Best large 7-seater cars
High-quality big 7-seater cars from rated and reviewed dealers
Last updated May 02, 2025 by
Neil Briscoe
Best big 7-seater family cars of 2025
Got more people than seats? Well, then you’ll need to upgrade to one of the cars on this list, as all can seat as many as seven people in comfort – and if you want to make sure they’re comfy, you’ll want one of these large seven-seaters that maximises space.
Remember those old charity stunts which tried to cram as many people into a car, usually an original Mini, as possible? That’s not what we’re talking about here — in those stunts, people were literally crammed in like sardines, whereas in the ten cars on this list, you can seat seven people without having to squeeze them in.
The seven-seat car has been a popular purchase ever since the original Renault Espace showed us how to fit lots of people into a car that wasn’t a minibus all the way back in 1984. Since then, the seven-seater has evolved from a cubist MPV into a more rugged and outdoorsy SUV, for the most part, but the essence is still the same — seats for seven, each one with a proper seatbelt and hopefully decent legroom and headroom too. With all of these cars being on the larger side of things, there should also be some decent space left over for luggage too.
Carwow’s expert reviews team intensively tests every new car on sale, whether they’re petrol-powered, diesel cars, hybrid cars or electric cars, or any combination thereof, so that we can give our expert recommendations. We drive cars on the road and we look at the individual strengths of each model — from how much space there is in each seat, to how many cupholders each occupant has access to, so you can find the right car for your needs.
2025
Car of the Year Award
What's good
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Best for: All-round adventurousness
The Hyundai Santa Fe is the answer to the question of what you should buy if you fancy a Land Rover Defender, but don’t fancy the purchase price nor the running costs. Honestly, the Santa Fe couldn’t look more rugged nor square-jawed if it was wearing a check shirt while carrying climbing rope and grappling irons. It’s a bit of a deception, of course, as the Santa Fe isn’t what you’d call a proper off-roader, but the chunky, square-edged styling gives it some of that outdoorsy image that everyone wants. The Land Rover-like image is bolstered by the optional colours which include orange and green as well as the more predictable grey, black, and white.
Inside, there’s a cabin that combines premium-feel materials with some of the same upright and rugged look as the exterior. You can choose between a normal three-seater bench for the middle row, or a pair of luxurious ‘captain’s chairs’ for a six-seat layout. The third row of seats isn’t the roomiest, but kids should be pretty happy back there, and with all seven seats in use there’s still a useful bit of boot space, which expands to a large 628 litres with the rearmost seats folded away. And cupholders? 17 of them…
Astonishingly for such a big car, the Santa Fe is powered only by a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine, combined with either hybrid or plug-in hybrid power. The standard hybrid model is fine, and has decent all-round economy, but the plug-in hybrid is the better bet if you have easy access to charging, with a bit more power and the ability to cover up to a claimed 34 miles (more like 25 miles in the real world) on electric power.
If the Santa Fe has a flaw it’s that it’s not much fun to drive, but then again it is a car designed for hauling people between home, school, hobbies, and holidays rather than for setting a personal best on your favourite twisty road. The square edges mean that it’s easier to manage in town than you might think, too. No wonder it’s a Carwow Car Of The Year winner.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is the answer to the question of what you should buy if you fancy a Land Rover Defender, but don’t fancy the purchase price nor the running costs. Honestly, the Santa Fe couldn’t look more rugged nor square-jawed if it was wearing a check shirt while carrying climbing rope and grappling irons. It’s a bit of a deception, of course, as the Santa Fe isn’t what you’d call a proper off-roader, but the chunky, square-edged styling gives it some of that outdoorsy image that everyone wants. The Land Rover-like image is bolstered by the optional colours which include orange and green as well as the more predictable grey, black, and white.
Inside, there’s a cabin that combines premium-feel materials with some of the same upright and rugged look as the exterior. You can choose between a normal three-seater bench for the middle row, or a pair of luxurious ‘captain’s chairs’ for a six-seat layout. The third row of seats isn’t the roomiest, but kids should be pretty happy back there, and with all seven seats in use there’s still a useful bit of boot space, which expands to a large 628 litres with the rearmost seats folded away. And cupholders? 17 of them…
Astonishingly for such a big car, the Santa Fe is powered only by a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine, combined with either hybrid or plug-in hybrid power. The standard hybrid model is fine, and has decent all-round economy, but the plug-in hybrid is the better bet if you have easy access to charging, with a bit more power and the ability to cover up to a claimed 34 miles (more like 25 miles in the real world) on electric power.
