Seven-seat cars are fantastic for those who need to lease a car with maximum flexibility. The main benefit of leasing a seven-seater is that usually the rearmost sixth and seventh seats can be folded flat into the boot floor, leaving a huge luggage space. That makes them especially suitable cars for dog owners, or those who just need the biggest boot possible. They’re also great for those occasions when you might otherwise have to find an extra car to get six or seven people somewhere.
Most modern seven-seaters are SUVs, which makes them far more stylish and desirable than the boxy ‘people-carriers’ they tended to be in the past. They’re an excellent alternative to the traditional family estate car, and the extra seats can even include additional Isofix child-seat mounting points. Great for families with multiple small children looking for cars with three Isofix points.
Here are our favourites, including hybrid and fully electric models to help you save money on running costs.
Seat Tarraco
The SEAT Tarraco is a big and flexible SUV that adds a bit of Spanish styling flair to what is basically a Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace underneath. Legroom is plentiful in the Tarraco and there’s a huge amount of headroom throughout. Its middle row seats recline and slide, allowing you to choose between more legroom for passengers or additional boot space. With the rearmost seats (six and seven) folded down, the boot is a huge 760 litres - for context, that’s 295 litres larger than the boot in the SEAT Ateca SUV - although it’s worth mentioning that those seats don’t have Isofix mounts.
Tesla Model X
The fully electric Tesla Model X is a seven-seat SUV reimagined, and quite unlike anything else. Tesla has made the Model X super-accessible to get in and out of, thanks to the spectacular upwards-hinging ‘Falcon’ rear doors and sliding middle row seating. You can actually configure the interior to carry five, six, or seven people, and there’s plenty of headspace throughout. Luggage space is excellent too, with a huge boot when the rearmost seats are folded down, and an extra space under the bonnet which itself is almost as big as a MINI Hatchback’s boot.
Volvo XC90
The Volvo XC90 has seven seats regardless of whether you go for a ‘regular’ version or the plug-in hybrid. With two seats up front, three seats in the second row (all of which slide together and individually for easy access) plus the two smaller seats at the back, this is one highly flexible family SUV. Everyone in the XC90 will travel comfortably with their own storage spaces, cupholders and air-conditioning vents. There’s a little variance in the amount of luggage space you get depending on the version you choose, though. As standard, the XC90 has a 302-litre boot with all seven seats in use - about the capacity of a Ford Fiesta’s - but that drops to 262 litres with a plug-in hybrid model. Either way, the XC90 is a phenomenal family car, with a relaxed and quiet driving experience and a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. See our Volvo XC90 lease deals for the best prices.
Peugeot 5008
The eye-catching Peugeot 5008 offers loads of space and flexibility for you and your family, without being too big on the outside. The ‘two-three-two’ seat configuration means every rear passenger gets their own seat - a rarity in cars this size - and each has an Isofix point. One thing we love about the Peugeot 5008 is its affordability, as it’s considerably less money than some other seven-seater cars, like the Volvo XC90 and Audi Q7. But despite the lower price tag, it still offers a smart interior and a lovely driving experience. It also has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. Check out our Peugeot 5008 lease deals to get behind the wheel of this stylish and versatile SUV.
Mercedes Benz GLB
The GLB is one of the smaller Mercedes-Benz SUVs, but it squeezes seven seats into a body that doesn’t feel massive on the road. There’s a huge choice of engines, but they’re all very quiet and all come with an automatic gearbox as standard, making this feel like a proper luxury car. Four out of the five rear seats boast Isofix points. The middle-row seats also slide individually, meaning more space for adult passengers who need that little extra legroom. All GLBs include a digital dashboard with a seven-inch touchscreen - but opt for the AMG Line Premium and you’ll have a panoramic 10.25-inch screen instead.
Skoda Kodiaq
Skoda is renowned for building cars that are practical, safe and family-friendly, and the Kodiaq is one of its best. Available with both five- and seven-seat options, it’s a great choice for growing families. There’s a generous amount of interior space for front passengers, and the middle row of seats is just as accommodating. It’ll be a bit of a squeeze to fit seven adults in for long journeys - the rearmost seats are a bit tight - but a Skoda Kodiaq lease gives you a decent amount of boot space when all seven seats are up. At 270 litres, it’s enough for a few large bags, or with the rearmost seats folded down there’s 735 litres. That’s one of the biggest luggage spaces you’ll find in a car this size.
Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace
The difference between the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Tiguan Allspace is that the Allspace has two extra seats which fold up from the boot floor. That not only means it can seat two extra people, of course, but the boot itself is significantly bigger. At 700 litres, it has about twice the luggage capacity of a Volkswagen Polo. The Tiguan Allspace is a really spacious, high quality SUV, and not much bigger than the standard Tiguan, so it doesn’t feel tricky to park and manoeuvre. Isofix seat fittings are standard for the outer second-row seats, and it has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
View our latest Volkswagen Tiguan lease deals, or check our prices on a larger Tiguan Allspace lease if you need the room.
Continue your search with our best family cars of 2023 or check out our latest car leasing deals here.
Best 7 Seater Cars FAQs
What Is The Most Spacious Seven-Seater?
You need to get up to the larger, more luxurious SUVs for maximum space. Two of the roomier models available at a more affordable budget are the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento, while Toyota’s Highlander is well worth checking out too. But moving up from there, premium vehicles like the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery, Mercedes GLE and Volvo XC90 offer masses of interior space throughout.
Which Seven-Seater Has The Best Third Row?
The vast BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS are the largest seven-seat SUVs, offering more than enough room in their third rows of seating to accommodate adults of above average height.
What Is The Best Budget Seven-Seater?
For a really great and unusual budget seven-seat option, check out the Dacia Jogger. It’s actually an estate car, not an SUV, but it has three rows of seating and plenty of practicality.
Which Seven-Seater Has The Biggest Boot Space?
If you fold all five of its seats down in the second and third rows of the vehicle, then the Land Rover Discovery has a mammoth 2,406-litre maximum boot area. If boot space is a priority for you see our article on the best cars with big boot space.
Do Seven-Seater Cars Cost More To Insure?
Typically, no. An insurer won’t add to an insurance premium just because a car has seven seats as opposed to five. However, by nature a seven-seat car tends to be bigger, and plenty of them are ‘premium’ cars, which will sit in a higher insurance group than a small car.
What Is The Smallest Seven-Seater Car?
The Dacia Jogger measures just 4,547mm long, making it the smallest seven-seater car on sale. Not far behind it is the Mercedes GLB, at a maximum 4,650mm long, and this is the smallest seven-seat SUV you can buy.
Are There Any 7 Seater Electric Cars?
There are. The Vauxhall Vivaro-e Life and Combo-e Life, the Citroen e-Berlingo, and the Peugeot e-Rifter are all EVs with seven seats. Mercedes has a couple of choices too, with an all-electric version of the GLB called the EQB, and a van-based MPV called the EQV. The Tesla Model X also seats seven, while Volvo is due to launch the EX90 in 2023. Find out more about the best seven-seat electric cars in our dedicated article.
