The 10 cheapest seven-seater cars 2024 | Carbuyer (2024)

26 Jan 2024

Finding an affordable new car with seven seats isn’t an easy endeavour. More seats leads to a bigger car, which usually results in a heftier price tag. While a seven-seater will likely never be as cheap as a typical hatchback, we have rounded up the most affordable options currently on sale.

It wasn’t so long ago that this list would have been composed entirely of MPVs, otherwise known as people carriers. That is no longer the case, as car makers have dropped many of their once-popular models, such as the Renault Espace and Ford Galaxy, in favour of trendy SUVs. To fill the practical and spacious void left behind, some manufacturers now offer SUVs with seven seats instead, catering to those who want a large people-mover with off-roader styling.

Top 10 best family SUVs 2024

Despite this, a handful of manufacturers continue to offer traditional MPVs, the vast majority of which are based on vans. They may not offer the fashionable looks of their SUV cousins, but they prioritise space and versatility over style, something that will appeal to many families. Van-based MPVs are some of the roomiest cars on sale and, fortunately, there are several affordable models that appear on this list.

Many manufacturers have dropped diesel engines from their van-based MPVs, instead opting for petrol or fully electric powertrains. The latter can significantly inflate the purchase price but don’t discount them straight away. If you’re able to recharge your EV at home, they offer the potential for far lower running costs than petrol and diesel models.

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While you’re here and interested in practical cars, we have other guides to the best cars with three ISOFIX points and the best eight-seater cars. Check them out once you’ve finished reading about the cheapest seven-seater cars currently on sale.

The Dacia Jogger elbowed its way into the seven-seat market several years ago, and proved a great success with its vast interior space and exceptional value. It's neither an MPV, SUV or estate car, instead combining attributes of all three, and it comes with seven seats as standard along with a good amount of standard equipment. The removable pair of rearmost seats don’t weigh very much, so can be installed or taken out with ease, and you’re left with a huge 699-litre boot if you leave them at home. Unusually, the third row of seats is spacious enough for adults.

Dacia is well-known for its sharp focus on value, but it’s hard to believe that the Jogger starts at just over £18,000. For context, that’s half of what you’ll pay for some of the cars on this list, but the base Essential model still features LED headlights, rear parking sensors and air conditioning. Even the range-topping Extreme model costs less than what you’d pay for the cheapest Volkswagen Polo. If you’re looking for something with seven seats, nothing touches the Dacia Jogger in terms of value.

The Volkswagen Caddy may be based on a commercial van, but from behind the wheel, it feels far closer to the Volkswagen Golf. Much of the interior is shared between the two cars, meaning you get hard-wearing materials and a good level of equipment. It even drives like a Golf too, with a generally comfortable ride and a strong choice of petrol and diesel engines.

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Where the Caddy differs is interior space – it’s huge, with masses of headroom and a giant boot. It’s offered in two lengths and both can be fitted with seven seats – the longer Caddy Maxi just has slightly more room. There are two trim levels and it's tempting to upgrade to the higher-spec Life version, but even the unnamed base model comes with Bluetooth, DAB radio, cruise control and heated mirrors.

At just under £30,000, it’s a hefty step up from the ultra-affordable Dacia Jogger, but offers more interior space, a better driving experience, and useful sliding doors. Compared to the other cars on this list, the Volkswagen Caddy still offers good value for money.

The latest Ford Tourneo Connect is essentially the same car as the Volkswagen Caddy, although opting for the blue oval badge on the nose nudges the price just over £30,000. Like the Volkswagen, you get a vast interior, sliding doors and the same choice of petrol or diesel engines.

For maximum interior and boot space, you can upgrade to the longer Grand Tourneo bodystyle, but the regular Tourneo will be big enough for most families and can still seat seven people. Although the Tourneo Connect is marginally more expensive than the Volkswagen Caddy, it offers more in the way of standard interior kit. Even the base Titanium trim comes with a 10-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as heated seats – both optional extras on the Volkswagen.

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With more interior equipment for what is practically the same price, you could argue that the Ford Tourneo Connect actually offers better value for money than its Volkswagen cousin.

The Citroen Berlingo is another van-based MPV, but unlike the two mentioned previously, it’s available as a pure EV. Its 174-mile range may not appeal to all drivers, but it should suit families who largely stick to shorter journeys. There’s 100kW rapid charging compatibility, and its 134bhp is enough to provide nippy acceleration around town.

Available in two lengths, you’ll need to opt for the longer XL model for seven seats, costing around £32,000. It has sliding doors for easy access, and the vast headroom and boot space typical of a van-based MPV. The co*ckpit is fairly pleasant, too, with a digital driver’s display and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Citroen reintroduced the petrol and diesel-powered Berlingos to the range in early 2023, but these are currently not available. If you’re after a traditional combustion engine, you’ll have to wait until later this year for the facelifted Berlingo to reach UK dealerships. If the new Berlingo is to follow the trend of the old model, then the petrol and diesel models should offer an even lower starting price than the e-Berlingo.