If the Santa Fe has a flaw it’s that it’s not much fun to drive, but then again it is a car designed for hauling people between home, school, hobbies, and holidays rather than for setting a personal best on your favourite twisty road. The square edges mean that it’s easier to manage in town than you might think, too. No wonder it’s a Carwow Car Of The Year winner.
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Best for: Proper space
Long ago, before we all went mad for SUVs, this is what a seven-seat car looked like: a van with windows. However, while it looks like a commercial vehicle with glazing, under the skin it’s closely related to the Tiguan and the Golf.
That means the Multivan is much more car-like and comfortable to drive than, say, the Transporter-van-based Caravelle. The dashboard is lifted mostly from the Golf hatchback, which means you get the same touchscreen and digital instrument panel, although these are still the older screens, not the much-improved new ones in the latest Golf. Still, the Golf doesn’t get the Multivan’s hugely comfy high-set front seats, with armrests on both sides.
There’s oodles of storage space up front in the Multivan and even more space for people behind. The five seats in the back are fully flexible, so you can have them laid out with two individual seats in the middle and three behind, or turn them around so that you have facing seats. Either way, everyone gets a proper seat with proper legroom, as long as you’ve picked the long-wheelbase version of the Multivan. The longer version gets a massive 763-litre boot too, although that’s if you load it to the roof.
Twin sliding side doors are great in tight spaces, but the massive boot lid means that you won’t be able to open it at all if you’ve backed right up to a wall or the bumper of another car.
Engine choices run from a simple diesel version, but the best pick is the plug-in hybrid model, which comes with four-wheel drive, and the potential for a 57-mile electric-only range. You’ll get more like 40 miles in real-world conditions, but that’s still very good for such a big and roomy vehicle.
Long ago, before we all went mad for SUVs, this is what a seven-seat car looked like: a van with windows. However, while it looks like a commercial vehicle with glazing, under the skin it’s closely related to the Tiguan and the Golf.
That means the Multivan is much more car-like and comfortable to drive than, say, the Transporter-van-based Caravelle. The dashboard is lifted mostly from the Golf hatchback, which means you get the same touchscreen and digital instrument panel, although these are still the older screens, not the much-improved new ones in the latest Golf. Still, the Golf doesn’t get the Multivan’s hugely comfy high-set front seats, with armrests on both sides.
There’s oodles of storage space up front in the Multivan and even more space for people behind. The five seats in the back are fully flexible, so you can have them laid out with two individual seats in the middle and three behind, or turn them around so that you have facing seats. Either way, everyone gets a proper seat with proper legroom, as long as you’ve picked the long-wheelbase version of the Multivan. The longer version gets a massive 763-litre boot too, although that’s if you load it to the roof.
Twin sliding side doors are great in tight spaces, but the massive boot lid means that you won’t be able to open it at all if you’ve backed right up to a wall or the bumper of another car.
Engine choices run from a simple diesel version, but the best pick is the plug-in hybrid model, which comes with four-wheel drive, and the potential for a 57-mile electric-only range. You’ll get more like 40 miles in real-world conditions, but that’s still very good for such a big and roomy vehicle.
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Best for: Muddy multi-seat fun
Hang on, this is supposed to be the list of the best big seven-seat cars, isn’t it? Then what is this Land Rover Defender 130 doing here? It’s an eight-seater, which kind of puts it into a class of its own. There is a seven-seat version of the more conventional Defender 110, but the 130 is more than a foot longer, and therefore has enough room to cram in an extra person. You will have to cram, too, as the seating layout is two in the front (you can’t have the optional three-seat setup in the front that comes in some other Defenders) and then two rows of three behind. The middle row is a little less roomy than you’ll find in the shorter Defender 110, and the three-seat layout in row three means that it’s tight for adults, but you can actually fill the full complement of eight in here, and that still leaves a reasonably useful 389 litres of boot space behind. Or you can fold all the seats flat and have a two-seater with a 2,500-litre boot.
To drive, you’d hardly know that the Defender 130 was bigger than the 110, mostly because the 110 is already pretty hefty. It’s a great car to drive, though, with surprisingly good steering and well-judged air suspension. And, of course, unlike the pretend off-roaders of the SUV brigade, the Defender 130 is the real deal. The extra bodywork at the back means it’s not quite as agile as a 110, but the 130 has mud-, sand-, and rock-crossing ability way beyond the needs of most buyers.
