It’s good to see these use cases highlighted so well. It’s now down to the manufacturers to figure out solutions to these real world problems, and sounds like some of them have recognised the needs and doing something about it rather than just creating more seats.
SUVs sucks for families with two or more kids. I have three, and after owning a Peugeot 5008 (2013) and now a Renault Espace (2019), I can say that while these cars aren’t the sexiest, they’re the best. It’s a shame MPVs have nearly vanished - practicality like that is hard to replace.
All very true points. Not sure what’s available across sea, but in the US, some vehicles option the middle row captains chairs which fixed a lot of the issues brought up. We have that and are so happy we spent a little extra for it.
Got 4 kiddos, went from a Toyota Corolla Verso to an XC90 when number 4 came along, kept with that for 2 or 3 years, loved it but bought a Mercedes Viano and was the best decision to move us all around in.
Van based multi person carrier is the best solution all round and your not hated so much as a SUV driver, we've had V class, viano and now sprinter MWB and great for camping as hotel rooms don't normally accommodate 6 people
Brought our first 7 seater in 2017 after having number 4 coming into the family. Audi Q7 (2013) was a brilliant buy. Never let us down enjoyed many road trips. Cashed in April this year getting a SQ7 (2023) and an X5 (2016) wife actually likes the X5, finds it more nimble to drive, great for Tesco shopping trips and parking is easier.
I'm a dad of 4. We looked at loads of 7 seat suv. We went with a Nissan Elgrand, awesome for a big family. If you've not reviewed one yet you should. Plus they can come with a V6
@dadcars great bit of kit. We had the D5 Executive, just means it had nicer carpet, hifi etc. We also the polestar engine upgrade too. Made it a bit more grunrty, but I guess it built for comfort rather than speed. My Mrs has XC60 version of the same now. She still loves it 👍
4 boys we chose an Alhambra too getting a good price on the top tech spec. Design wise it just works, and sliding doors were big win. Mechanicals it’s had the usual DPF, EGR but that’s any diesal. For us the ultimate solution is a 4motion caravelle but the prices of them are obscene.
Love the channel Ben found you not long ago and it always make my day when I see one of your vids. You have a gift the way you are infront of the camera 🎉
Great video as always Ben and many good points raised. I have to say our Discovery 5 works well in 5 seat but 2, 2, 1 configuration (although 2,2,2 would work just as well). While not quite the same requirements you have, we have done several trips up and down the country like this, complete with all luggage and no roof box, with one of the children in the third row and two in the middle row, with the middle seat of the middle row folded for fairly easy access to the back. We find it the most comfortable way to travel and of course the Disco 5 is a lovely place to be, much like the Range Rover.
Hi Ben, great video. Yes totally agreed. My 4 went in an x5 but only when the eldest 2 were over 1.35. It actually will come to you again when 2 are sat normally and of course It’s brilliant when all 4 are sat normally for short trips. Pretty much had all the 7 seaters available to us over the years and the plus 2 option such as the X5, Quashqai, Grand Scenic, S-Max etc are all like this. The multimac didn’t exist then but that looks a great solution but only if your 4 are closely aged. (Well done btw. Respect) my 2 boys are 2 years apart and the twin girls came along 7 years after…. It all depends on your brood. To be fair we had a Ford Galaxy twice so it must have been good & it worked well but who wants to drive a van? That multimac helps your channel for sure! Love to see the Alphard/ Estima on your channel to see how that works but insuring an import has become stupid. You really have to want one!😊
Great comment 🙌 yeah I love the idea of a Japanese minivan but my wife hates the looks of them 😂 I always point them out and say look how cool is that and she is never impressed 🤣
@ I get her point… it would be the natural progression to an Avantime though! It would be a great stop gap, in as much as you can get a 2.4 4x4 petrol hybrid for around 6-7k. I couldn’t see insurance for under 1k though so gave it up. That’s double what I’d pay on a newer X5. Could work with your trade/block policy though? Please check them out. The interiors are so luxurious and adaptable. The girls would love it!😊
My daughter recently bought a 2021 Peugeot 5008 which is a 7 seater but she wanted it because it has 3 isofix positions across the rear seats(not the two at the very back) She has 3 boys aged 6, 4 and 3 weeks old and with the help of an internal camera system she puts all 3 in a row. The downside is that there is no Isofix on the front passenger seat but it is a practical solution for her 👍
I've also got four kids and pretty much all the same transport issues. We have an 11 year old Touran and a 6 year old Disco 5. Both have pros and cons when trying to fit our family in. The Disco can fold down the middle seat independently, allowing space for two kids either side and creating a passage for the rear two occupants to get in and out. It's also got a total of five isofix points. But we're still pretty stuffed for luggage unless we have just one seat up in the boot and one poor child squashed in next to some luggage. Our eldest is over 135cm, which gives us a few more options but makes the MultiMac a little less viable. I want to see VW release the ID Buzz with the option of three upfront. They do it with the Cargo version, so why not the family vehicle? The only other options are a VW Kombi (I don't want to drive a van) or a LR Defender with a jump seat (I don't have that kind of money). The Fisker PEAR looked like it could be interesting but then they went bust! Still searching for that perfect vehicle.....
