Best 7 Seater Cars to Buy Second Hand
Like any other car class, 7-seater people carriers cover a wide range of different models. Some of the best 7-seater cars on the second-hand market are SUVs, while others are not. These vehicles are mostly suited to in-town and city traffic driving. Of course, what they all have in common is that they can accommodate six passengers and the driver, making them ideal for transporting family members, colleagues and friends.
As a result, deciding on the best 7-seater car to buy second-hand will mean different things to different people. Assuming that you are after a reliable 7-seater vehicle with the ability to accommodate at least six passengers who will mostly or always be adults, the following cars are likely to be among the best options to pick from in the Irish used vehicle market today.
Citroen Grand C4
Kia Sorento
Hyundai Santa Fe
VW Caravelle
Ford Galaxy
Peugeot 5008
Citroen Grand C4
In many ways, Citroen has been setting the standards among designs for people carriers for quite some time, at least in Europe. The Grand C4 is one of the best 7-seaters available on the second-hand market in Ireland today for its sheer practicality. Firstly, the car doesn't feel cramped even when there are seven grown-ups inside it.
There is plenty of legroom in the back, and the car even has leg supports for added comfort on longer journeys. From a driver's perspective, there is plenty to enjoy, too. It has a lot of French technology built into the console to play with. Although the car might be a bit sluggish when it is fully laden, it rarely feels underpowered. However, given the asking price for many second-hand Grand C4s, what most people will like about this car is its sheer affordability.
Kia Sorento
Built with the same platform as the Hyundai Santa Fe, there isn't a great deal between the two models to set them apart from one another. They both make excellent choices for larger families who want to travel together. The Sorento is certainly a very versatile 7-seater. To begin with, you can benefit from the car's 40:20:40 split-folding seat system to accommodate luggage as well as people in various combinations. In fact, the Sorento will allow you to fold down all seven of its seats if wanted.
Overall, the car feels functional to drive behind the wheel. For example, you can sit high up in the driver's seat, affording you an excellent view of the road ahead. This car has an ergonomically designed body, making it great to ride in and drive for longer distances without starting to feel too uncomfortable.
Hyundai Santa Fe
This five-door Santa Fe SUV is one of the top-selling 7-seater cars that the South Korean manufacturer has designed thus far. The third generation of the car came out in 2012, followed not long afterwards by the fourth in 2018. Both are readily available on the second-hand market these days. However, 7-seater versions of the Santa Fe have been produced since 2007. Of course, not many older Santa Fe models are available to buy second-hand today. The fourth-generation Santa Fes are available as automatics and as manuals. You can also get them with plug-in hybrid technology.
The PHEV version of the people carrier carries a 13.8 kWh battery, while the mild hybrid variant has a smaller 1.49 kWh battery. One of the best things about the 7-seater Santa Fe is that both rows of seats in the back fold down flat. That means you can effectively turn it into a van if wanted.
VW Caravelle
With an iconic design that looks like the quintessential campervan from yesteryear, the more up-to-date Caravelle is a great choice for families that want a lot of legroom and the ability to transport lots of people and luggage at the same time. Yes, this 7-seater resembles a van more than any of the 7-seater cars on this list, but it still looks great and is small enough to be fine to drive in town centres and supermarket car parks alike. It is worth noting that not all Caravelles are 7-seaters, however, so make sure you check this before opting for a particular one on the second-hand market.
Ford Galaxy
Although Ford's Tourneo could easily make this list, the Galaxy is much more of a conventional car from a driving perspective. If you have ever driven a Mondeo or an S-Max, then the larger Galaxy will not feel that different. One of the good things about the Galaxy is that it is relatively cheap to insure, and it is nowhere near as expensive to buy as other models. What's more, many of its parts are common with other Ford cars, so it is inexpensive to service and keep in good condition, comparatively speaking. The rearmost seats are comfortable and don't feel like a squeeze to get into either. This 7-seater is a good choice if you have six adult passengers to accommodate on your travels.
Peugeot 5008
For the price, the Peugeot 5008 offers a great deal of car for the money. The internal and external styling looks truly impressive, making this model an excellent choice if you want a 7-seater that can hold its own alongside more expensive saloons. Peugeot's i-Cockpit means that there is plenty of technology built into it, making the 5008 a fun car to drive. That said, it is a very practical choice, too. For example, you can remove the third row of seats from the 5008 in moments. Put them in the garage when you don't need them because refitting them is easy, too, as it needs no specialist tools. Even better, the fuel efficiency on offer is impressive, and the 5008 will hold its value if you choose to sell it later down the road over the next few years, so long as you don't thrash it or try to take it off-roading. This SUV is a road car through and through, unlike some of the 7-seaters available nowadays.
Why buy a second-hand 7-seater car?
Second-hand 7-seater cars tend to offer the best value for money when you need to transport lots of people around. Owning one may be more costly than buying a saloon, but you will only need one 7-seater for most drives. Plus, it is cheaper to invest in a people carrier and insure it than it is to buy two smaller cars instead. The next step up will mean driving a minibus, which is often much more costly. On the mainland, people buy 7-seater cars second-hand because of the following reasons:
7-seater cars are not that costly to run, even if you have no passengers with you, unlike larger vehicles.
Second-hand 7-seater cars handle like conventional cars and don't require you to think about oversized parking spaces and so on when you are out and about.
7-seater people carriers are a very practical choice for larger families or for parents who drive their kids to school with friends, helping save time and money on daily school runs.
Many 7-seater cars are ideal for camping trips and will tow a caravan or a trailer with ease.
Lots of 7-seater people carriers have a rear set of seats that can be folded down or even removed, so you can still get a lot of boot space when you need it.
You don't need a special driver's license to drive a 7-seater people carrier, unlike some larger commercial vehicles with additional seating.
Insurance costs with a second-hand 7-seater car are often not that much higher than they would be for a used saloon or a comparably priced second-hand hatchback.
Conclusion on Best 7 Seater Cars
Second-hand 7-seater cars come in all shapes and sizes in Ireland's new and used car markets. You could opt for the prestigious BMW X7 and say that it is the best 7-seater SUV or people carrier to buy on the second-hand market quite easily. Alternatively, more affordable models like the Skoda Kodiaq or the Renault Grand Scenic, for instance, could count as being among the best second-hand 7-seater cars, especially when factoring in their practicality and price. As such, it really depends on what you want to get out of your 7-seater car.
Therefore, before you buy one, make a list of what your priorities are and check that the car you are considering delivers in all these departments. Remember, too, that your priorities can change. You might need more legroom in the back seats down the road, for example, as your children start to grow. Also, it is always worth checking the Euro NCAP safety rating of people carriers because with this class of car, in particular, assessments can differ greatly from model to model.
