Top five budget seven-seaters

The problem with practical seven-seaters is that they tend to be, well, big, and big cars tend to be pricey. But what should you get if you’ve got more sense than money?

You’ll be able to pick up each of these bargain family buses for less than £250 a month on a personal deal, and each will repay you by carting your nearest and dearest around in space, comfort and maybe even style.

Volkswagen Touran

The Sharan’s little brother has faded into the dark corners of the public’s memory over the past few years, but that’s no reason to discount it.

A reputation for dullness is slightly harsh, because it’s fairly good to look at, decent to drive, well-built and practical. When it comes to family cars, praise doesn’t really come higher than that. It’s just a safe choice in every sense of the word.

There are five engines on offer, ranging from a 1.2-litre petrol with 103bhp to a 2.0-litre diesel with 175bhp, but the pick is the 138bhp 2.0-litre diesel. CO2 emissions of 127g/km are reasonable, as is a sub-10-second 0-62mph time.

Personal leasing deals start from a compelling £185 or so a month, but even if you go for a more frivolous specification you shouldn’t have to pay through the nose to get hold of one.

Lease one: Business / Personal

Toyota Verso

 

The car that used to be a seven-seat Corolla has dropped the famous bit of its nameplate these days, but it still has all the qualities that made the Corolla so popular worldwide.

Of all the ticks against the Verso’s name, the driving experience is the biggest. It isn’t perfect – overly assisted steering sees to that – but it isn’t bad for a high-sided MPV.

It’s also blessed with a BMW-derived 1.6-litre diesel engine. It’s versatile and economical, managing 62.8mpg and 119g/km CO2 emissions. Combine that engine with the Trend trim level, which provides alloys, satellite navigation, a reversing camera and front parking sensors, and you’ll get the best value from your hard-earned dosh.

Speaking of money, leasing deals start from around £215 a month, but we’d be tempted to spend a little more and grab a Trend model.

Lease one: Business / Personal

Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

Without doubt one of the best MPVs on sale today, the Grand C4 Picasso majors on style. The sharp exterior and space-age cabin put a smooth finish on a totally competent package.

Granted, it isn’t the best drive in the segment, and nor is it the fastest, but it is very economical – the 1.6-litre 89bhp diesel is exempt from road tax thanks to its 98g/km CO2 emissions. It boasts a claimed fuel economy figure of 74mpg, too.

On the road it’s stable and easy to drive, with light steering and good visibility making it as stress-free as possible. It’s decently comfortable too, and though the automatic gearbox is a touch fiddly when you’re manoeuvring, it’s smooth once you’re underway.

And you can pick up all this stylishness for around £180 a month. Goody.

Lease one: Business / Personal

Nissan X-Trail

The only SUV to make this list, the X-Trail will appeal to those wanting to mix it with the school-run mums in their Audis and Volvos.

Okay, the Nissan badge won’t get you very far in a game of schoolyard Top Trumps, and your kids won’t be able to brag about it, but you’ll have more money in your back pocket and a bigger smile on your face.

Because the X-Trail is effectively a stretched version of the Qashqai, you’ll get a competent road car that’s actually a better family bus than almost any rival. It’s a much better drive than an Outlander and it’s roomier than a Discovery Sport, as well as being economical and, to our eyes at least, good-looking.

We’ve seen basic seven-seat X-Trails offered for about £200 a month, but £250 is a more reasonable sum for a decently-specced model.

Lease one: Business / Personal

Kia Carens

Carens might mean ‘lacking’ in Latin, but the only thing Kia’s answer to the Grand C4 Picasso really goes without is a chunky price tag.

The third row of seats is best described as ‘occasional’, it’s true, but we’d have no qualms whatsoever about popping kids in there for the school run and it’s a small price to pay for the comparatively diminutive dimensions and the excess of equipment on offer.

You can choose between 1.6-litre petrol or 1.7-litre diesel, but it’ll come as no surprise that the diesel is the one to go for. Offered with either 114 or 134bhp, it’s much more economical than the 133bhp petrol, returning up to 61.4mpg and 120g/km CO2 emissions.

Personal deals start from a smidgen over £200 a month, too, so it’s going to be a fairly cheap addition to the household.

Lease one: Business / Personal