Seven-seater cars are like all-purpose vehicles. If you have a big family, they’re great for school drop-offs. They’re just as useful for trips with adult passengers, whether for long drives or vacations. And when you need to haul stuff, like for a dump run or a trip to a furniture store, folding the back seats turns them into something similar to a van.
These cars come in many shapes and sizes. In the 1990s and 2000s, you’d see lots of MPVs and even some estate cars with seven seats. Today, most seven-seaters are large SUVs. But if you don’t want an SUV, there are still some excellent choices.
Smaller seven-seaters work well if you don’t use the third row often. They usually serve as roomy five-seaters with the bonus of two extra seats when needed. These extra seats are often tight on space, and the boot shrinks when all the seats are used. Still, these cars are easier to drive and don’t need a big parking spot.
If you plan to use all seven seats often, larger models are the better fit. These cars can fit seven adults, making them great for airport trips, big holidays, or outings with lots of friends. It’s rare, but some of these cars can carry both seven people and their luggage.
Picking the right type of car is key. MPVs or van-style people carriers are usually better if you often need all seven seats. Their boxy design gives more space for the passengers in the back and allows for wider doors and easier access.
Also Read: 10 Early EVs That Are Still Cruising the Roads Today
SUVs with seven seats can be more difficult for back-seat passengers to get into. The rear seats are often harder to reach, which isn’t ideal if you have older family members riding with you.
If your passengers are kids, pay close attention – just because a car has seven seats doesn’t mean it has lots of ISOFIX points for child seats. Some big seven-seaters only have ISOFIX on two seats. The best ones include them in the third row, and some even have them in the middle or front seat.
Most of these cars run on petrol, diesel, or hybrid engines, but there are some electric models too. Electric seven-seaters are tricky to design because they need very large batteries to power such big and heavy vehicles. Even the top ones don’t go as far on a single charge as fuel-powered cars, but they’re getting better with time.
Hyundai Santa Fe
The Hyundai Santa Fe was named the Carwow Car of the Year for 2025, so it makes sense that it’s at the top of this list. Every version includes seven seats as standard, and its boxy, square design means there’s more room than expected in the back, even for bigger passengers.
Even though seats six and seven don’t offer as much space as the middle row, a six-foot-tall adult can still sit back there comfortably for a decent amount of time. Getting into the back is simple, too, since the middle seats fold forward easily – and people sitting in the third row get their own storage spots and charging ports.
Of course, great rear seats wouldn’t matter much if the rest of the car wasn’t any good – but that’s not the case here. The Santa Fe is extremely practical. It has a large boot when used as a five-seater, and it still has enough space for a small grocery trip even when all seven seats are in use.
Inside, there’s tons of room for smaller items. You get twin gloveboxes, large storage areas in the front, and big door pockets – plus, there are 17 cupholders spread throughout the car. That’s tough to beat.
You can get the Santa Fe as either a self-charging hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. Neither version is particularly fast, but both are efficient, smooth, and strong enough to handle a fully loaded vehicle.
Another strong point is the interior finish and technology. It might not feel exactly like a luxury car, but the design and materials are good enough to rival much pricier vehicles like the Land Rover Defender. The wide infotainment screen stands out too – it looks sharp and is easy to use.
There might be better picks if you often need to carry seven adults, but the Hyundai Santa Fe is great at doing a bit of everything and is a brilliant seven-seat option.
Volkswagen Multivan
Even though it’s called the Volkswagen Multivan, it’s not really a van. The name makes it sound like one, and it does have a boxy shape and practical features like a van. But underneath, it’s more similar to the Volkswagen Golf hatchback, which brings some clear advantages.
One of those advantages is the choice of modern engines. Many van-like people carriers use basic engines made for work vehicles, but the Multivan offers smooth petrol and diesel options, along with a plug-in hybrid that’s great if you often do short trips around town.
It also means the Multivan is very nice to drive. It feels more like a car from behind the wheel, with a comfortable driving position, suspension that doesn’t need to be weighed down to feel settled, and quiet driving on the motorway that rivals luxury saloons. All Multivans have automatic gearboxes, so they’re easy to handle.
Its van-style size and shape make it super practical. It has seven seats as standard, arranged in a 2-2-3 setup. The middle row has two comfy captain’s chairs with loads of legroom.
You can choose a six-seater layout if you prefer, which lets the middle seats spin around to create a proper meeting space. All versions include a smart sliding table and storage system that can move from the back to the front of the vehicle.
