What Car? Q&A - Are there any low-emission seven-seat ca

Q: Are there any seven-seater cars with low carbon dioxide emissions (under 225g/km)?
Clare Fincham

A: There are plenty of new cars that have seven seats and carbon dioxide emissions below 225g/km.

You have two choices - either an MPV such as the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso or the Ford S-Max, or a 4x4, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe or Mitsubishi Outlander.

We'd probably suggest an MPV - unless you need a vehicle suitable for towing heavy loads or going off-road. MPVs have generally lower emissions than 4x4s, and seven-seat versions are also cheaper to buy.

A Citroen Grand C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi SX costs £17,715 (£16,401 if you're prepared to haggle) and has a carbon dioxide output of just 155g/km.

It's also our MPV of the Year, so it comes highly recommended.

One drawback of the Citroen, though, is that it's not much fun to drive. If that bothers you, we'd suggest a Ford S-Max.

The 1.8 TDCi LX has a list price of £18,295 and a carbon dioxide output of 164g/km. A bit of negotiation with your dealer should see the price drop to £17,075.