The downside is that because of all the extra seats, you can’t have the 130 with the surprisingly fuel-friendly plug-in hybrid P400e engine, which is a shame. However, you can have a 500hp V8 engine instead, which is lovely (until you come to fill it up, of course).
Hang on, this is supposed to be the list of the best big seven-seat cars, isn’t it? Then what is this Land Rover Defender 130 doing here? It’s an eight-seater, which kind of puts it into a class of its own. There is a seven-seat version of the more conventional Defender 110, but the 130 is more than a foot longer, and therefore has enough room to cram in an extra person. You will have to cram, too, as the seating layout is two in the front (you can’t have the optional three-seat setup in the front that comes in some other Defenders) and then two rows of three behind. The middle row is a little less roomy than you’ll find in the shorter Defender 110, and the three-seat layout in row three means that it’s tight for adults, but you can actually fill the full complement of eight in here, and that still leaves a reasonably useful 389 litres of boot space behind. Or you can fold all the seats flat and have a two-seater with a 2,500-litre boot.
To drive, you’d hardly know that the Defender 130 was bigger than the 110, mostly because the 110 is already pretty hefty. It’s a great car to drive, though, with surprisingly good steering and well-judged air suspension. And, of course, unlike the pretend off-roaders of the SUV brigade, the Defender 130 is the real deal. The extra bodywork at the back means it’s not quite as agile as a 110, but the 130 has mud-, sand-, and rock-crossing ability way beyond the needs of most buyers.
The downside is that because of all the extra seats, you can’t have the 130 with the surprisingly fuel-friendly plug-in hybrid P400e engine, which is a shame. However, you can have a 500hp V8 engine instead, which is lovely (until you come to fill it up, of course).
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Battery range up to 293 miles
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Best for: Hippy cosplay
Cars with seven seats tend to be either fairly dull grey boxes, or mammoth SUVs. The Volkswagen ID Buzz is neither, and it’s all the better for it. It’s a gorgeous, almost glamorous, update of VW’s classic 1950s and 1960s minibus, which transposes sixties flower-power style onto modern proportions, and with electric-only power to boot.
Space inside is good, thanks to the fact that the seven-seat Buzz gets a longer wheelbase than the standard five-seat model. The view out is also brilliant, especially from the driver’s seat, which has a proper IMAX-like windscreen. The touchscreen is pretty fiddly and annoying, but overall quality levels are good, and it’s just refreshing to be driving a big, roomy car that’s not an SUV.
Those in the back have plenty of space, although there’s a bit of a lack of nice helpful touches, other than some handy USB sockets in the doors (sliding doors, of course — great in car parks). Fill all seven seats and there’s still 309 litres of boot space.
The longer wheelbase means a bigger battery than the five-seat Buzz, but the range hasn’t gone up by much, topping out at an official 290 miles, and that will be more like 230 miles in real-world conditions.
Cars with seven seats tend to be either fairly dull grey boxes, or mammoth SUVs. The Volkswagen ID Buzz is neither, and it’s all the better for it. It’s a gorgeous, almost glamorous, update of VW’s classic 1950s and 1960s minibus, which transposes sixties flower-power style onto modern proportions, and with electric-only power to boot.
Space inside is good, thanks to the fact that the seven-seat Buzz gets a longer wheelbase than the standard five-seat model. The view out is also brilliant, especially from the driver’s seat, which has a proper IMAX-like windscreen. The touchscreen is pretty fiddly and annoying, but overall quality levels are good, and it’s just refreshing to be driving a big, roomy car that’s not an SUV.
Those in the back have plenty of space, although there’s a bit of a lack of nice helpful touches, other than some handy USB sockets in the doors (sliding doors, of course — great in car parks). Fill all seven seats and there’s still 309 litres of boot space.
The longer wheelbase means a bigger battery than the five-seat Buzz, but the range hasn’t gone up by much, topping out at an official 290 miles, and that will be more like 230 miles in real-world conditions.
2025
Outstanding EV Award
Battery range up to 349 miles
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Best for: Space-age styling
The Kia EV9 just looks cool. It’s not every Kia that we could say that about, and it seems kinda odd to describe a chunky, roomy, seven-seat family EV as ‘cool’ but the EV9 just… is. The edgy styling looks really good here on the large canvas of the EV9, and the cabin will have you wondering why people pay extra to get a BMW or Volvo SUV.