Great video Ben and the upcoming series too. We’ve ‘only’ got 3 girls and due to child seats, kids heights/weights etc we only just managed to get away with keeping a 5 series touring. The new 3 or 4 wide child seats are a really great innovation and I wish they’d been around when ours were smaller. 👍
Went through the process of getting a 7 seater recently and ended up with a Prius Alpha. I don't need to tow, there's no heavy snow where I live and the maintenance costs is dramatically lower (e.g. smaller tires, alloys, more fuel efficient, lower tax, etc.). The boot space is surprisingly good compared to the seemingly spacious SUVs.
Really exciting to hear that manufacturers are going to be sending out press cars to you. The two eldest Pickles just pitching themselves over the seat back to get out was hilarious. You want to talk Tardis cars: a friend has a big C4 Picasso, which has three sets of IsoFix AND a pair of 'boot seats' as he calls them, and the boot is utterly enormous. The car isn't the biggest thing ever and yet is has so much room and storage inside. He did look at an suv, Qashqai I think, and was appalled by how little space they have.
I've tried to order the multi-mac but they are not available in the USA. I've had the Nissan Rouge (qashqai overseas) and it was terrible for us. Fully loaded, it was slow. I ended up with a s211 Mercedes Benz E500 with the jump seats. I loved every minute of it. The kids loved the jump seats and it was powerful and elegant. Not much room for other things, but the driving experience made it worthwhile.
@dadcars cars in the uk used to have the rear facing seats in the boot cant understand why they stopped making them as a kid sat next to my brother it was entertaining as hell
Where we live, I've noticed that a lot of people with larger families seeming to be going down the JDM route with cars like the Nissan Elgrand, Toyota Vellfire and Alphard. I quite like the look and luxury of the Elgrand MPV with a 3.5ltr V6 upfront.
We’ve got a Citroen C4 grand Picasso and the middle row has 3 isofix seats which can move independently as well as the additional two pop up seats in the back as well. Its incredibly practical but it’s let down by the 1.2 petrol engine which is renowned for issues with the wet cambelt system
I think I've mentioned this before: we bought a Ford Galaxy and it had FULL SIZED seats so could accommodate 7 adults comfortably. Much more practical than the S-Max. We had 3 children (but not close together like you Ben) so we could distribute them such that each could have their own space. It also meant that the spare seats could be folded down for carrying stuff. No sliding rear doors though, possibly the only thing missing for me. What would be more ideal for a family would be the minivan, a staple for American families, where you'd have 7 seats but configured differently (2:2:3) and you'd be able to walk through to the back. We seriously considered a Caravelle at one point as that could be configured in so many different ways. Back even then the cost of them was prohibitive though. Today, we have a VW Caddy Maxi Life, which was a 7 seater but the rear bench has been removed to allow it to be converted into a WAV and to carry a 130kg electric wheelchair. Our eldest has left home but our second eldest has carers so it gets a bit crowded at times! Again, for reasons of cost, we couldn't get the VW Caravelle or the more basic Transporter. These vehicles are bigger, boxier and therefore more practical than most SUVs but VERY EXPENSIVE!! I'd be interested if you could review a Mercedes V Class on the channel as that's now my dream car in this vehicle class.
Got a seat Alhambra here only a 4 person family until we take grandparents out too. It’s fine for us but with back seats up boot space is very compromised (it’s the wife’s work car for the equipment she needs too). But sliding doors and sliding middle individual seats makes life better for us. More than welcome to test it on your larger family too
We went with a Seat Alhambra. The sliding doors make it so easy to get the kids in and out when someone parks right up next to us in a car park, its a game changer. Also the rear seats can fit 3x childseats in a row all with isofix, and the 2x 3rd row seats also have Isofix.
Hi Ben & girls. Hope your all doing good. That was a good and informative video. I couldn't believe how small the boot is when those seats are up. That's why I like the range rover better. I liked the video. Stay safe and take care.
We had a chrysler Grand Voyger Growing up with 5 kids and it wasn't much better. Holidays we used black bin bags so the clothes could be squashed around us rather than using a hard shell suitcase. The difference was we were young teens and smaller so leg rooms wasn't as much an issue. MPV's aren't great but nothings perfect.
Hi Ben, trouble you are going to have with Multimac is when your kids grow... Personally as a Dad with 3 kids in one batch, then another 4 inherited at a later date, my wife has a Discovery 4 she loves for most journeys (well, she has 2 actually so the chances are at least one will be working at any time). I then have a Transit Tourneo 9 seater minibus...fits us all plus plenty of luggage or bikes for a day out cycling etc. Even with first 3 kids a minibus was our preferred solution as we are all 6ft + so when kids became teens the SUV was cramped. I then have an old C1 for nipping around town/school run with up to 3, an old E class for longer trips, and old Caterham & MGF as my toys. All mine are older cars so cost probably adds up to less than one modern SUV and all have their perfect function for the various different roles I need a car to do, rather than one very expensive compromise that is too cramped for us all and waste of space/compromised handling etc for just me and 1 or 2 of the kids on all the other journeys. Get the right tool for each of the different jobs you need a car to do :) Great channel by the way!
i think if you can find a gl 500 or ml 500 with barely any faults (rare) i think thats the safest bet for a COMFY 7 seater thats also practical enough for your needs, but you can always go with the xc90 q7 x7 range rover or gls but obviously thats budget dependent
Hey Ben, my wife told me that we HAD to have seven seats in the new SUV, we bought a 7 seat X5 and think we have used it with a full load like four times and the kids whinged all the way through. Really should have put my foot down and by the way the boot in our X5 looks worse than your RR. If you want say six seats get a Transit Custom Double Cab
The previous era 4L model Q7 had them too: you can pick up a 4.2L V8 twin turbo diesel 2014 model with 6 or 7 seats for less than 10k. 340hp, 4wd, reasonable space (tiny boot though) and something like 800nm of torque to carry kids and gubbins quietly, effortlessly and relatively efficiently!
