Best used 7-seaters

The Seat Alhambra is surprisingly good to drive and comes with sliding rear doors – a boon in tight parking spaces.  Also, when open, those doors leave a wide aperture that helps when strapping small children into the middle row. It’s a large car, with plenty of room for seven, and it comes with a range of punchy engines that are more than up to the job of hauling it around. It rides and handles well, too, and it's refined and efficient.  

We found: 2019 Seat Alhambra 2.0 TDI Ecomotive SE Lux, 45,000 miles, £17,990

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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.

We found: 2020 Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi Zetec, 45,000 miles, £19,995

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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. 

We found: 2019 Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TSI SE L DSG (7 Seat), 38,000 miles, £18,999

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The Berlingo majors on interior space, and lots of it. Go for the XL version with seven seats, and nobody will feel short-changed when it comes to stretching out. It's been around in various forms over the years and they’ve all been square, spacious and fairly inexpensive to buy and run. This current version continues that legacy but feels more car-like, slightly more refined and, dare one say it, more upmarket too. 

We found: 2020 Citroën Berlingo XL 1.5 BlueHDi 100 Feel, 25,000 miles, £15,000 

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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.

We found: 2019 Ford Galaxy 2.0TDCi 150 Zetec, 70,000 miles, £17,000

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Here's 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. 

We found: 2016 Volvo XC90 D5 Momentum Pro, 63,000 miles, £25,000

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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. 

We found: 2020 Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer 1.6 BlueHDi 120 Flair, 45,000 miles, £18,000

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There isn’t much to dislike about the versatile seven-seat VW Touran. 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. 

We found: 2019 Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI SE Family, 36,000 miles, £17,495

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The 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. It's reliable, too. 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.

We found: 2018 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI S line, 58,000 miles, £28,999

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The seven-seat 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.

We found: 2019 Peugeot 5008 1.5 BlueHDi Allure, 42,000 miles, £18,995

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