Whether you need the slick sheen of a luxury SUV or want the sheer space of a van-based MPV, you’ll be able to find a great seven-seat car for you.
If you need to carry adults in the third row regularly, you’ll be better off with a more traditional MPV – such as the Volkswagen Sharan or seven-seat versions of the Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Rifter. Most SUVs with three rows of seats are a little cramped for adults in the third row, but are fine for children and teenagers.
Here are 10 of the best used 7-seater cars to buy. Many of these models can be picked up with big discounts as nearly new or used cars from Motorpoint.
1. Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 might be one of the more expensive options on this list, but it’s extremely practical and gets Audi’s flagship on-board tech. Occupants in the front and middle rows can stretch out to their hearts’ content. The third row is tighter, and best suited for children, but the second row can slide forward to allow adults to squeeze into the back for short journeys.
What’s more, the Q7 has six sets of Isofix points for child seats, so it’s a brilliant family bus if you can afford it. Some seven-seaters have minimal boot space when all seats are in place, but the Q7 still offers as much as a Ford Fiesta – so there’s space for a weekly shop. With the third row folded, you get a phenomenal 865 litres to fill, and a flat boot floor.
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2. Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer
MPVs used to look as dull as a freshly painted wall. The Grand C4 SpaceTourer, however, turns heads on even the most mundane journeys, and the good news is that it has even more substance than style. Perhaps the most exciting bit (well, for a practical family hauler) is that the middle row offers three individual seats that are all the same size, and all have Isofix points. If you’re carrying three adults instead, they’ll be delighted that the floor is flat and that they all get shoulder room.
On most trim levels, the Grand C4 SpaceTourer offers sliding and reclining middle-row seats, so access to the third row of seats reasonably easy. Plus, it’s easy to fold down the rearmost seats, which you’ll want to do when you need a big boot. In five-seat mode with the second row slid forward, the Citroen boasts a whopping 793-litre loadbay.
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3. Dacia Jogger
The Dacia Jogger might sound athletic, but this seven-seater is more ‘t-shirt and trainers’ than ‘Lycra and Fitbits’. Entry-level models get everything you need, and nothing you don’t, with parking sensors, air-con and cruise control all standard.
What’s more impressive is the sheer amount of space you get in the middle row. Your kids will need legs like an ostrich to kick your seat, and they can enjoy a great view out of the massive windows if you can peel their eyeballs away from their tablets. There’s even a useful amount of space in the third row for adults, plus a 12V socket, armrests and pop-out windows to make life in the boot bearable. Speaking of boot space, you can remove the third-row seats – they only weigh 10kg each – to free up over 700 litres of space.
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4. Ford Galaxy
Boxy is good when it comes to seven-seaters, and what the Ford Galaxy lacks in curves, it makes up for with space. Each of the Galaxy’s seven seats is big enough for a fully grown adult, and the many seating configurations make the fab Ford one of the most versatile cars on the road. The middle seats slide individually and have a set of Isofix points each, and there’s even a three-pin plug for your passengers to fight over. Those in the rear seats get a 12V socket, so make sure you have a USB adaptor if you want to charge phones up.
There are lots of similarities with the Ford S-Max, but the Galaxy is the one to go for if you want all the space. With all seats in position, the boot is bigger than that of a Ford Fiesta, and dropping the third row frees up another 1,000 litres of space.
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5. Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai has taken boxiness to the next level – its new Santa Fe barely has a curved line on it. The cool 'Tonka-Toy' styling ensures it’s seriously practical, with huge middle-seat space, decent third-row room for adults and a big boot. Under the bonnet, there’s a choice of forward-looking hybrid engines – one that needs plugging in and one that doesn’t.
You’ll need to stick with the last-shape Santa Fe for a diesel engine, which will appeal if you’re going to be doing lots of miles or want to tow a heavy trailer. For lower-mileage drivers, the new hybrid returns a similar MPG to the diesel engine without needing AdBlue and should be even more efficient in urban driving.
Shop used Hyundai Santa Fe cars for sale or read our Hyundai Santa Fe review
6. Kia Sorento
Kia is now challenging the premium brands. Its EV9 can cost as much as £75,000 and is a luxurious, full-electric seven-seater. Its combustion-engined forebear, the Sorento, also has a pretty posh feel with generally impressive materials and a high-tech cabin. The trusty diesel engine is offered alongside hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, all of which offer decent economy.
The diesel is better for towing and long journeys, while the hybrids are best for shorter hops around town. All have seven seats, and the rearmost row can accommodate adults for short journeys, if they’re happy to clamber in past the second row. Ample storage and plush leather upholstery make the Sorento a great long-distance travel companion for you and your mates.
Shop used Kia Sorento cars for sale or read our Kia Sorento review
7. Mercedes GLB
Mercedes’ SUV range is pretty easy to decipher – nearly all come with GL badging, with a third letter that roughly equates to its size. So the GLB is one of the smaller SUVs, although it's available with a third row of seats. Again, these seats are mainly intended for kids, but adults will be more than happy in the front or middle-row seats. And handily, the third-row seats both get Isofix points, so children who need car seats can go back there.
Like the Land Rover Discovery Sport, there’s very little boot space when all seven chairs are occupied. But, with the third row folded, you get a decent 500-litre boot that should be plenty for a family holiday. And, as it’s based on the Mercedes GLA and the A-Class, you get a fantastic interior with plush materials and the latest tech. If all that sounds good, but you’d like to plug in rather than fill up, you’re in luck. Mercedes also sells the EQB – an electric version of the GLB.
Shop used Mercedes GLB cars for sale or read our Mercedes GLB review
8. Peugeot 5008
The Peugeot 5008 benefits from everything that makes the 3008 great, but with the extra flexibility of two more seats. You get an eye-catching design inside and out, with lots of tech and a small steering wheel that makes the car feel surprisingly fun to drive.
Peugeot has focused on providing plenty of space for adults, so the new 5008 ditches three same-sized middle seats for two larger outer seats. Longer doors and improved folding seat mechanisms mean it’s now much easier to get into the third row, and any adults sitting back there will have just enough space. And, with the third row folded, there’s a van-like 916 litres of space available – even if some of it is stashed under the seats.
Shop used Peugeot 5008 cars for sale or read our review of the new Peugeot 5008
9. Skoda Kodiaq
The original Kodiaq was so good that this latest version doesn’t really mess with the formula. It’s a bit more plush and premium inside, and now offers a plug-in-hybrid engine that’ll cover 70 miles on electric with a fully charged battery. Things it shares with the old car include economical engines, a big towing capacity and a blissfully practical cabin with room for you and six of your besties.
And, while the new one is a little better in some areas, it can be twice the price of a lightly used example. So you might be better off with the older car and putting the money saved towards a few luxury holidays.
Shop used Skoda Kodiaq cars for sale or read our review of the new Skoda Kodiaq
10. Volvo XC90
The Volvo XC90 has been on sale for a decade basically unchanged – it’s that good. The blend of a cool, tranquil cabin and immense practicality is hard to ignore for well-heeled family buyers – and it’s one of the few seven seaters that’ll actually accommodate adults in the third row.
Crucially, the XC90 also undercuts rivals like the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE on price. The XC90’s powerful engines make it a breeze to get up to speed, even with the whole squad on board or when towing a heavy trailer.
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