I agree sliding doors for the win! but MPVs are disappearing for the very reason of this video… people are instead buying 7 seat SUVs, the Sharan was discontinued in 2022.
Great work Ben, I do love your multimac a lot of people still poo poo them due to safety concerns but they've passed all the tests! I think there's still a question about whether they are the "safest" seats. Our solution for 3 kids was the Ford s-max, 2010 and newer have 3 isofix accros the middle row. They didn't do the 2.5T in that year tho 😢. Not the most interesting car but it's genuinely brilliant, practical and reliable 👌
@ I am happy with it…. 3 kids and when we have grandparents one kid and me to the back (I have 1,85m)😂… the new 5008 electric and hybrid seems a spaceship 🛸
Got two toddlers today, planning nr 3. Got a 2014 BMW 320i wagon with a pretty much permanently mounted Thule roofbox as strollers and shit takes up all the space. And with a larger dog in the back, rear facing seats and mother-in-law often coming with us space is a premium. But leaving the dog at home we managed to get a roadtrip from Norway to Italy this summer 3 adult and 2 toddlers. All those hours playing Tetris finally came to something when packing that logistical nightmare. Wife nags to get a SUV, and only real options without braking the bank is a used X5(3l diesel) or a Kodiaq. Personally I'd hate both of them and rather get a Superb or a 5 series.
Yup. Real world problems, for the love of God we couldn't find a decent suv that had 3 propper seats across the back that would allow the fitment of 2 isofix seats and a booster, and allow the seat belt buckles not to be covered up. Ended up buying a 7 seater Tarraco for this reason. It's been brilliant so far and does have decent boot space when the rear seats are up, but as you've said we'd require a roof box for holidays. One thing that plays on my mind, even with a new car is that I know rear passenger 3rd row safety is diabolical too, so there is that nag even if you find one that works space wise, unfortunately the 3rd row passengers are in the crumple zone.
X5 has always been a no for me exactly for the reasons of what youve described in your video. Q7 however is much more spacious and convinient and LOWER insurance group. Try that
I've had a first gen Viano which was great for space but costly in maintenance, also an 80 series Toyota land cruiser. Recently moved to a Landrover Discovery 2 with 7 seats which is working well for us. I'll look at another newer Toyota Land cruiser next because there just isn't that much choice out there and they have lots of room but, they are huge.
The thing I have to ask the family buying public. What was wrong with the Zafira or Espace? Or for something smaller the FR-V? Though am a single child, the Zafira was great and my other half, family of 3, loved their fiat ulysse. I think with the rise (literally) of the SUV we’ve gone backwards
I think it’s great if people know they aren’t going to be particularly practical but want something because it’s more exciting, that’s what my channel is all about but I like to highlight to everyone that SUVs have big practicality compromises. I honestly think most people are unaware of the fact and think they are all things to all families when in fact if you’re after practicality, an MPV with sliding doors will be far more practical.
@ well there’s that and the MPV can be such a sleeper, I don’t know what made Vauxhall make a Zafira VXR or Ford make the 2.5 S-Max but I’m glad they exist
As I’ve said a few times on here I’m a dad of 8 we have a Skoda kodiaq brilliant 7 seater but like all 7 seaters boot space is small that’s y we got 2 cars if go anywhere 👍
Having looked into suv 7 seaters, lately, I came to the conclusion that not one is perfect, for the age of our children etc., but the Volvo XC90 was by far the best option. Bus/van works if you can afford or want to drive one, and the MPV’s have gone from the market mostly.
The BMW X5 and similar are only meant for occasional 7 seat use. I bought one for that reason and it was great until I replaced it with an L405. The problem is child friendly practical family cars are not made for us petrol heads 😂
As a kid I used to get put on the centre tunnel between the rear seats of a knackered old Lotus Elan +2, how times have changed 😂. My sister has lots of kids, she ended up buying a VW shuttle van.
Funny enough, you'd have the same problems with most 7 seater MPV-s too, except for a small number of those with 2+2+3 seat layout, offering easier access to the last row. Generally 5+2 (SUV or MPV) are meant to be used daily as 5 seaters, the +2 seats being there for occasional necessities. If you need more than 5 seats on a daily basis, you'd be better of with a larger, proper 7 seater (VW Sharan, Ford Galaxy etc.) which usually would have some boot space too. We have 3 children and a 5+2 MPV, thus the kids are less cramped on long journeys - to the expense of the boot space, obviously. Further shortcomings of any 3 row layout are that it is difficult to have a conversation with the kids in the last row, they are just so far away, and that in case of a rear-end collision, the last row is at least as close to the tailgate than in a supermini.
I have 2 kids and our family car is a VW Sharan, easily carries 7 adults, has 5 Isofix in the 2nd and 3rd row… it is going to be hard to replace once time comes…
Damn, that looked awkward and totally impractical. My son was an absolute nightmare when it came to getting him into a child seat. It was like fighting a Tasmanian Devil!
Love the video Ben, but SUVs in 7 seater form just don't work.. there's just too many issues, plus child segregation for less stressful journeys is also a consideration, for 3 children transport I've owned, Ford galaxy, Ford S-Max (2.5t), Audi Q7 and have finally settled on a 2.0 TSI (very rare) VW sharan, its not the most dynamic, but iso fix all round, power sliding doors, loads of toys.. and loads of room... and then bought myself an Audi S4 V8 Avant for the more spirited driving..
