What Car? (7-Seater)

Author
Discussion

Minemapper

933 posts

155 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Our Touran does this job brilliantly. It's never going to be exciting to drive, but as an all-purpose family hauler, it's hard to beat. However, had the S-Max been in our budget, I have one of those.

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
The Mazda 5 came out in 2005 and we had one of the first - a 1.8 TS2. It is based on the C-Max floorpan though extended.

Though it claims to have 7 seats, the "middle seat" of the second row is more a folding ledge (folds into the seat for access to rear) so is not particularly comfortable and so it's more a 6 seater plus middle platform.

Great car though.

Check carefully though because most of these MPV cars leave bugger all space for luggage with the 3rd row seats up.

ConorE

317 posts

139 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Renault Grand Scenic. I believe it is the safest in the class, and, let's be honest, when ferrying your loved ones about, what's most important?

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
ConorE said:
Renault Grand Scenic. I believe it is the safest in the class, and, let's be honest, when ferrying your loved ones about, what's most important?
Reliability? wink

joewilliams

2,004 posts

200 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Kolbenkopp said:
Really cool

but difficult to find as 7-seater?
OT; is that a bonus early/mid 90s car-phone brick in there? nerd

ConorE

317 posts

139 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
ConorE said:
Renault Grand Scenic. I believe it is the safest in the class, and, let's be honest, when ferrying your loved ones about, what's most important?
Reliability? wink
Didn't think this through, did I? hehe

Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
YoungRestorer said:
Seat Alhambra. It is a Ford Galaxy/Smax, but cheaper. Its good fun to drive, with decent handling and pull for its size: plus my dad regularly gets about 40 mpg from his diesel
Except it's not. The previous model was the same as the Galaxy though.

wiliferus

4,053 posts

197 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Bill said:
YoungRestorer said:
Seat Alhambra. It is a Ford Galaxy/Smax, but cheaper. Its good fun to drive, with decent handling and pull for its size: plus my dad regularly gets about 40 mpg from his diesel
Except it's not. The previous model was the same as the Galaxy though.
Indeed. Alhambra is the same as the Ford Galaxy (completely different from the S-Max) and the same as the VW Sharan. For your friends budget Alhambra will come better spec'd but they are harder to come by. The Galaxy was the better looking if the three after it had a facelift.

On your friends criteria I'd go Touran with the 1.9tdi lump over the 2.0tdi. Less refined but bomb proof, and on his budget it going to be reasonably leggy.

The S Max is good (it must be as our childminder has one which is permanently brimmed with kids!) and she loves it. Depending on what he's after mpg etc wise go for a petrol... Ford TDCi's can be a nightmare when they've done a few miles.

zcacogp

Original Poster:

11,239 posts

243 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Chaps,

Thanks for the various answers. The guy wants a car, but also wants to be able to ferry the three kids and grandparents around when necessary, hence the desire for something that has a folding third row of seats. He doesn't want a full-sized MPV (he has had an Alhambra previously) and certainly doesn't want a 4x4.

Mazda 5, Touran and Zafira seem to be in the lead at the mo. Ford's S-Max seems to be the best of the bunch by a fair margin but is unfortunately out of his price range (by a whisker).


Oli.

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

147 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Bill said:
Except it's not. The previous model was the same as the Galaxy though.
Seat is now way Ford, in the same way its not VW. Miles apart on just about everything.

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

147 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
wiliferus said:
Indeed. Alhambra is the same as the Ford Galaxy (completely different from the S-Max) and the same as the VW Sharan. For your friends budget Alhambra will come better spec'd but they are harder to come by. The Galaxy was the better looking if the three after it had a facelift.

On your friends criteria I'd go Touran with the 1.9tdi lump over the 2.0tdi. Less refined but bomb proof, and on his budget it going to be reasonably leggy.

The S Max is good (it must be as our childminder has one which is permanently brimmed with kids!) and she loves it. Depending on what he's after mpg etc wise go for a petrol... Ford TDCi's can be a nightmare when they've done a few miles.
I can't read anymore " seat is Ford" or seat is VW"

Build quality is miles apart. I speak from vast experience.

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

147 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Bill said:
Except it's not. The previous model was the same as the Galaxy though.
Seat is now way Ford, in the same way its not VW. Miles apart on just about everything.

muley

1,453 posts

280 months

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

147 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
ConorE said:
Renault Grand Scenic. I believe it is the safest in the class, and, let's be honest, when ferrying your loved ones about, what's most important?
These have quite large boots, lucky as you need to store the bits that fall off while your waiting for the dealer to fit you in.

Kolbenkopp

2,343 posts

150 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
BlueMR2 said:
11 with 9 without on ebay. 2 of the 9 have no mention of seats and no photos of the boot so could be 7 seaters.
Oh, did not realise they are so popular after all. Great! The "phone brick" looks a bit like an old C-Netz (pre GSM) setup but I think it's just a CD changer...

RosscoPCole

3,300 posts

173 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Mazda Bongo

8 seater. Seats can be moved to make table and chairs for picnics. Freetop version can sleep 4. Lots of goodies.