Space is simply excellent too, with a choice of six- or seven-seat layouts, and enough room for real adults in the third row. With all seats in use, there’s still 333 litres of luggage space, and that expands to a whopping 828 litres if you fold down the third row. There’s also a useful front-boot ‘froot’ that extends to 90 litres for the rear-wheel drive versions, and that’s handy for stashing your charging cables.
A big car needs a big battery, and Kia obliges with a 98kWh unit for the EV9, giving it a maximum range of up to 349 miles, although more like 300 miles in real-world conditions is a bit more realistic. It charges up super-quick too, able to handle a 10-80% top-up in as little as 24 minutes if you can find a charger that’s powerful enough.
It’s a bit big and bulky to drive, especially in town, but the EV9’s silence and comfort just make long journeys melt away.
The Kia EV9 just looks cool. It’s not every Kia that we could say that about, and it seems kinda odd to describe a chunky, roomy, seven-seat family EV as ‘cool’ but the EV9 just… is. The edgy styling looks really good here on the large canvas of the EV9, and the cabin will have you wondering why people pay extra to get a BMW or Volvo SUV.
Space is simply excellent too, with a choice of six- or seven-seat layouts, and enough room for real adults in the third row. With all seats in use, there’s still 333 litres of luggage space, and that expands to a whopping 828 litres if you fold down the third row. There’s also a useful front-boot ‘froot’ that extends to 90 litres for the rear-wheel drive versions, and that’s handy for stashing your charging cables.
A big car needs a big battery, and Kia obliges with a 98kWh unit for the EV9, giving it a maximum range of up to 349 miles, although more like 300 miles in real-world conditions is a bit more realistic. It charges up super-quick too, able to handle a 10-80% top-up in as little as 24 minutes if you can find a charger that’s powerful enough.
It’s a bit big and bulky to drive, especially in town, but the EV9’s silence and comfort just make long journeys melt away.
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Best for: German luxury
The X7 is ugly as heck, I think we can all agree on that. But, just like the man who hated the Eiffel Tower, so ate at its restaurant every day so that he didn’t have to look at it, from the inside you simply won’t mind as the X7 has one of BMW’s best cabins.
The smaller X5 is really only suitable for kids in the third row, but the X7 rear chairs are a bit better for adults. All of the X7’s back seats can be reclined, tilted, and folded flat with electric power, too. Up front, you get big sweeping digital screens which look great, and are only moderately fiddly and frustrating to use. Quality levels are excellent and the X7 is without question one of the most comfortable cars around.
Boot space expands to 750 litres if you fold away the third row of seats, and you can choose from a big 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine, a six-cylinder petrol, or a mighty M60i model with a twin-turbo V8 engine. That one is massively fast, but also massively thirsty, so you’re probably best to stick with the diesel. There’s no plug-in hybrid version.
The X7 is ugly as heck, I think we can all agree on that. But, just like the man who hated the Eiffel Tower, so ate at its restaurant every day so that he didn’t have to look at it, from the inside you simply won’t mind as the X7 has one of BMW’s best cabins.
The smaller X5 is really only suitable for kids in the third row, but the X7 rear chairs are a bit better for adults. All of the X7’s back seats can be reclined, tilted, and folded flat with electric power, too. Up front, you get big sweeping digital screens which look great, and are only moderately fiddly and frustrating to use. Quality levels are excellent and the X7 is without question one of the most comfortable cars around.
Boot space expands to 750 litres if you fold away the third row of seats, and you can choose from a big 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine, a six-cylinder petrol, or a mighty M60i model with a twin-turbo V8 engine. That one is massively fast, but also massively thirsty, so you’re probably best to stick with the diesel. There’s no plug-in hybrid version.
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Best for: Family adventures
The Land Rover Discovery was once the default big SUV choice for families, with its roomy seven-seat cabin, and ability to actually go diving deep into the wilderness of your choice. In recent years, buyers have wandered over to the more obviously stylish Defender (also available with seven seats, or even eight — see above) which has left the Discovery out in the cold a little.
Some of that is doubtless down to the Disco’s styling, which just isn’t as cool as that of the Defender (the offset numberplate on the tailgate is just weird, and you don’t get the handy seat of the old Discovery’s fold-down split tailgate anymore). You’ve got to look past the Discovery’s looks though, and see that inside it’s exceptionally spacious, with enough room for seven full-sized adults to get comfy. The touchscreen is much improved from previous models, and overall quality is excellent — even if Land Rover’s reliability rep is far from good.
The best thing about the Discovery is just how smooth and comfortable it is to drive, with exceptional refinement — even more so than the Defender. If you still need to head off into the woods and the wilds, the Discovery can do that too, and is barely any less capable than the Defender when the going gets tough.