To all parents a Mercedes Benz gl from 2007 has isofix in the middle row and rear its a 7 seater 4x4 with an optoin V8 Ben i hope you see this bud . I own a gl its also got a 3rd row emergency release and a bigger boot then the x5 i recommend it .
Love your vids man from a petrol head dad to another. I've been contemplating on the X5 coming from the X3 and x7 is out of the budget but been thinking of the disco5... what's your take on it
The guys from Everyday Driver always say; you cannot out-minivan a minivan. If you NEED 3 rows, DO NOT get an SUV unless the third row is only needed twice a year, and in that case. Why are you getting a 3-row SUV? PS: that "no" from your daughter was so telling!!! She's so mad!!
These SUVs were never really designed to be 7 seaters but unfortunately consumers stopped buying MPVs so manufacturers no longer offer them unless you’re willing to buy a converted van like the VW Transporter. Ultimately though this video was completely irrelevant to me as I’ve only got 2 kids and they’re 18 & 15 so long since been out of child seats but I enjoyed watching it to see you struggling!
Didn’t you put the rear seats up when you bought it also you only need to put one rear seat up as 3 kids will fit in the middle row then you would have space along side the one rear seat up. I have a qashqai +2 and it has as much space when all the seats are up as your x5
Very limited on 3 seats fitting in the middle row two, only way we managed it was with a travel booster seat in the middle. We tried this for a bit but it didn’t work particularly well for us. Although it gave space for the double buggy it was then sat next to a child in the back. I’d be fascinated to see what a 7 seat Qashqai is like.
I could see where this video was going from the title… it was to promote the Multimac seat, which is obviously paid promotion. The Multimac seat can’t fit adults or teens, so it isn’t very future proof when your kids grow up. I’d stick with a 7 seater 😂
I’ve been mentioning the multimac for 2 years well over 50 videos I would say and not been paid anything from them over the last 2 years. I’ve been meaning to make this video for ages just been putting it off as I prefer driving exciting cars on the channel 🤷♂️ as the X5 is now up for sale I finally had to get round to filming it, oh and small teens and small adults can sit on the outset seats using the cars seat belts in the Multimac 👍 it’ll accommodate my children from 0-12 so pretty future proof and good value for parents like me.
Check out the Multimac: www.multimac.com/home?ref=yjk5zme
I can't imagine actually planning to have four kids. I can barely get myself out of the house. Respect.
😂😂
1 is more than enough for us!!
Me neither and I have 4 boys 😬
😂
It’s good to see these use cases highlighted so well. It’s now down to the manufacturers to figure out solutions to these real world problems, and sounds like some of them have recognised the needs and doing something about it rather than just creating more seats.
Thanks Albert 🙌 yes I’ve got a few new 6/7 seaters coming for review soon. Interested to see some other layouts
@ I’m super interested to see and hear what ideas they have come up with! Can’t wait for those reviews 🙌
SUVs sucks for families with two or more kids. I have three, and after owning a Peugeot 5008 (2013) and now a Renault Espace (2019), I can say that while these cars aren’t the sexiest, they’re the best. It’s a shame MPVs have nearly vanished - practicality like that is hard to replace.
I agree
All very true points. Not sure what’s available across sea, but in the US, some vehicles option the middle row captains chairs which fixed a lot of the issues brought up. We have that and are so happy we spent a little extra for it.
Got 4 kiddos, went from a Toyota Corolla Verso to an XC90 when number 4 came along, kept with that for 2 or 3 years, loved it but bought a Mercedes Viano and was the best decision to move us all around in.
Van based multi person carrier is the best solution all round and your not hated so much as a SUV driver, we've had V class, viano and now sprinter MWB and great for camping as hotel rooms don't normally accommodate 6 people
Brought our first 7 seater in 2017 after having number 4 coming into the family. Audi Q7 (2013) was a brilliant buy. Never let us down enjoyed many road trips. Cashed in April this year getting a SQ7 (2023) and an X5 (2016) wife actually likes the X5, finds it more nimble to drive, great for Tesco shopping trips and parking is easier.
Mate. That multi Mac is a dream 😍
The amount of people who buy ford galaxy’s and people carriers when you can stick to what you love is amazing
🙌😊
I'm a dad of 4. We looked at loads of 7 seat suv. We went with a Nissan Elgrand, awesome for a big family. If you've not reviewed one yet you should. Plus they can come with a V6
Awesome! I’d love to review one, I want to do a alphard too 🙌
We had the XC90, the older one, when the kids were small. It was great, even had a rear bench the kids could have there picnic on. Great days Ben.
I’m hoping to get an XC90 on soon :)
@dadcars great bit of kit. We had the D5 Executive, just means it had nicer carpet, hifi etc. We also the polestar engine upgrade too. Made it a bit more grunrty, but I guess it built for comfort rather than speed. My Mrs has XC60 version of the same now. She still loves it 👍
Thanks bud I watched this and changed my mind from a suv to a seat Alhambra
It’s cool they give the option but a large SUV is a compromised family car in terms of practicality
4 boys we chose an Alhambra too getting a good price on the top tech spec. Design wise it just works, and sliding doors were big win. Mechanicals it’s had the usual DPF, EGR but that’s any diesal. For us the ultimate solution is a 4motion caravelle but the prices of them are obscene.
