What Car? Personal Shopper: best petrol-powered seven-seater for less than £26,000
Buying new
- Our recommended choice: Peugeot 5008 1.2 PureTech Active
- List price: £25,630
- What Car? Target Price: £24,331
If you're looking for a spacious seven-seater that won't cost a lot to run, then you can stop your search right here, because the Peugeot 5008 is one of the best large SUVs around – in fact, it's our reigning Large SUV of the Year.
The 5008 used to be a cumbersome but practical MPV, but knowing that family buyers are increasingly choosing SUVs, Peugeot has morphed the car into the high-riding car you see here. And what a car it is, powered in this case by our recommended 1.2-litre petrol engine. You might think that hauling around seven people with such a small engine would be a disaster, but this engine is surprisingly peppy and revs easily. It's an especially good choice for driving in town, which is where you say you're most likely to be.
Active versions of the 5008 aren't as spartan as you might imagine, coming with dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers and cruise control as standard. We'd recommend spending a little more on an Allure model if you can afford to, but Active cars certainly have everything you need.
This version of the 5008 would normally cost you £25,630, but as always What Car? New Car Buying can help to lower that price. Our latest Target Price deals, for example, bring that price down to a far more palatable £24,331, and our approved dealers could save you even more. Alternatively, if you're buying on a PCP finance deal, then expect to pay
Find a great Peugeot 5008 deal
Read our full Peugeot 5008 review
- Also consider: Skoda Kodiaq 1.4 TSI SE [7 seat]
- List price: £25,185
- What Car? Target Price deal: £23,421
The Kodiaq is another SUV which proves that seven seats need not cost a lot to buy. It's spacious inside and even comes with some clever touches – such as an ice scraper in the fuel filler cap and a detachable torch in the boot – to make your life easier. This 1.4-litre petrol engine copes well in a car this big, and has proven to be decently frugal in the real world.
Find a great Skoda Kodiaq deal
Read our full Skoda Kodiaq review
- Also consider: Volkswagen Touran 1.4 TSI SEL
- List price: £28,135
- Best What Car? deal: £23,089
Not a fan of SUVs? Enter the traditional family MPV, with its more car-like shape but still with a practical interior. The Volkswagen Touran is the best of the bunch, and this SEL version comes with everything you're likely to need, including smartphone mirroring and a panoramic sunroof.
Find a great Volkswagen Touran deal
Read our full Volkswagen Touran review