The smaller version doesn’t offer the best luggage room when all seats are in use – you might have to slide the back seats forward a bit to fit seven people’s bags. But if you go for the long-wheelbase version, there’s much more space. Every row has USB-C charging ports, which is handy for everyone.
Most van-style people carriers can be ordered with up to eight seats, but the Multivan stops at seven. It’s also on the pricier side, with no real basic model available. Still, if you compare it with other cars equipped to the same high level, it matches up well. And for the added comfort, it’s definitely a solid choice.
Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender is offered in three different versions. The smallest one, the 90, looks cool but isn’t very practical. The largest, the 130, has space for up to eight people but is probably too big for most. The 110 version is the best balance – it has all the same abilities as the others and comes in a more practical size, with seven seats.
The third row of seats in the Defender 110 is better for occasional use. Adults can sit back there, but it’s a tight fit. The Land Rover Discovery is better if you need a proper seven-seater often, but it doesn’t have the same personality as the Defender and it’s not as good off-road either.
The Defender 110 can go almost anywhere you want. Whether it’s on normal roads, sand, mud, or even over hills, it handles it with ease. It comes with a lot of off-road features, including All-Terrain Progress Control, which works like cruise control for rough ground, making it easy for anyone to drive off-road.
It’s a good drive on normal roads too. You can get it with a powerful 5.0-litre V8 engine (which uses a lot of fuel and might be more than most people need), or a plug-in hybrid (which doesn’t come with seven seats). But the best pick is the 3.0-litre diesel engines – they’re strong, smooth, and can be quite fuel-efficient, with up to 40mpg if driven carefully.
The Defender isn’t built to be sporty, but it still handles roads well. It feels smooth, quiet, and very comfortable – better than many SUVs that try to act like sports cars but aren’t really suited to it.
Another great thing about the Defender is its design. While it’s not as clean and simple as the old classic Land Rovers, it still looks great with its bold shape and tough-looking interior with visible bolts. It fits in just as well in fancy areas like Kensington or at a racecourse as it does on a school run or out on a farm – not many cars can do that.
Dacia Jogger
The Dacia Jogger is a unique car – it’s a seven-seater that combines parts of a small hatchback, an estate, an SUV, and an MPV, and it’s priced lower than most basic city cars. If you’re after a seven-seat car for under £20,000, this is the one – anything cheaper would need to be second-hand.
The Jogger looks like Dacia combined the front end of a Sandero hatchback with an estate body, raised it up, and added rugged styling details. Inside, there are five regular seats and two folding jump seats in the back.
Even though those extra seats seem like an afterthought, they actually have enough space for a six-foot adult to sit comfortably, even on long drives.
It’s not quite as adaptable as the best seven-seaters. The back seats don’t fold flat into the floor, so if you want as much space as possible, you’ll have to take them out completely. That’s not a huge problem – they weigh just 10kg each and aren’t hard to store – but a car like the VW Touran handles this better.
The Jogger doesn’t offer many engine choices, and each one comes with a few trade-offs. The basic model has a 1.0-litre petrol engine with a manual gearbox. It’s okay for everyday driving, but it struggles when the car is full. If you want more power or need an automatic gearbox, the 140hp hybrid model is the better option. It’s stronger and fuel-efficient but can feel a bit awkward when driving.
Volkswagen ID Buzz
When Volkswagen first released the ID Buzz with its retro-inspired look, it only had five seats. So even though it had a huge boot and useful sliding doors, it wasn’t much more practical than the ID3 hatchback. Things improved with the long-wheelbase version, which now offers either six or seven seats and a larger, better-shaped body. It feels like this version should have been the original.
This longer version also comes with a bigger battery, allowing up to 291 miles on a full charge. Even though the size of the vehicle brings that number closer to 200 miles on the motorway, it’s still a decent amount. And as most parents know, any full seven-seater is likely to stop for a toilet break before hitting that distance anyway.
The Buzz still looks fun on the outside, and the inside is just as pleasant, though the minimal use of buttons means most functions are handled through the touchscreen, which can be a bit awkward at times.
There’s plenty of storage for small items, thanks to lots of cubbies on the dashboard and a sliding centre console. The longer version even adds opening rear windows, which is a nice bonus over the original.
It’s enjoyable to drive and feels more like the smaller ID3 than like a big electric van. It’s a great mix of style and practicality, though it does come at a higher price.