I hear bad reports on reliability and rust on older models
Love the channel Ben found you not long ago and it always make my day when I see one of your vids. You have a gift the way you are infront of the camera 🎉
Ah thanks man! Welcome to the channel 🙌
Great video as always Ben and many good points raised.
I have to say our Discovery 5 works well in 5 seat but 2, 2, 1 configuration (although 2,2,2 would work just as well).
While not quite the same requirements you have, we have done several trips up and down the country like this, complete with all luggage and no roof box, with one of the children in the third row and two in the middle row, with the middle seat of the middle row folded for fairly easy access to the back.
We find it the most comfortable way to travel and of course the Disco 5 is a lovely place to be, much like the Range Rover.
Hi Ben, great video. Yes totally agreed. My 4 went in an x5 but only when the eldest 2 were over 1.35. It actually will come to you again when 2 are sat normally and of course It’s brilliant when all 4 are sat normally for short trips. Pretty much had all the 7 seaters available to us over the years and the plus 2 option such as the X5, Quashqai, Grand Scenic, S-Max etc are all like this. The multimac didn’t exist then but that looks a great solution but only if your 4 are closely aged. (Well done btw. Respect) my 2 boys are 2 years apart and the twin girls came along 7 years after…. It all depends on your brood. To be fair we had a Ford Galaxy twice so it must have been good & it worked well but who wants to drive a van? That multimac helps your channel for sure! Love to see the Alphard/ Estima on your channel to see how that works but insuring an import has become stupid. You really have to want one!😊
Great comment 🙌 yeah I love the idea of a Japanese minivan but my wife hates the looks of them 😂 I always point them out and say look how cool is that and she is never impressed 🤣
@ I get her point… it would be the natural progression to an Avantime though! It would be a great stop gap, in as much as you can get a 2.4 4x4 petrol hybrid for around 6-7k. I couldn’t see insurance for under 1k though so gave it up. That’s double what I’d pay on a newer X5. Could work with your trade/block policy though? Please check them out. The interiors are so luxurious and adaptable. The girls would love it!😊
My daughter recently bought a 2021 Peugeot 5008 which is a 7 seater but she wanted it because it has 3 isofix positions across the rear seats(not the two at the very back)
She has 3 boys aged 6, 4 and 3 weeks old and with the help of an internal camera system she puts all 3 in a row.
The downside is that there is no Isofix on the front passenger seat but it is a practical solution for her 👍
That’s cool yeah I need to get a 5008 on the channel :)
I have 4 young kids & the LR3, with 5 individual rear seats was the perfect solution in all UK situations. Have never been brave enough to go abroad.
Me and my wife also have 4 kids, Volvo XC90 (7 seater) and can sympathise with everything you’ve said in this video Ben! 😅 Great work!
Only those with 4 will fully relate 😅
I've also got four kids and pretty much all the same transport issues. We have an 11 year old Touran and a 6 year old Disco 5. Both have pros and cons when trying to fit our family in. The Disco can fold down the middle seat independently, allowing space for two kids either side and creating a passage for the rear two occupants to get in and out. It's also got a total of five isofix points. But we're still pretty stuffed for luggage unless we have just one seat up in the boot and one poor child squashed in next to some luggage. Our eldest is over 135cm, which gives us a few more options but makes the MultiMac a little less viable.
I want to see VW release the ID Buzz with the option of three upfront. They do it with the Cargo version, so why not the family vehicle? The only other options are a VW Kombi (I don't want to drive a van) or a LR Defender with a jump seat (I don't have that kind of money). The Fisker PEAR looked like it could be interesting but then they went bust! Still searching for that perfect vehicle.....
Great video Ben and the upcoming series too. We’ve ‘only’ got 3 girls and due to child seats, kids heights/weights etc we only just managed to get away with keeping a 5 series touring. The new 3 or 4 wide child seats are a really great innovation and I wish they’d been around when ours were smaller. 👍
Went through the process of getting a 7 seater recently and ended up with a Prius Alpha. I don't need to tow, there's no heavy snow where I live and the maintenance costs is dramatically lower (e.g. smaller tires, alloys, more fuel efficient, lower tax, etc.). The boot space is surprisingly good compared to the seemingly spacious SUVs.
XC90 missing, having said that, van type transport start looking a lot better from a practicle pov
Might be time to get the snip or the next dad car might be a transit crewcab
That's the way
Really exciting to hear that manufacturers are going to be sending out press cars to you. The two eldest Pickles just pitching themselves over the seat back to get out was hilarious.
You want to talk Tardis cars: a friend has a big C4 Picasso, which has three sets of IsoFix AND a pair of 'boot seats' as he calls them, and the boot is utterly enormous. The car isn't the biggest thing ever and yet is has so much room and storage inside. He did look at an suv, Qashqai I think, and was appalled by how little space they have.
One day I’ll have to get my hands on a qashqai for a review 😂
I've tried to order the multi-mac but they are not available in the USA. I've had the Nissan Rouge (qashqai overseas) and it was terrible for us. Fully loaded, it was slow. I ended up with a s211 Mercedes Benz E500 with the jump seats. I loved every minute of it. The kids loved the jump seats and it was powerful and elegant. Not much room for other things, but the driving experience made it worthwhile.
I love the idea of rear facing boot seats in a V8 wagon! 😅 even for infrequent use they would be awesome fun
@dadcars cars in the uk used to have the rear facing seats in the boot cant understand why they stopped making them as a kid sat next to my brother it was entertaining as hell
You can get boot jump seats in a 2016 era Tesla Model S performance- 770+ hp 7 seater 4wd dad car with a frunk anyone?
