Volkswagen Touran

Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Passat

Volkswagen Taigo

Volkswagen ID 7

Volkswagen T-Roc

Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake

5-star-cars-with-7-seats

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

TOURAN

<h3><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/review/n17348">Volkswagen Touran</a></h3>

The Touran is another regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/awards/category/mpv">What Car? award</a> winner, having been named our favourite MPV for the past three years. We love its flexible, practical interior, the strong engine range and the plethora of discounts available. And while the MPV market as a whole is shrinking, the Touran still makes a good case for itself, mainly thanks to its pleasant driving style.

Our pick 1.6 TDI 115 SEList price £27,000<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/volkswagen/touran/mpv/?edition=75365&amp;engines%5B%5D=vwtu16edt3115&amp;fueltypes%5B%5D=d&amp;step=4&amp;trims%5B%5D=vwtue3se&amp;sort=price">What Car? deal price</a> £21,772<h3><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/review/n17348">Read our full Volkswagen Touran review</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/volkswagen/touran/mpv/deals">Find a great VW Touran deal</a></h3>

If you've got a large family, then you might be looking for a seven-seat car which can also take three child car seats – and finding one which can fit your needs can be tricky. Fear not, though, because in our tests we've named the SUVs and MPVs which can take three child car seats comfortably and safely. Just click the 'next' button below to find out more.<h1><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-cars-for-three-child-seats/n16741"></a></h1><hr />

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Got a motoring question? Our experts are standing by to help, just tweet us your question using <a href="https://twitter.com/whatcar">#askwhatcar</a>For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

5-star cars with 7 seats

If you want the best seven-seat car around, then you've come to the right place. These are the models that have also gained our maximum five-star rating

5-star cars with 7 seats        

Citroën is probably most famous for its quirky design, and the latest cars from the brand live up to this tradition, featuring paintwork-protecting ‘Airbumps’ and eschewing the sporty looks favoured by most rivals.

Indeed, Citroën tends to keep away from sportiness altogether and instead tries to put comfort first.

Value (but not cheapness) is also key to the appeal of most Citroëns. And the company’s range includes everything from small hatchbacks (such as the C1 and C3) to big, family-friendly seven-seaters (the Spacetourer and Grand C4 Spacetourer).

The C3 Aircross SUV is another of its popular models, while a larger C5 Aircross is planned.

CITROEN

If you want a new car but would rather not spend much, Dacia is a great place to start your search.

This budget brand builds Britain’s cheapest new cars, the Sandero hatchback. And don’t think cheap automatically means corners have been cut, because the Sandero has been commended at the annual What Car? Car of the Year awards on numerous occasions.

Other Dacia models include the&nbsp;higher-riding Sandero Stepway, seven-seat Jogger, and rugged Duster SUV. And while these cost slightly more than the Sandero, they’re still priced aggressively enough that they’re really only competing directly with used cars.

Dacia manages this by borrowing mechanicals and technology from its owner, Renault, to minimise development costs.

DACIA

Ford builds some of the most popular cars in the UK, including the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks.

This success is partly down to longevity and the fact that there’s a Ford dealer around every corner. However, it’s also because Fords tend to offer good value and be among the best cars in their respective classes to drive.

The company’s huge range also helps; it offers everything from the small – but surprisingly practical – Ka+ to the large and lavishly equipped Edge SUV.

Meanwhile, other highlights of the range include the S-Max and Galaxy people carriers, the Mondeo executive car and the Ranger pick-up.

FORD

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

Peugeot has its strongest model line-up for some years, with some of its cars now rated by our testers as being among the very best available.

Highlights focus around the firm’s newest SUVs, the 3008 and 5008. The 5008 was named Large SUV of the Year at the 2018 What Car? Awards, thanks to its appealing blend of space, interior quality and low running costs.

That bodes well for future launches, too, because many of the learnings from these cars will be passed on as new versions of existing cars are launched – something that could take many years, because the Peugeot range is so big, ranging from an entry-level supermini with the 108 to an executive saloon with the 508, up into the SUV range and also vans.

Buyers should evaluate some of the lower-rated cars in the range more carefully, though. Some are now quite old, and are subsequently left behind in terms of quality when compared with the opposition, making them below-average buys, in our estimation.

PEUGEOT

Vauxhall has an incredibly diverse range of cars on sale, a few of which stand out above the class average. Add in the fact that it still offers some of the largest Target Price discounts in the market (something it is trying, without huge success, to cut back on), and there are very good reasons to consider buying one of its better models.

However, you need to choose carefully, because it is also a brand in transition. It has a newish parent company – the same one that owns Citroën, DS and Peugeot. And while Vauxhall’s newer models tend to be competitive, some of the others feel dated; a quick check of our star ratings will reveal which is which.

Still, given the recent success of sister brands Citroën and especially Peugeot, each new launch should make its range more appealing to buyers.

VAUXHALL

CADDY

CADDY CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA

CARAVELLE

GRAND CALIFORNIA

ID. BUZZ

MULTIVAN

While the popularity of big, brawny SUVs continues to grow, the Volkswagen Touran sits quietly in the background as a well-established hero, offering maximum family practicality in a relatively small footprint.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/7-seat-cars/n2344">seven-seater</a> people carrier has scooped up an impressive number of What Car? MPV of the Year awards over the years, and there are plenty of reasons why.

Where the Touran really shines is in how it doesn’t feel that different to drive from the previous-generation<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/review/n17371"> Volkswagen Golf</a> it’s based on. It also has more compact dimensions than full-sized<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/mpvs-and-people-carriers/n17001"> MPVs</a> such as the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/galaxy/mpv/review/n142"> Ford Galaxy</a> and the bulkier, more expensive<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/tiguan-allspace/estate/review/n17379"> Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace</a> SUV. That's something you’ll appreciate when you're trying to squeeze it into a tight parking space.

And crucially, for such a relatively small MPV, it's a genuine seven-seater. So, don’t think of this as some sort of van with windows – it’s more like a spacious and incredibly flexible hatchback, with handy sixth and seventh seats that pop out of the boot floor when you need them.

The engine range has been reduced over the years to one option, but there’s still a wide range of trim levels to choose from from the entry-level SE to the sportier flagship R-Line.

So, is the Volkswagen Touran a better choice than similarly priced rivals, which include the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/grand-c4-spacetourer/mpv/review/n17341"> Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer</a> and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/s-max/mpv/review/n81"> Ford S-Max</a>? Read on over the next few pages of this review to find out. We'll assess its performance in all the important areas, and tell you which trim levels make the most sense.

When you've decided which car is for you, don't forget to visit our free<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals"> What Car? New Car Deals pages</a>.

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