For large families, having a practical and reliable car is usually a must — but with so many other things to pay for, affordability is valued over most things.
A car that can take all the kids out on an adventure to the beach while packing lots of buckets, spades and spare clothes — while dropping gran off to bingo on the way — may sound cost with so many on the market, there’s plenty of bargains to be found in the classified. We take a look at the seven best seven-seat cars on sale for £7,000£
Ford S-Max
The Ford S-Max might be the quintessential seven-seater — offering bags of practicality, easy driveability and consistent reliability.
£7k in the classifieds can get you a well looked-after example from the early part of this decade, with high equipment levels if you’re not fussed over higher-mileage — or a strong, low-mileage example for those looking for a more basic package.
Land Rover Discovery 3
If you need your budget seven-seater to head off-road, look no further than the Discovery 3.
You’ve got the practicality of any MPV, but with the proven capabilities of Land Rover’s off-roading technology. At £7k, you’ll be looking at some pretty high mileage examples so it’s worth taking extra time to find a well-kept model.
Kia Sorento
Kia has carved its name as one of the most reliable and capable brands in recent years, and you can make sure those boxes are ticked on your seven-seat checklist with a Sorento.
Thanks to the firm’s seven-year warranty, you might even be able to find an example that’s still covered by its manufacturer’s original guarantee within budget.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate
Not every car on this list has to be a big MPV! It’s not the most well-known fact, but Mercedes has offered seven-seat versions of its big estate car.
Sure, at this price you will be looking at pretty well-used examples that could potentially cost a lot more in repairs and service — but do your research, and a gem of a German estate could be yours at a low cost.
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso
At £7k, the C4 Grand Picasso could well be one of — if not the — newest seven seaters you can buy.
For that, you can pick up decent examples from 2014/15, albeit with high mileage. If you’re happy with an older car, you can examples with less than 60k miles with no problem at all.
Nissan Qashqai+2
The Nissan Qashqai has become one of the most popular cars on the market, and you can get in on the action with a seven-seat variant for under £7k.
Plenty of the used market at this price have high levels of equipment, allowing you to ride in relative comfort and luxury at a pretty low price — all while remaining practical.
Volvo XC90 
The Swedes know how to make high quality cars that can stand the test of time, and the Volvo XC90 is no exception to that rule.
£7k will land you a very well-kept example from the turn of the decade — offering tons of luxury and a premium badge at a not-so premium badge. You know it’ll run forever, too.