@@dadcarsIt sure was! 😊
@@1812OThat's a good point. I take delivery of a Lucid on Monday. I may replace the Benz with a Tesla and keep the Lucid for myself
Where we live, I've noticed that a lot of people with larger families seeming to be going down the JDM route with cars like the Nissan Elgrand, Toyota Vellfire and Alphard. I quite like the look and luxury of the Elgrand MPV with a 3.5ltr V6 upfront.
Very interesting video! I personally would take a minivan or van if i need to transport many people including children!
When they are out of childseats that’ll be the way to go :)
We’ve got a Citroen C4 grand Picasso and the middle row has 3 isofix seats which can move independently as well as the additional two pop up seats in the back as well. Its incredibly practical but it’s let down by the 1.2 petrol engine which is renowned for issues with the wet cambelt system
That’s the only issue with MPVs! They never get the exciting engines 🥲
Zafira OPC?
I think I've mentioned this before: we bought a Ford Galaxy and it had FULL SIZED seats so could accommodate 7 adults comfortably. Much more practical than the S-Max. We had 3 children (but not close together like you Ben) so we could distribute them such that each could have their own space. It also meant that the spare seats could be folded down for carrying stuff. No sliding rear doors though, possibly the only thing missing for me. What would be more ideal for a family would be the minivan, a staple for American families, where you'd have 7 seats but configured differently (2:2:3) and you'd be able to walk through to the back. We seriously considered a Caravelle at one point as that could be configured in so many different ways. Back even then the cost of them was prohibitive though. Today, we have a VW Caddy Maxi Life, which was a 7 seater but the rear bench has been removed to allow it to be converted into a WAV and to carry a 130kg electric wheelchair. Our eldest has left home but our second eldest has carers so it gets a bit crowded at times! Again, for reasons of cost, we couldn't get the VW Caravelle or the more basic Transporter. These vehicles are bigger, boxier and therefore more practical than most SUVs but VERY EXPENSIVE!! I'd be interested if you could review a Mercedes V Class on the channel as that's now my dream car in this vehicle class.
Thanks!
Hey sorry Frank I somehow missed this!! Thank you 🙏 😊
@dadcars Your welcome Ben.
Got a seat Alhambra here only a 4 person family until we take grandparents out too. It’s fine for us but with back seats up boot space is very compromised (it’s the wife’s work car for the equipment she needs too). But sliding doors and sliding middle individual seats makes life better for us. More than welcome to test it on your larger family too
We went with a Seat Alhambra. The sliding doors make it so easy to get the kids in and out when someone parks right up next to us in a car park, its a game changer. Also the rear seats can fit 3x childseats in a row all with isofix, and the 2x 3rd row seats also have Isofix.
A shame they’ve stopped making them.
Hi Ben & girls. Hope your all doing good.
That was a good and informative video. I couldn't believe how small the boot is when those seats are up. That's why I like the range rover better. I liked the video. Stay safe and take care.
Boots are always tiny on any 7 seater with back seats up unless it's something like a caravelle
That’ll be the way we go when they are all teenagers, I’d like a top spec v class 👌😎
@@dadcars yeah shame all the new ones are soo expensive
You look like such a great Dad Ben. I'm expecting a lil one soon and hope I can manage like you do with 4!
Ah congrats man!! 🙌🙌
We had a chrysler Grand Voyger Growing up with 5 kids and it wasn't much better. Holidays we used black bin bags so the clothes could be squashed around us rather than using a hard shell suitcase. The difference was we were young teens and smaller so leg rooms wasn't as much an issue. MPV's aren't great but nothings perfect.
Hi Ben, trouble you are going to have with Multimac is when your kids grow... Personally as a Dad with 3 kids in one batch, then another 4 inherited at a later date, my wife has a Discovery 4 she loves for most journeys (well, she has 2 actually so the chances are at least one will be working at any time). I then have a Transit Tourneo 9 seater minibus...fits us all plus plenty of luggage or bikes for a day out cycling etc. Even with first 3 kids a minibus was our preferred solution as we are all 6ft + so when kids became teens the SUV was cramped. I then have an old C1 for nipping around town/school run with up to 3, an old E class for longer trips, and old Caterham & MGF as my toys. All mine are older cars so cost probably adds up to less than one modern SUV and all have their perfect function for the various different roles I need a car to do, rather than one very expensive compromise that is too cramped for us all and waste of space/compromised handling etc for just me and 1 or 2 of the kids on all the other journeys. Get the right tool for each of the different jobs you need a car to do :) Great channel by the way!
i think if you can find a gl 500 or ml 500 with barely any faults (rare) i think thats the safest bet for a COMFY 7 seater thats also practical enough for your needs, but you can always go with the xc90 q7 x7 range rover or gls but obviously thats budget dependent
Yeah I’d like to get a Q7 on for review soon :)
Hey Ben, my wife told me that we HAD to have seven seats in the new SUV, we bought a 7 seat X5 and think we have used it with a full load like four times and the kids whinged all the way through. Really should have put my foot down and by the way the boot in our X5 looks worse than your RR. If you want say six seats get a Transit Custom Double Cab
It’s still a cool option to have but in reality we only used them very occasionally
I got myself an Audi SQ7 it has 6 ISOFIX seats and room for 4 seat wagon in the boot. 35mpg from the V8 diesel too
That’s impressive, I’d love to film one
The previous era 4L model Q7 had them too: you can pick up a 4.2L V8 twin turbo diesel 2014 model with 6 or 7 seats for less than 10k. 340hp, 4wd, reasonable space (tiny boot though) and something like 800nm of torque to carry kids and gubbins quietly, effortlessly and relatively efficiently!
