Big brood
* What car suits your family? * We've got it covered here * Cars for all budgets and families...
Whether youre a young family on a budget or have a home-made football team to taxi around, youll find the best buys here.
Have a look at the following families and see which one matches your automotive requirements the best
Young family of three
Small urban car required
Growing family
Space for clutter is vital
Activity central
Taxi for two teenagers
Big brood
Large six- or seven-seater
Three young children
...but no MPVs please
Big brood
The Wings
Names
Mark (47)
Sue (47)
Jordan (15)
Jessica (13)
Barnaby (11)
Isaac (11)
Annual mileage 16,000
Having four children narrows our choice to six-or seven-seat cars
Budget available: 15k
Fiat Multipla 1.9 Multijet Dynamic Family
**List price 16,535 Target price 14,510
Saftety Rating** Not tested
The unusual 3+3 seating layout works well and means the Multipla can carry six with ease. Even with six people on board, theres a healthy 430-litre boot. If you need more space, just whip out the back seats for a van-like loadbay. Fiats MPV is getting on a bit, but its still a fine people-carrier and excellent value for money.
Budget available: 15k-19K
Peugeot 5008 1.6 HDi 110 Active
**List price 18,845 Target price 18,079
Saftety Rating** Child 79% Adult 89%
Our MPV of the Year is fundamentally the same car as the Citron Grand C4 Picasso. So it has the same ingenious seven-seat layout, and all five rear seats can be folded flat by simply tugging on cords. We prefer the Peugeot, though, because its sharper to drive and has a more settled ride than the Citron.
Budget available: 19K-23k
Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi 140 Zetec
**List price 22,195 Target price 20,438
Saftety Rating** Child 4 stars Adult 5 stars
MPVs dont have to be dull to drive or to look at. The S-Max is the people-carrier for parents who enjoy driving. Its seating isnt as clever as the Peugeot 5008s, but the Ford is still a practical car for up to seven, and it knocks spots off the competition for driving dynamics. Prices are high, so haggle hard for a good deal.
Budget available: 23k-30K
Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 Active
**List price 30,995 Target price 28,009
Saftety Rating** Child: not tested/Adult
This seven-seat 4x4 is long in the tooth now, but big discounts mean that its still a sensible buy. Haggle hard or shop online and you can pick one up for less than the price of the smaller XC60. The XC90 is desirable, practical and classy family transport for bigger families who dont want an MPV.
Budget available: 30k-45K
Land Rover Discovery 3.0 TDV6 XS
**List price 41,395 Target price 39,457
Saftety Rating** Child 4 stars Adult 4 stars
Is there a better car for large families? We dont think so. The Discovery has just about everything. It mixes MPV practicality and a spacious interior with executive-car refinement, fine driving dynamics and a top-notch image. Youll need deep pockets to afford one, but the best things in life dont often come cheap.
Used bargains
From 13,000
Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.8 CRD Executive, 08/57, 17,500 miles
Seven seats, masses of space and a bulging kit list make the Grand Voyager a fine MPV. Even with all the seats up, the boot is huge.
From 15,990
Ford Galaxy
2.0 TDCi Zetec, 08/08, 15,000 miles
The Galaxy is
a great-value
seven-seater. Its just as good to drive as the smaller S-Max, and is refined and comfortable. Zetec models get climate control and electric windows all round.
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