Best 7-seater hybrid cars

Perhaps you’ve been put on six-a-side taxi duty, or perhaps you simply need a large family car that has pleasingly low running costs. These 7-seater hybrids are very economical for their size, especially around town where the electric motor and battery can chip in to assist the petrol engine. They don’t need plugging in – you simply fill up with petrol and let the car sort the rest.

Dacia Jogger

• Makes other cars look too expensive
• Not as basic as you might expect a Dacia to be
• Third row offers enough space for some adults

The Dacia Jogger is the cheapest hybrid 7-seater you can buy new, and of course it’s even cheaper if you pick a used model. Either way, you’re getting astonishing value for money. Up to 61mpg is achievable from the Jogger’s new 1.8-litre hybrid engine, so you can keep on saving money once you’ve brought the Jogger home. The interior is durable and functional, and the touchscreen is easy to use.

Shop used Dacia Jogger hybrid cars for sale or read our Dacia Jogger review

Hyundai Santa Fe

• A truly eye-catching family car
• Space for seven adults
• Assured handling and comfortable ride quality

Hyundai’s Santa Fe is one of the most luxurious choices on this list, with features such as leather seats, a powered bootlid and navigation-based adaptive cruise control coming as standard. It even comes with the option of a six-seat layout, with the second-row bench being replaced by two captain’s chairs. The standard seven-seat Santa Fe is obviously more versatile, and the bench slides forwards to allow adults to feel genuinely comfortable in the third row of seats.

Shop used Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Hyundai Santa Fe review

Kia Sorento

• Tech and premium materials
• Generously equipped
• 616-litre boot with five seats in place

The Kia Sorento shares its underpinnings with the Santa Fe, so you get the same hybrid engine in both cars. You also get Isofix points on the third row as well as the second row in both cars, which is rare. Third-row accommodation isn’t quite as generous as the Santa Fe’s, but adults will still be alright back there for short journeys. Kia’s seven-year warranty also features, giving extra peace of mind for the next few years.

Shop used Kia Sorento cars for sale or read our Kia Sorento review

Nissan X-Trail

• Refined and comfortable
• Intuitive interior
• Four-wheel drive available 

Nissan’s E-Power hybrid engine is unusual in that the wheels are driven by the electric motor, rather than the petrol engine. This means the X-Trail E-Power feels like an electric car at low speeds, with a linear smoothness that makes manoeuvring and driving easy. With more than 200hp, the X-Trail has plenty of power to get up to speed even when fully loaded and, thanks to a comparatively large battery, you can see 48mpg in gentle driving.

Shop used Nissan X-Trail hybrid cars for sale or read our Nissan X-Trail review

Peugeot 5008

• Room in the third row for adults
• Configurable i-Toggles give you quick access to regularly used features
• 916-litre boot with third row folded

We haven’t yet written a guide to the best-looking seven-seaters, but the Peugeot 5008 would be right at the top if we did. It’s just as eye-catching inside, where you’ll find a vast 21-inch screen and some attractive fabric trim across the dash. The 5008’s 1.2-litre chain-driven hybrid engine is surprisingly adept at getting the big Peugeot up to speed, while promising excellent fuel efficiency. It didn’t seem too difficult to match the 52mpg estimate in our time with the car.

Shop used Peugeot 5008 cars for sale or read our Peugeot 5008 review

Skoda Kodiaq

• Large but easy to use touchscreen
• Clever multifunctional dials
• Lots of storage space inside the cabin

Electrical assistance for the Kodiaq’s 1.5-litre petrol engine isn’t particularly easy to notice – the mild-hybrid system is small and is in place to power auxiliary features like the radio and air conditioning. That takes a little of the strain off the petrol engine, allowing you to get around 40mpg in real-world driving. The Kodiaq’s main strengths lie in its sheer practicality – it’ll fit seven adults at a pinch, and there’s still a 340-litre boot in play with all seats up. That’s not far off what you get in a Volkswagen Golf.

Shop used Skoda Kodiaq cars for sale or read our Skoda Kodiaq review

Ford S-Max

• Not an SUV
• Cheaper than the Galaxy
• Three Isofix points across the middle row

Traditional MPVs like the Ford S-Max are, if we’re all honest with each other, more practical and more spacious than most seven-seat SUVs. You might not have even realised that the S-Max could be had with anything other than a diesel engine, but it’s worth hunting out a hybrid version if you’re regularly going to be shuttling kids across town. You could achieve 44mpg, which is perfectly decent for a large car like this, and the diesel engines need long journeys from time to time to ensure continued good behaviour.

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Ford Galaxy

• Adults can fit in the third row
• 1,301 litres of boot space with five seats
• Immensely versatile

The S-Max’s bigger brother also gave you this 2.5-litre hybrid option. Choosing a Galaxy over an S-Max gives you extra space in the third row of seats and an airier cabin, although the S-Max offers a wider choice of trim levels. With that being said, we’re not sure the S-Max’s ST-Line option is strictly necessary on a people carrier; the Galaxy’s more middle-of-the-road Titanium trim might feel more suitable.

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Citroen C3 Aircross

• Simple touchscreen
• Very practical for its size
• Some fun ‘easter eggs’

On top-spec versions of the Citroen C3 Aircross Hybrid, you can add in a third row of seats for a few hundred pounds extra. Being the smallest seven-seater car on sale, it’s the one to pick if you don’t want something that feels like a big tank from behind the wheel. But, on the other side of the same coin, being so compact means a cramped experience for your second-row and third-row passengers.

You can also spec seven seats on the mechanically identical Vauxhall Frontera, but the C3 Aircross’ interior uses nicer materials.

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Lexus LM

• Succeeds LS as Lexus’ top model
• Almost six-figure price tag
• Very high seating position makes you feel important

In large parts of Asia, luxury is a van-like MPV with interior trimmings akin to a private jet. Lexus’ current flagship might initially seem a bit unusual, but imported premium Japanese models like the Toyota Alphard and Nissan Elgrand are becoming increasingly popular in the UK. You can even spec the Lexus LM with just four seats. This version is immensely opulent but clearly isn’t the best choice for the school run.

On more sensible ground, Lexus also used to sell the Lexus RX L with a hybrid engine and seven seats.