed away, the boot is huge, too. Only a mixed reliability record stops it from finishing even higher here. 

"That poor reliability showing is such a pity because the Touran is a great car to drive and highly practical. You can't have it all, I guess." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI SE Family, 36,000 miles, £16,495

Read our full used Volkswagen Touran review

Search for a used Volkswagen Touran for sale

Strengths

  • Tidy handling
  • Comfortable ride
  • Standard Zetec trim well equipped

Weaknesses

  • Third row seats best for children, not adults
  • Interior quality could be better
  • Thirsty petrol engine

It’s no secret that we’ve always been big fans of the lively Ford S-Max. It looks great, for a start, and underneath that sporty-looking surface you'll find a people carrier that’s enormously enjoyable to drive. And while you can’t fit quite as much into it as its sister car, the larger Ford Galaxy, there’s still more than enough room for seven people. As with the Galaxy, ex-taxis are to be avoided.

"A few years ago any family worth its salts drove one of these, and now they are very useful and really cheap if you go back in age." - Oliver Young, used cars reporter

We found: 2021 Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi Zetec, 45,000 miles, £17,995

Read our full used Ford S-Max review

Search for a used Ford S-Max for sale

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