I only have one child but if I needed a 7 seater id definitely get I van based mpv so much more useable space .
Key is sliding doors. Stick with the viano or Sharon is best option
I agree sliding doors for the win! but MPVs are disappearing for the very reason of this video… people are instead buying 7 seat SUVs, the Sharan was discontinued in 2022.
Great work Ben, I do love your multimac a lot of people still poo poo them due to safety concerns but they've passed all the tests! I think there's still a question about whether they are the "safest" seats. Our solution for 3 kids was the Ford s-max, 2010 and newer have 3 isofix accros the middle row. They didn't do the 2.5T in that year tho 😢. Not the most interesting car but it's genuinely brilliant, practical and reliable 👌
It’s amazing the space difference between the bmw and a peugeot 5008. 5008 have 3 independent seats (adjustable).
I should reach out to Peugeot, I would be fascinated to try one
@ I am happy with it…. 3 kids and when we have grandparents one kid and me to the back (I have 1,85m)😂… the new 5008 electric and hybrid seems a spaceship 🛸
Got two toddlers today, planning nr 3. Got a 2014 BMW 320i wagon with a pretty much permanently mounted Thule roofbox as strollers and shit takes up all the space. And with a larger dog in the back, rear facing seats and mother-in-law often coming with us space is a premium. But leaving the dog at home we managed to get a roadtrip from Norway to Italy this summer 3 adult and 2 toddlers. All those hours playing Tetris finally came to something when packing that logistical nightmare.
Wife nags to get a SUV, and only real options without braking the bank is a used X5(3l diesel) or a Kodiaq. Personally I'd hate both of them and rather get a Superb or a 5 series.
Top content again Ben. Keep on doin what ya doin. A pleasure watching your channel grow. 👍👍👍
Yup. Real world problems, for the love of God we couldn't find a decent suv that had 3 propper seats across the back that would allow the fitment of 2 isofix seats and a booster, and allow the seat belt buckles not to be covered up. Ended up buying a 7 seater Tarraco for this reason. It's been brilliant so far and does have decent boot space when the rear seats are up, but as you've said we'd require a roof box for holidays. One thing that plays on my mind, even with a new car is that I know rear passenger 3rd row safety is diabolical too, so there is that nag even if you find one that works space wise, unfortunately the 3rd row passengers are in the crumple zone.
It’s a niche problem but a real one for large families
X5 has always been a no for me exactly for the reasons of what youve described in your video. Q7 however is much more spacious and convinient and LOWER insurance group. Try that
Can you review the Kia EV9? Will be really good to see how your family of 6 would fit.
Yeah ok :)
I've had a first gen Viano which was great for space but costly in maintenance, also an 80 series Toyota land cruiser. Recently moved to a Landrover Discovery 2 with 7 seats which is working well for us. I'll look at another newer Toyota Land cruiser next because there just isn't that much choice out there and they have lots of room but, they are huge.
The thing I have to ask the family buying public. What was wrong with the Zafira or Espace? Or for something smaller the FR-V? Though am a single child, the Zafira was great and my other half, family of 3, loved their fiat ulysse. I think with the rise (literally) of the SUV we’ve gone backwards
I think it’s great if people know they aren’t going to be particularly practical but want something because it’s more exciting, that’s what my channel is all about but I like to highlight to everyone that SUVs have big practicality compromises. I honestly think most people are unaware of the fact and think they are all things to all families when in fact if you’re after practicality, an MPV with sliding doors will be far more practical.
@ well there’s that and the MPV can be such a sleeper, I don’t know what made Vauxhall make a Zafira VXR or Ford make the 2.5 S-Max but I’m glad they exist
As I’ve said a few times on here I’m a dad of 8 we have a Skoda kodiaq brilliant 7 seater but like all 7 seaters boot space is small that’s y we got 2 cars if go anywhere 👍
Loads of useful info there. Thanks!
Having looked into suv 7 seaters, lately, I came to the conclusion that not one is perfect, for the age of our children etc., but the Volvo XC90 was by far the best option.
Bus/van works if you can afford or want to drive one, and the MPV’s have gone from the market mostly.
The BMW X5 and similar are only meant for occasional 7 seat use. I bought one for that reason and it was great until I replaced it with an L405.
The problem is child friendly practical family cars are not made for us petrol heads 😂
Yep and my channel is all about finding child seat and practicality solutions for exciting cars 😅 I began the channel with the Aston Martin DadB9 🙌
I had Saab 9-3 convertible and two kids in car seats it was very easy to get them in and out (just had to open the roof before) 😂
Awesome yeah convertibles make even 2+2s pretty practical in the summer :)
As a kid I used to get put on the centre tunnel between the rear seats of a knackered old Lotus Elan +2, how times have changed 😂. My sister has lots of kids, she ended up buying a VW shuttle van.
An elan +2 is the classic Dadcars I’ve always wanted 😍🙌 how cool 👏
@ thanks yes it was a very cool car.
