Help! 7 Seater car required

PetalOne

Hi, I hope this is the right place to post this, baby number 3 is due in Novemeber and we need a new car!

We currently have a corolla which is great, but it's got an airbag on the passenger seat so I can't use it for any of the kids, and the back seat isn't big enough for 3 car seats (I'll have 3 kids under 4).

Can anyone recommend a 7 seater that is not massive (I'm not the best at parking!!!) but still has some boot space, also anything that is economical to run would be great.

Thanks

movilogo

Vauxhall Zafira is a good one.

movilogo

Vauxhall Zafira is a good one. Also, in many cars you can deactivate front airbags.

PetalOne

thanks I'll look into the zafira.
I've enquiried into disabling the air bag but toyota won't do it, and I have been told that it could make my insurance invalid so unfortunately its not an option.

jimbo_the_jetset

Corolla Verso?

nej

I will recommend my car - Mitsubishi Grandis. Longer than a Zafira though, but adults can use the rear seats and there's still boot room with them up. Best thing we ever bought.

movilogo

Between Zafira and Grandis, the later is definitely a better car.

However, Mitsubishi parts are very expensive (if things ever go wrong, though Japanese cars are good on reliability). Also, I don't know whether your're buying new or used. But if you buy used, you can get a newish Zafira at much lower price than Grandis.

BernadetteN

Apart from Vauxhall Zafira and Toyota Corollo already mentioned, there is the VW Touran, Renault Grand Scenic, Citroen Grand Picasso and Ford S-Max that all have fold down rear seats to turn the car from a 7 seater to a 5 seater.

There ia a more economic option of the Fiat Doblo Family and perhaps Renault, Citroen or Peugeot also produce a 7 seater like the Doblo.

Remember to work out total costs, not just purchase price, such as fuel consumption, insurance group, tax group, servicing, resale value, type of fuel.

If safety is also a factor, look up NCAP standards (useless for the old Zafira).

Zafiras are great if bought second hand as there are so many of them and they do not retain their purchase price too well so are quite cheap. However, the biggest downside is that they do not have individual seats but a middle bench which fits 3 car seats only very tightly, plus if you want to access the back seats and put them up or down, you have to remove the car seats in the middle row - unnecessary in the Touran, Grand Scenic, Grand Picasso. Corolla or S-Max.

Fruity1

I love my zafira I'm not the best at parking but manage fine in car parks the electric mirrors are a god send and street parking is ok too. It is fine with adults in the rear seats. I have a brilliant mechanic who doesn't charge dealership prices for a service so it can be affordable.

PetalOne

Wow! thanks, I will go and do my homework...
I was also recommended the Previa - anyones thoughts on that would be great.

thanks

pianeet

can also recommend the honda stream ,great reliabilty and not as big as a lot of seven seaters