Skoda Kodiaq
The Skoda Kodiaq is one of the best SUVs available, and while it’s disappointing that the plug-in hybrid version doesn’t come with seven seats, the regular petrol and diesel models are still more than good enough to make up for it.
The Kodiaq fits into the category of occasional seven-seaters, as the third row is more suitable for kids or very short trips. Still, it’s a useful extra, and when those seats are folded down, you get a huge boot that makes most other SUVs look small in comparison.
Being a Skoda, it’s full of clever little features that make everyday use more convenient. There’s a clip on the windscreen for parking tickets, umbrellas hidden in the front doors, and an ice scraper tucked into the fuel cap, so you won’t need to grab a credit card when it’s icy.
Even the dashboard is smartly designed, with expanding cupholders and a set of dials that can control different settings without needing to rely on the touchscreen.
It’s a comfortable car to drive, perfect for long journeys, and surprisingly easy to handle in town due to its good turning ability and clear visibility. Every version has an automatic gearbox, so it’s very simple to drive, and there’s a four-wheel drive option available for light off-road use.
Kia EV9
The Kia EV9 starts at more than £65,000, but it feels more special and higher-end than some cars that cost £100,000. It’s a fully electric SUV with seven seats that has a futuristic design, a smooth, luxury-like drive, and enough battery range to work well as a daily vehicle.
Since it’s such a large car, it would be disappointing if it felt cramped inside. Luckily, it doesn’t. Even tall passengers have plenty of space in all three rows.
Up front, there’s a high-tech dashboard with three screens – although the smaller middle one can be hard to see because the steering wheel gets in the way – and the materials feel solid and well put together. Base versions look a bit plain with their all-black interiors, but choosing a lighter colour makes the cabin much more inviting.
The version with the longest range can go up to 349 miles on a full charge. Even the higher-spec GT-Line S version with extra power and four-wheel drive claims up to 313 miles. And since it’s a Kia, you can trust that the real-world range will be close to that number.
BMW X7
The BMW X7 is the larger version of the X5 and includes a third row of seats that has enough room for adults. It’s nearly as roomy as the Land Rover Discovery, which makes it a strong choice if you often carry seven people and want something luxurious.
Just like the X5, the X7 is both fun to drive on twisty roads and really comfortable when cruising. It handles better than you’d expect for a big SUV, with steering that feels solid and responsive, very little leaning in corners, and powerful six-cylinder engines that even sound great when pushed.
On long motorway drives, the X7 is calm and smooth, with a quiet cabin and excellent ride quality thanks to its air suspension.
It’s not cheap, but the price shows in its high-end interior, filled with modern features and quality materials. If you’re after a top-tier seven-seater SUV and don’t want a Land Rover, the X7 is a great choice – as long as you don’t mind its bold design.
If you don’t need full-size seats in the back, the smaller X5 is just as impressive and has a third row that works well for occasional use.
Range Rover
The full-sized Range Rover is often the SUV chosen by royals and world leaders, but when you go for the long-wheelbase version with seven seats, it surprisingly works really well as a family car too. It offers some of the highest comfort levels you’ll find in any car, with an interior so well finished that it could easily outdo many palaces.
It’s incredibly good to drive, both on regular roads and rough terrain. Whether it’s a muddy field at a fancy event or something as tough as a mountain trail, it won’t struggle – which means the school run will definitely be a breeze.
Range Rovers don’t have the best history when it comes to reliability, and buying one will cost you more than £100,000. But there’s nothing else quite like it. You can’t get one of the impressive plug-in hybrid engines with the seven-seat version, but the petrol and diesel options are so good that you probably won’t mind.
Volkswagen Touran
The Volkswagen Touran feels like an odd fit in the brand’s line-up – it almost seems like VW forgot it’s still on sale. Its dashboard is very simple, taken from the older Golf, and it only comes with one lively and efficient 1.5-litre petrol engine, making it very easy to live with.
As a proper MPV, it offers seven seats that fold down smoothly to create a completely flat floor, giving it more space than some small vans.
Also Read: 10 Early EVs That Are Still Cruising the Roads Today
The third row doesn’t offer a lot of room, but the Touran itself is quite compact – it’s only slightly larger than the Golf – so it’s perfect if you need seven seats but don’t want a large SUV.
It’s affordable, feels well built, and doesn’t follow the touchscreen-heavy trends of newer models. The VW Touran might feel old-school, but that’s actually part of what makes it great.