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It’s also worth noting that the Citroen Berlingo is sold under a different name by Peugeot and Vauxhall, as the Peugeot Rifter and Vauxhall Combo Life. Both offer the same EV option and cost roughly the same.

SEAT’s largest SUV, the Tarraco, shares its underpinnings with two very capable SUVs, the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, offering the same seven-seat layout but at a more affordable price point. We think it’s the best-looking of the three, using the same angular design language found across SEAT and Cupra’s other models.

The Tarraco is good to drive for a family SUV, and its entry-level engines provide competitive fuel economy. Rows one and two are very spacious, although the third row is better suited to small children, with limited knee and headroom for adults. At just over £33,000, the cheapest SE trim is better-equipped than similarly priced rivals, with adaptive cruise control, digital dials, parking sensors and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and should suffice for most buyers.

The entry-level, seven-seater Nissan X-Trail starts from roughly £34,000, offering enough space for five adults, plus two children in the third row. It’s a good all-rounder, with comfortable suspension, optional four-wheel drive and a practical interior.

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While more expensive versions of the X-Trail come equipped with a digital gauge cluster, 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and head-up display, the entry-level £34k Visia model misses out on key features – you only get a basic radio in place of the infotainment system. We recommend spending a bit extra to upgrade to a mid-spec model.

The basic engine is a 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit with mild hybrid assistance. It’s fairly economical, returning up to 40mpg, but the CVT automatic gearbox can make it feel rather sluggish at times. Buyers can upgrade to Nissan’s complex e-Power hybrid engine for more power, but it comes at a £3,000 premium and returns a slightly disappointing 50mpg.

Despite entering its seventh year of production, the Skoda Kodiaq is still one of our favourite large SUVs. A facelift in 2021 brought revised styling and new interior tech, although this came with a higher price tag. Still, you can purchase an entry-level SE model with seven seats for just under £36,000, and the boot is vast if you fold down the third row into the floor.

The Kodiaq is well-equipped, featuring Skoda’s range of ‘Simply Clever’ touches that should make daily life a little easier. Build quality is greatly improved over older Skoda models. It’s even good to drive, and there’s a range-topping Skoda Kodiaq vRS if you simply must have seven seats and hot-hatchback performance. The availability of four-wheel drive endears the Kodiaq to customers who fancy taking their seven-seater off the beaten track.

Technically, the Citroen e-SpaceTourer isn’t a seven-seater as it can comfortably seat up to nine people. It is unmistakably a van-based MPV, with giant sliding doors and a cavernous interior. Its commercial origins pay dividends in terms of practicality, but its large size and delivery-van looks will only appeal to a niche audience.

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That being said, you’ll struggle to find an MPV that can seat seven people with such space. The suspension is comfortable and it feels impressively car-like to drive. Citroen dropped the petrol and diesel versions of the SpaceTourer in 2022, leaving the electric e-SpaceTourer as the sole option. Its 136-mile range imposes a fairly significant limitation for buyers wanting to travel longer distances, but for those sticking to town and city driving, it should suffice.

At just over £37,000, it provides the most space for your money, but we think the majority of families will be better off with something smaller. Like its van-based Berlingo sibling, the e-SpaceTourer is also sold by other manufacturers; badged Peugeot Traveller and Vauxhall Vivaro Life. Facelifted models of all three will be released later this year, bringing refreshed styling and an improved electric range.

The Volkswagen Touran is beginning to show its age in 2024, having been on sale since 2015. Despite this, Volkswagen will still sell you a brand new one for just under £38,000, earning it a spot on this list.

The Touran offers seven seats as standard, but the rear-most two are really meant for occasional use. They’re not that spacious and rob boot space, but having them there adds an extra layer of versatility to the Touran. It’s a car that sells on its practicality and interior quality; its similarity to the Golf hatchback will be a draw to anyone who needs a little more space than the Golf offers.

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Smaller and cheaper than the Volkswagen Touareg SUV, the Touran is still a worthy, if unexciting, family car. The entry-level trim is suitably named ‘SE Family’, with a panoramic sunroof and a voice amplifier. Spend a bit more on R-Line trim and you get sporty styling and extra convenience features.

The Peugeot 3008 has been one of our favourite SUVs since its launch, and the bigger, seven-seat 5008 doesn’t fall too far short. Besides a longer rear end, the styling is pretty similar, and so is the interior. You get Peugeot’s digital co*ckpit, plus the latest phone connectivity and a reassuring number of safety systems.

We’d avoid the panoramic sunroof; while it looks impressive and floods the cabin with light, it does restrict headroom for those in the second row. As is often the case with seven-seat SUVs, the rear seats are probably best reserved for children as they’re a little compact. It’s economical considering its bulk, and Peugeot has focused on making it comfortable on long drives. Although, at over £38,000, we think the other cars on this list offer better value for money if seven seats are your main priority.

These may be the cheapest, but which are the best seven-seaters? Read our top 10 list to find out…

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