If your family needs a car with more than 5 seats, this quick guide will help you choose between a 7 seater cars or larger 8 seater MPVs.
Once upon a time, if you needed a car that seated more than five people your choices were somewhat limited. Not any more. Now you can choose between a stylish 7 seater car, MPV or crossover. Or if you need even more room, a cavenous 8 seater MPV.
But which is right for you and your family? We look at four key things to consider by comparing Hyundai’s i800 8 seater car to the impressive Santa Fe 7 seater SUV.
Of course it’s not just about space, it’s about day-to-day use. If a school run or commute is part of your daily routine, MPVs – especially 8 seater cars – are big vehicles to be driving around. The reversing sensors on the i800 will certainly help guide you into that tight parking spot, but you may prefer a more ‘car’ sized vehicle for those busy streets. It’s also important to think about driving conditions. If you live out in the country, wintery conditions can mean challenging driving. The i800 features a host of safety features including Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Traction Control System (TCS). But if you’re tempted by a 4x4, the 7 seat Santa Fe also comes with the highly useful Torque on Demand 4 Wheel Drive (4WD). This works to transmit power to all four wheels when bad conditions require it, but switches off when you don’t. Perfect for keeping fuel economy in check. In fact, this is where a 7 seater people carrier such as the Santa Fe also has the edge on typical estate cars. With the third row of seats down, you’ve got a huge boot capacity, you’ll also enjoy a high riding position, the kind of looks your average estate car could only dream of and features such as on Demand 4 Wheel Drive.
As we all know, long journeys and kids don’t mix. Fortunately with modern 7 or 8 seater cars you get equipment, comfort and ride levels to match an executive luxury saloon. If you’ve older children, an MPV such as the i800 gives everyone room to stretch. You’ll also enjoy Bluetooth connectivity, USB and aux connections allowing the children to hook up all of their devices. While practical front seat back pockets provide space for colouring books and pens. But it’s not just about the kids, and that’s where a 7 seater people carrier such as the Santa Fe provide a host of additional features for mum and dad. Things like touchscreen satellite navigation (with full postcode recognition), eight way electric front seat adjustment, Premium sound system with external amp, three stage heated seats, and rear view parking camera. You’ll find them all as standard.
Let’s talk performance and money. The science is pretty simple: the i800 8 seater MPV is a great looking vehicle, but it’s also pretty big which means it won’t cut through the air like a road car – and the performance shows. The i800’s 2.5 CRDi Manual transmission engine delivers 0-62mph in 17.6 seconds. Compare that to the 9 seconds it takes the Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi 4WD Blue Drive Manual to reach the same speed. Likewise, the 7 seat Santa Fe’s combined fuel economy of 46.3 mpg outstrips the 8 seat i800’s still impressive 37.7mpg. However the Santa Fe doesn’t have it all its own way. Where the 8-seater i800 comes into its own is purchase cost. The i800 is available from just £24,895 with the Santa Fe starting from £31,850. If you’re after a lot of seats for your money, the i800 wins hands down.
If you’ve a really large family and you regularly need to transport six or more adults/children around, 8 seater cars such as the Hyundai’s i800 MPV make complete sense. You’ll enjoy comfort, ride and equipment levels more akin to an executive saloon but with enough space to keep that big family comfortable on the longest of journeys. Sure, the performance won’t match an SUV, but you won’t find better value per seat. If your family is younger and those extra seats won’t be in everyday use – or you just want the option of transporting your kids’ friends around – a 7 seater car such as the Santa Fe is ideal. With the seats down its boot is huge, but unlike a typical estate car, you can enjoy a high riding position and real street presence. Considering its capacity, the performance and economy of modern 7 seater cars such as the Santa Fe is impressive too.