The Land Rover Discovery was once the default big SUV choice for families, with its roomy seven-seat cabin, and ability to actually go diving deep into the wilderness of your choice. In recent years, buyers have wandered over to the more obviously stylish Defender (also available with seven seats, or even eight — see above) which has left the Discovery out in the cold a little.
Some of that is doubtless down to the Disco’s styling, which just isn’t as cool as that of the Defender (the offset numberplate on the tailgate is just weird, and you don’t get the handy seat of the old Discovery’s fold-down split tailgate anymore). You’ve got to look past the Discovery’s looks though, and see that inside it’s exceptionally spacious, with enough room for seven full-sized adults to get comfy. The touchscreen is much improved from previous models, and overall quality is excellent — even if Land Rover’s reliability rep is far from good.
The best thing about the Discovery is just how smooth and comfortable it is to drive, with exceptional refinement — even more so than the Defender. If you still need to head off into the woods and the wilds, the Discovery can do that too, and is barely any less capable than the Defender when the going gets tough.
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Best for: Poshness
The Range Rover has come a long way since the 1970 original, which was designed with an interior that could be hosed-out and a boot shaped for a hay bale. The original Range Rover was a hard-working Land Rover that could be scrubbed up for the weekend — this Range Rover is a lofty luxury car, as adept at out-posing an S-Class as it is clambering up a mountain range.
The thing is, the Range Rover will still clamber up that mountain range, and yet in its image and in its cabin it’s luxurious enough to make you pause before splashing out (much) more on a Bentley Bentayga or Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Not that it’s perfect — there are some surprisingly cheap cabin plastics, and the Range Rover feels massive if you’re trying to drive through a city centre. The long-wheelbase of the seven-seat model means that there’s plenty of space inside, although the boot shrinks to a Mini-like 229 litres when you’re seating seven. The extra seats mean that you can’t have the long-range plug-in hybrid engine, and so there’s a choice of only petrol or diesel units. Mind you, the petrol engine is a fabulous 530hp V8, which is great fun to drive if terrifyingly expensive to run.
Long-travel air suspension makes short work of big bumps, and long journeys are wonderfully easy. Even if they include a quick crossing of the Kalahari.
The Range Rover has come a long way since the 1970 original, which was designed with an interior that could be hosed-out and a boot shaped for a hay bale. The original Range Rover was a hard-working Land Rover that could be scrubbed up for the weekend — this Range Rover is a lofty luxury car, as adept at out-posing an S-Class as it is clambering up a mountain range.
The thing is, the Range Rover will still clamber up that mountain range, and yet in its image and in its cabin it’s luxurious enough to make you pause before splashing out (much) more on a Bentley Bentayga or Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Not that it’s perfect — there are some surprisingly cheap cabin plastics, and the Range Rover feels massive if you’re trying to drive through a city centre. The long-wheelbase of the seven-seat model means that there’s plenty of space inside, although the boot shrinks to a Mini-like 229 litres when you’re seating seven. The extra seats mean that you can’t have the long-range plug-in hybrid engine, and so there’s a choice of only petrol or diesel units. Mind you, the petrol engine is a fabulous 530hp V8, which is great fun to drive if terrifyingly expensive to run.
Long-travel air suspension makes short work of big bumps, and long journeys are wonderfully easy. Even if they include a quick crossing of the Kalahari.
Battery range up to 414 miles
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Best for: Style and value
One of the more reasonably priced cars on this list, the E-5008 can’t quite match the Kia EV9 for space and style, but it’s still a handsome all-electric machine which has one thing on its side — exceptional range. In fact, go for the big-battery 98kWh version of the E-5008 and you’ll have a potential range of up to 414 miles on one charge, and that’s not an unrealistic figure. Even the more affordable 73kWh battery model goes for a claimed 310 miles, and you’ll get around 280 miles in real-world conditions.
Dramatic to look at on the outside — that shovel-like nose and the piercing lights — the E-5008 is equally so inside, with a slim-but-wide digital dashboard which works pretty well, even if some proper physical buttons would be welcome.
Quality levels are very good, and the big Peugeot is comfy, too. Space in the back seats is really impressive, but you’ll have to slide the middle row forward a bit if you want to fit anyone other than primary school kids in row three. Fill all the seats and there’s still a bit of useful boot space left, and that opens out to a huge 916 litres of space if you fold away the third row.