Funny enough, you'd have the same problems with most 7 seater MPV-s too, except for a small number of those with 2+2+3 seat layout, offering easier access to the last row. Generally 5+2 (SUV or MPV) are meant to be used daily as 5 seaters, the +2 seats being there for occasional necessities. If you need more than 5 seats on a daily basis, you'd be better of with a larger, proper 7 seater (VW Sharan, Ford Galaxy etc.) which usually would have some boot space too. We have 3 children and a 5+2 MPV, thus the kids are less cramped on long journeys - to the expense of the boot space, obviously. Further shortcomings of any 3 row layout are that it is difficult to have a conversation with the kids in the last row, they are just so far away, and that in case of a rear-end collision, the last row is at least as close to the tailgate than in a supermini.
Mercedes GLS is the 7 seat daddy. I have owned an x166 and currently an x167. Bigger inside than all the others.
I have 2 kids and our family car is a VW Sharan, easily carries 7 adults, has 5 Isofix in the 2nd and 3rd row… it is going to be hard to replace once time comes…
"one of the children will have to learn to be better at walking, i spose" 🤣
😅
I’d echo what you say on the Disco sport, ditto the GLB
😊
It's a shame some of the better 6 seat options (Kia Carnival etc) aren't available in the UK, the BMW X7 6 seat if probably the best choice.
Damn, that looked awkward and totally impractical. My son was an absolute nightmare when it came to getting him into a child seat. It was like fighting a Tasmanian Devil!
Yeah some little ones are easier than others to get into seats 🙈
We had 5 children ( all grown up now) and we had a 2005 Renault grand scenic it had a tiny boot but we made it work we had no choice
Love the video Ben, but SUVs in 7 seater form just don't work.. there's just too many issues, plus child segregation for less stressful journeys is also a consideration, for 3 children transport I've owned, Ford galaxy, Ford S-Max (2.5t), Audi Q7 and have finally settled on a 2.0 TSI (very rare) VW sharan, its not the most dynamic, but iso fix all round, power sliding doors, loads of toys.. and loads of room... and then bought myself an Audi S4 V8 Avant for the more spirited driving..
To all parents a Mercedes Benz gl from 2007 has isofix in the middle row and rear its a 7 seater 4x4 with an optoin V8 Ben i hope you see this bud . I own a gl its also got a 3rd row emergency release and a bigger boot then the x5 i recommend it .
3rd row isn’t really meant to be a permanent thing. It is really handy to have it tho
T5 for the win!
Love your vids man from a petrol head dad to another. I've been contemplating on the X5 coming from the X3 and x7 is out of the budget but been thinking of the disco5... what's your take on it
The guys from Everyday Driver always say; you cannot out-minivan a minivan. If you NEED 3 rows, DO NOT get an SUV unless the third row is only needed twice a year, and in that case. Why are you getting a 3-row SUV?
PS: that "no" from your daughter was so telling!!! She's so mad!!
What is the milage of it now, mate?
These SUVs were never really designed to be 7 seaters but unfortunately consumers stopped buying MPVs so manufacturers no longer offer them unless you’re willing to buy a converted van like the VW Transporter.
Ultimately though this video was completely irrelevant to me as I’ve only got 2 kids and they’re 18 & 15 so long since been out of child seats but I enjoyed watching it to see you struggling!
my dau
my daughters first words were dad get a V12
😂 My dad car for 2 years was a V12! My kids still talk about it 🥹
@@dadcars sold my 1995 bentley brookland and now have a vogue 5.0v8 supecharger she said people were staring at us in the brooklands lol
Definitely need a van
Didn’t you put the rear seats up when you bought it also you only need to put one rear seat up as 3 kids will fit in the middle row then you would have space along side the one rear seat up. I have a qashqai +2 and it has as much space when all the seats are up as your x5
Very limited on 3 seats fitting in the middle row two, only way we managed it was with a travel booster seat in the middle. We tried this for a bit but it didn’t work particularly well for us. Although it gave space for the double buggy it was then sat next to a child in the back. I’d be fascinated to see what a 7 seat Qashqai is like.
Maybe get a ford 9 seater van
Thats why i have a Sequoia, practically a dad minivan in an suv body lol
I don’t think we get them in the UK, the Kia EV9 will be an interesting one to try
Q7 all day long
Isofix in ALL 6 passenger seats
Watch multiple upcoming SUV videos? I’d rather spend the afternoon at a softplay party 😂
😂
You need a vellfire buddy
Two words VW Transporter. Hmmm maybe the first isn’t a real word. Anyway , you get many seats and a proper boot. They won’t do 150 though
Should have got an XC90
How can you afford that many kids ? Wh have just had our first and it eill be our last
Toyota highlander
I could see where this video was going from the title… it was to promote the Multimac seat, which is obviously paid promotion. The Multimac seat can’t fit adults or teens, so it isn’t very future proof when your kids grow up. I’d stick with a 7 seater 😂
I’ve been mentioning the multimac for 2 years well over 50 videos I would say and not been paid anything from them over the last 2 years. I’ve been meaning to make this video for ages just been putting it off as I prefer driving exciting cars on the channel 🤷♂️ as the X5 is now up for sale I finally had to get round to filming it, oh and small teens and small adults can sit on the outset seats using the cars seat belts in the Multimac 👍 it’ll accommodate my children from 0-12 so pretty future proof and good value for parents like me.
Buy a TV, far cheaper!!👍
Just get mini bus
Ben end your uploads like JayEmm.
How many likes compared to views!
Work out the percentage relative to views though I think it’s pretty similar across other channel 🤷♂️ lots of people don’t bother to like 🥲
I hate SUVs