The E-5008 is comfy to drive, and easygoing, but not massive fun. If you don’t want fully electric power, then there’s a 136hp hybrid version too, but that one is very, very slow.
One of the more reasonably priced cars on this list, the E-5008 can’t quite match the Kia EV9 for space and style, but it’s still a handsome all-electric machine which has one thing on its side — exceptional range. In fact, go for the big-battery 98kWh version of the E-5008 and you’ll have a potential range of up to 414 miles on one charge, and that’s not an unrealistic figure. Even the more affordable 73kWh battery model goes for a claimed 310 miles, and you’ll get around 280 miles in real-world conditions.
Dramatic to look at on the outside — that shovel-like nose and the piercing lights — the E-5008 is equally so inside, with a slim-but-wide digital dashboard which works pretty well, even if some proper physical buttons would be welcome.
Quality levels are very good, and the big Peugeot is comfy, too. Space in the back seats is really impressive, but you’ll have to slide the middle row forward a bit if you want to fit anyone other than primary school kids in row three. Fill all the seats and there’s still a bit of useful boot space left, and that opens out to a huge 916 litres of space if you fold away the third row.
The E-5008 is comfy to drive, and easygoing, but not massive fun. If you don’t want fully electric power, then there’s a 136hp hybrid version too, but that one is very, very slow.
Best for: No nonsense roominess
The Q7 is one of the oldest cars on this list, having been around since 2015 — practically a pensioner in motoring terms. However, Audi has kept updating it and improving it, and so as it enters its second decade, the Q7 is still a competitive choice.
The looks are a bit bland (you could easily lose a Q7 in a car park…) but inside the cabin is beautifully made, if a bit too heavy on the black-and-chrome trim. Up front you get some wonderfully comfortable seats, but while the split-level touchscreen setup (one for maps and music, one for air conditioning) should be intuitive, it ends up being awkward to use at times. Real buttons please…
There’s acres of space in the back, and even in the third row there’s enough room for full-sized adults. It’s just a shame that you can’t combine plug-in hybrid power with seats for seven, but the battery goes where the seats would be…
The boot’s huge, and the Q7 is surprisingly good fun to drive, with well-balanced suspension and steering that’s sharper than it has any right to be.
The 3.0-litre V6 diesel is the best engine option for all-round living, but it would be hard to resist the temptations of the mighty 507hp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 SQ7, which is genuinely fast and sporty to drive. Just mind the fuel bills…
The Q7 is one of the oldest cars on this list, having been around since 2015 — practically a pensioner in motoring terms. However, Audi has kept updating it and improving it, and so as it enters its second decade, the Q7 is still a competitive choice.
The looks are a bit bland (you could easily lose a Q7 in a car park…) but inside the cabin is beautifully made, if a bit too heavy on the black-and-chrome trim. Up front you get some wonderfully comfortable seats, but while the split-level touchscreen setup (one for maps and music, one for air conditioning) should be intuitive, it ends up being awkward to use at times. Real buttons please…
There’s acres of space in the back, and even in the third row there’s enough room for full-sized adults. It’s just a shame that you can’t combine plug-in hybrid power with seats for seven, but the battery goes where the seats would be…
The boot’s huge, and the Q7 is surprisingly good fun to drive, with well-balanced suspension and steering that’s sharper than it has any right to be.
The 3.0-litre V6 diesel is the best engine option for all-round living, but it would be hard to resist the temptations of the mighty 507hp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 SQ7, which is genuinely fast and sporty to drive. Just mind the fuel bills…
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How to choose the best large seven-seat car for you
Choosing a big seven-seater is all about setting out your priorities, and much of that will be down to your stage of life. Are you a large family with small kids? Or maybe grandparents who need more space for young grandkids? Then you won’t need to choose the biggest and most expensive seven-seaters, as you’ll only really need some child-sized space in the third row of seats.
However, if you have teenagers or need to regularly carry lots of adults, then you’re going to have to look for the seven-seat cars that have actual full-sized seats for seven people, rather than a five-seat layout with some extra pop-up seats for small people on short trips. That will probably drive up the potential price you’ll have to pay, as it tends to be the bigger and more expensive models that have the most space.
You’ll also have to carefully consider which engine type you want, as not all big seven-seaters can be had with fuel-saving plug-in hybrid systems, forcing you to default to more conventional petrol or diesel power. That’s okay if lots of your journeys are long-haul, but those who rack up plenty of in-town mileage would be well-advised to seek out the PHEV seven-seaters.
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